Plant health

I have a cross vine that is extremely pale. My soil is alkaline. I am wondering if that I'd the problem and if there is anything I can do. I also have a wisteria in a pot with the same problem. Thanks

What is the pH?

Soil in a container is very easy to deal with when it is not right for the plant: Get new soil.

When the soil has too high pH many of the minerals the plants need to grow can be chemically bound up in a way that plants cannot get them.

Soil in a container often does not have many of the plant nutrients. The plants have used up the minerals.

Either of these could be the problem.
If you post several pictures of the plants, including an over all shot, and some close ups of the worst leaves, and some with less problems we can see if we can ID the problem.

I would fertilize with a complete fertilizer that includes trace minerals, then mulch with some fine bark or other organic matter. This will decompose and can lower the pH a little bit.

This message was edited Jul 9, 2015 4:59 AM

What is the pH of your soil?

Im pretty close to you and have very alkaline soil, but it has never been much of an issue. Pics would be great....we have also had a lot of rain. I wonder if that could be contributing to the problem?

That's why I asked about the actual pH. Most plants are tolerant of a wide range in pH, ericaceous plants being a notable exception.
Clay soils that are alkaline can sometimes be a bit problematic, in that various minerals can be bound up in the clay matrix, and inaccessible to the plant, as Diana describes. This is exacerbated by wet conditions. Given that one of the problems is with a potted plant, this is unlikely to be the cause (since it's unlikely that clay would be your planting medium). Unless lots of plants are suffering this way, it doesn't sound like a widespread soil problem.
It may just be that a bit of fertilizer will help.

Agree, it seems unlikely that a potted plant and one grown in ground would suffer from the same soil issues. However, I'm on Well water, which is also Alkaline.

As to the wet weather, I have had this "anemic" problem for at least 5 years.
I keep my beds mulched each year and add extra soil to build it up.

Photo 1 - Crossvine
Photo 2 - Evergreen Wisteria in pot ( Millettia Reticulata)

I had my soil tested by the Texas Agrilife Extension Center in April of 2013.

pH 7.7
Nitrate-N 2
Conductivity 321
Phosphorus 237
Potassium 503
Calcium 8,507
Magnesium 504
Sulfur 73
Sodium 52
Iron 14.24
Zinc 10.05
Manganese 19.79
Copper 1.42

Thank you for all the input.

When you report numbers, include the units.
Are these parts per million? Or some other value?
What is the nitrate?

First pic looks like iron deficiency- green veins, pale green to yellow interveinal areas.
Iron is most available to the plants when the soil pH is slightly acidic, and most nutrients tend to be more available in about that same area, right about 6.5.
Iron can also be locked up with some other nutrients, making both unavailable to the plant, though they will show up in a soil fertility test.

I would use a foliar spray, especially target the underside of the leaves. This will correct the problem the fastest.
Next, I would use a fertilizer in the soil with chelated iron.
Next, I would add organic matter such as bark, compost or other mulch over the root zone of the plant. Do not pile it against the stem, though. Organic matter will make the soil more acidic over time, and help in other ways. Check several times per year. You could rake it aside, fertilize, then put the old mulch back and add a bit of fresh mulch.

Dear Diana_K

Sorry about the measurements. I thought they would be standardized. They are ppm.

I will try the foliar spray since fertilizer with extra iron has not worked. I do mulch.

Thank You for all your help.

Sincerely,

Espeth6