Grumichama - yellowing leaves ?

amanda says...
Hi Nicole - are u able to post a photo?

amanda says...
Owch! they not good are they Nicole...at first glance it looks like an iron deficiency - are the older leaves are a deeper green than the young one's?

It's odd that it's not happening to all of your bushes - these 3 are not planted on top of a block of concrete, limestone, mortar or anything are they? It would be good to check the pH of the soil around those 3 and compare with the soil from the healthy ones.

I'd get an iron chelate spray onto them asap. don't overdo it or u may burn them. See how they respond and then follow up.

Other deficiencies that can look similar are zinc and manganese - when they are severe enough. They will also be affected if the soil is alkaline. I still think iron though.

Let us know the pH and how u go?

amanda says...
Lol - what is it with Queenslanders and Epsom salts?!
It doesn't really look like a magnesium problem but here is some info for you Nicole and u can make up your own mind (I will post some pics later):

Bright yellowing on older leaves.
Yellowing spreads from the tips and margins towards the main vein, leaving a characteristic green triangular area near the base of the leaf.
In deciduous fruits, cholortic areas often become scorched and leaves fall prematurely. Defoliation can be heavy in citrus caryying a large crop.
Young leaves are green (magnesium a mobile element - when deficient/unavailable it is transported from the old leaves to the new - that's why older leaves go yellow first)
Deficiency more common on leached acid sandy soils.
Unavailability more common after liming, over potassium fert' use or a natural imbalance in certain calcerous soils.

Hope this is helpful..?

amanda says...
This one is ZINC def'y

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1	Picture: 2

amanda says...
And, lastly, MAGNESIUM def'y.

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1	Picture: 2

amanda says...
Maybe someone else, more experienced than I, could offer their opinion then..?

amanda says...
Owch - what's got your goat Wayne? :) I am not confused - at least I don't feel so - the pics look pretty obvious but a pH test would help here.
I am, however, trying to help by problem solving - in order to get the best result for the patient :)

I have posted the pics in case Nicole can see a pattern - not for an ego trip.

For the record - I don't use agricultural sulphur nor have I recommended it. There are far kinder ways to reduce soil pH.

Iron cholorsis is a realtively common problem - eg: in already borderline soils that then get a large amount of rain and or overwatering.

However, Nicole's 'deficiency' is a bit more problematic - her other 11 or so trees, in the hedge, are fine..?
Maybe something inadvertantly got spilled/washed there causing a temporary pH shift..maybe there is limestone there..don't know without more info'.

Many people garden in marginal soils in Australia and without decent rainfall, saline water etc. Some have too much magnesium in the soil already - causing surface crusting, water repellance and collapse of soil structure. Adding more, in these cases, will actually hurt the plant and the soil.

"Deficiency" is also not always the best word in many cases - rather the elements are there - but locked up. Adding more of the element isn't going to help in these cases.

Adding things that are not needed can upset the balance of other elements and their uptake. The fertiliser companies get to make heaps of cash and most of it ends up in our water tables and rivers...causing a whole lot more problems.

By piecing together the evidence - more often than not only one remedy is needed. Sometimes it's more complicated.

Eg: my citrus trees suffer from mild Iron, Zinc and Manganese deficiencies (like many folks) - it's worse in winter when the weather is cold (winter yellows) and Zinc uptake affected. My soil is slightly alkaline and I use pine bark chips and organic matter to bring the pH down long term. Sometimes there is nothing else for it than for me to apply a foliar spray of these elements.

It might sound corny - but I am a custodian of the soil for my children and so on. I make it my business to know and understand what my soil needs and how best to treat specific problems without causing long term damage.
I also care about any "advice" I give others - lest I stuff up their soil or plants.

So, that's my lecture for the day..oops..think I had better go now... :-o

amanda says...
I understand. :)

Brendan says...
Hello amanda,
Yes, those Tooheys Extra Dry Platinum at 6.5% do have a kick!
Don't think I'll be doing that for a while, hic! :-)

amanda says...
Hi Nicole - sort of good and bad news huh? Get the iron chelate spray onto them and see how they are after 2-3 weeks. You may need to amend/fix the soil (or remove the wall...?) in the long term.
Do check that pH though - if the soil really alkaline then u may get problems with other elements (like zinc and manganese, boron) and then maybe check back in here for some ideas from the forum?
Good luck! :-)

amanda says...
Hi Nicole - where did you get these plants?

These are some of mine. One is from Daleys and, unfortunately, has a chimera (a genetic abnormalty that prevents correct chloroplast formation) I had 5 sent over about a year or so ago and 2 are dead aready. It's the sick yellow one.

The other two are froma different supplier (Birdwood) one is in the same orchard as the sick one - and the othe is in a pot. They are doing well and no problems. So it's not me! :)

(PS - the Dept of Agriculture Pest and Disease service diagnosed a chimera from leaves I sent them)

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1	Picture: 2	Picture: 3

amanda says...
Are u being cheeky about the "variegated" thing Rev? :) These chimera plants are a waste of time and energy - IMO. I am pretty dark about it as it cost me around $170 to get those 5 plants over here...grr.

I had one fruit off my "good" plant 4 months after planting - it was such a tease! It was very nice. I hope I can get at least a few this season to get a proper taste....

amanda says...
Hi Tim - Happy Earth may be able to help u better here? Mine is a chimaera and has resisted all fixing. here is a link to this topic in the forum and a pic of what my plant looked like brand new - the markings are quite distinctive - where did u get your plant?

https://www.daleysfruit.com.au/forum/virus/