Kalmia leaves looking pale

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back40bean Decatur, GA(Zone 7b) Jun 17, 2009

I planted a Kalmia latifolia early spring '08. It looks OK except that the new growth is pale. Actually the veins of the new leaves are a good deep green but the remainder of the leaves seem to be lacking in chlorophyl. Is this a nitrogen deficiency? And if so is blood meal a reasonable thing to add? I live in Atlanta, zone 7b. Thanks, Bill

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growin Beautiful, BC(Zone 8b) Jun 18, 2009

I've found Kalmia to benefit from a light layer of peatmoss sprinkled ontop of the soil to give it additional acidity. It wouldn't hurt to add some slow release fertilizer to the base of the plant.

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Stake Barmera, Australia Jun 18, 2009

G'Day
You have given a reasonable description of Iron deficiency so a dose of Iron chelates would be in order for a rapid fix then follow the advice of Growin to correct the alkalinity problem. If your soils are naturally acid then suspect a builder's concrete cleanup to be the reason for the problem..
Brian

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back40bean Decatur, GA(Zone 7b) Jun 18, 2009

Thanks Stake and Growin. Stake, I've been landscaping an old kudzu covered area from which I've removed some very large chunks of concrete. I had to break some of them up and I'm sure there are small pieces and concrete dust still in the soil. I'll get to it right now. Thanks, again

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