Hydroponic systems are less forgiving than soil systems, and nutrient problems can quickly lead to various painful plant symptoms. For this reason, the composition of the nutrient solution and regular monitoring of the nutrient solution and the state of plant nutrients are crucial.

You can adjust the amount of nutrients with our hydroponic systems

Keep an eye out for symptoms of other common problems, including:

Damage To Soluble Salts

Reason: Soluble salt damage can be caused by excessive fertilization, poor water quality, salt accumulation in aggregate media over time, and / or insufficient leaching. Fertilizers are salts, and in hydroponic systems they are most often fertigated. As water evaporates, soluble salts can accumulate in aggregate media if they are not sufficiently leached. Irrigation water can also be high in soluble salts, contributing to this problem.

Symptoms: chemical drought can occur when the level of soluble salts in the planting medium is excessive. As a result, you will see the plants wilt, despite adequate watering. Other symptoms include dark green foliage, dead and burnt leaf edges, and root death.

Detection: The level of soluble salts can be monitored/measured by monitoring the electrical conductivity (EC) of irrigation water, nutrient solutions, and filtrate (the nutrient solution that flows out of the planting container).

Treatment: Soluble salts can be leached with clean water. First, identify the source of the high level of soluble salts and correct it.

Nitrogen Deficiency

Reason: Nitrogen deficiency can be caused by insufficient fertilization, nutrient imbalance, or excessive leaching.

Symptoms: typical first symptoms of nitrogen deficiency are light green foliage and general plant growth retardation. You may also see wilting and dead and/or yellow leaf edges.

Detection: measuring / monitoring the electrical conductivity (ES) of nutrient solutions can help prevent nitrogen deficiency. Adjust the EC levels when they are low or high.

Treatment: Identify the source and correct it. This may mean adding more nitrogen to nutrient solutions. It can also mean that the antagonistic nutrient is excessive in the nutrient solution.

Calcium Deficiency

Reason: calcium deficiency can be caused by insufficient fertilization, nutrient imbalance, or low pH. It also has to do with managing humidity, high temperature, and low air flow. Calcium is a mobile nutrient and is transported through the plant in the water supply tissues. Fruits and leaves compete for water. Low relative humidity and high temperatures can increase the rate of transpiration and leaf movement. In this case, calcium deficiency can develop in fruits.

Symptoms: Symptoms of calcium deficiency usually begin with the brown edges of the leaves of a new plant or at the bottom of the fruit. Great examples of this are tipburn in lettuce and flower rot in tomato and pepper. As symptoms progress, you may see brown dead spots on the leaves.

Detection: monitor the environment and perform plant analysis

Treatment: The correct pH in nutrient solutions is between 5.0 and 7.0. If necessary, apply fertilizers. In greenhouses, the air flow can be low, and the introduction of horizontal air flow at a rate of 0.3 to 1 m / s at the plant level can disrupt the plant boundary layer and increase the transpiration rate to avoid calcium deficiency in lettuce. The key to this is that the air flow must be uniform for the plants to grow evenly.

Iron Deficiency

Reason: The most common cause of iron deficiency is the high pH of the medium and / or irrigation water. It can also be caused by an imbalance of nutrients.

Symptoms: iron deficiency is manifested in plants in the form of yellowing between the veins of the leaves. Look for this symptom, so that it appears first with new growth.

Detection: monitor the environment and perform plant analysis.

Treatment: Adjust the pH of the nutrient solution. If necessary, use iron fertilizers.

Magnesium Deficiency

Reason: magnesium can be caused by a high pH of the medium and / or an imbalance of nutrients.

Symptoms: Look for yellowing between the leaf veins as a symptom of magnesium deficiency. Magnesium deficiency usually appears first on the lower and middle leaves, which helps distinguish it from iron deficiency.

Detection: monitor the environment and perform plant analysis.

Treatment: Adjust the pH of the nutrient solution. If necessary, use iron fertilizers.

The Toxicity Of Bohr

Reason: Bohr oxicity is caused by the application of too much boron to plants. Of the nutrients commonly used as fertilizer, boron has the narrowest range between deficiency and toxicity. Bohr is easy to apply excessively. Check and recheck the fertilizer calculations before applying. It can also be in irrigation water. It is important to check the water level in the source before using it and take into account the boron content in the water when adding boron fertilizer.

Symptoms: Symptoms of Bohr toxicity are yellow and dead spots on the edges of the leaves. You may also see a decrease in root growth.

Detection: monitor the environment and perform plant analysis.

Treatment: identify the source of the excess boron and correct it.