What deficiency is this? Or is it something else?

[Lmbauer2017]

Howdy,

I’ve had this salvia print in the corner of my raised bed for years. It’s next to a poorly rigged drip irrigation manifold that leaks terribly (I finally rebuilt it and fixed the leaks last night). I’m wondering if that was causing some sort of deficiency? I can’t for the life of me figure out what this is. All the other plants around it look fine, though of course they are different plants.

 

[Meadowlark]

That does look to me like a nitrogen deficiency. Nitrogen, being water soluble, is easily removed from soils by water.

Hopefully @YumYum will chime in here with superior knowledge.

 

[YumYum]

It does look like the water has been washing away all your nutrients, not just nitrogen. Also the roots could be rotting if they stayed wet and flooded, which also would cause a nutrient deficiency in the plant. Another thing is the pH of the water could have affected the pH of the soil to some extent or caused a nutrient lockout, but looking at the leaves that is unlikely, but still worth checking if you can. Disease could be another factor.

 

[Lmbauer2017]

It does look like the water has been washing away all your nutrients, not just nitrogen. Also the roots could be rotting if they stayed wet and flooded, which also would cause a nutrient deficiency in the plant. Another thing is the pH of the water could have affected the pH of the soil to some extent or caused a nutrient lockout, but looking at the leaves that is unlikely, but still worth checking if you can. Disease could be another factor.

Nice ok I was feeling like it was from the copious amounts of water it was receiving every day. So maybe I'll put a healthy few inches of compost (and maybe some organic granular) around this guy and water in an organic water soluble fertilizer and see if it recovers?

 

[cpp gardener]

Unless that's a variegated variety, it has either thrips or spider mites. Imidacloprid and neem work for thrips, neem or bifenthrin work for mites.
Could use some fertilizer too.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Nice ok I was feeling like it was from the copious amounts of water it was receiving every day. So maybe I'll put a healthy few inches of compost (and maybe some organic granular) around this guy and water in an organic water soluble fertilizer and see if it recovers?

No. They hate wet feet. Raise it up with all that you said and you will be on it.

 

[cpp gardener]

And spray for bugs.

 

[Lmbauer2017]

Hahaha I’ll happily do both. Thank you all!

 

[nemodot]

Don't know why people think is a nutritional issue. There are clear evidence of some pests: Leaves look damaged by something like spider mites although its weird this time of year. Also there's mildew present so I'll be careful of fungal damage.

 

[Lmbauer2017]

Don't know why people think is a nutritional issue. There are clear evidence of some pests: Leaves look damaged by something like spider mites although its weird this time of year. Also there's mildew present so I'll be careful of fungal damage.

That’s kind of what was has been confusing me. This plant has been in the corner of this race bed since the beginning (almost 4 years). It’s been through multiple freezes and Houston heat waves, but it always thrives relentlessly. Last year there was a tomato plant in a pot near it that was absolutely ravaged by fungal and pest issues, so maybe some odd strains finally got a hold of it. The leaves do look suspiciously nutrient deficient though don’t they? It’s such an even distribution of sandy colored… sand-like texture?

Also I DO see the mold now! I’ve begun a regiment of neem and peroxide. It hasn’t necessarily gotten worse I don’t think, but I need to examine it much closer. I’ll post a couple more photos this week.

 

[nemodot]

That’s kind of what was has been confusing me. This plant has been in the corner of this race bed since the beginning (almost 4 years). It’s been through multiple freezes and Houston heat waves, but it always thrives relentlessly. Last year there was a tomato plant in a pot near it that was absolutely ravaged by fungal and pest issues, so maybe some odd strains finally got a hold of it. The leaves do look suspiciously nutrient deficient though don’t they? It’s such an even distribution of sandy colored… sand-like texture?

Also I DO see the mold now! I’ve begun a regiment of neem and peroxide. It hasn’t necessarily gotten worse I don’t think, but I need to examine it much closer. I’ll post a couple more photos this week.

Google image search "spider mite damage" and it IMO it will look exactly like this. Deficiencies are smoother blotches. Also if the plant is weakened significantly by a pest, then it is vulnerable to all sorts of other pests. So it may also have root issues like nematodes (knots on the roots).

 

[Lmbauer2017]

Google image search "spider mite damage" and it IMO it will look exactly like this. Deficiencies are smoother blotches. Also if the plant is weakened significantly by a pest, then it is vulnerable to all sorts of other pests. So it may also have root issues like nematodes (knots on the roots).

Wowwww that is textbook spider mite damage lol. Good catch! Yes I’ve had major issues with them in the past on many other plants, but that was two years ago (completely forgot what their damage looked like), and thought I was done with them. Mint and neem took care of them pretty well back then, so I’ll give that a shot. I did mound up some compost/fert/mulch and fix the water leak, so we’ll see what happens with the roots. I hope the natural soil life can bring this thing back! Otherwise I may have to say bye to this longtime trooper (and just buy another one ).

 

[big rockpile]

You can take a pound of Habanaro Peppers, chop them up, put quart of water.

Let them simmer not boil for 20 minutes. Let cool, strain and spray the plants even under the leaves for 3 days.

Also before this spray with a jet of water. Spider Mites hate water.

big rockpile

 

[Tetters]

Only just spotted this thread. If those were in my garden, I would collect seed, grow some more, grub out all of the existing plant and clean the whole area. Then grow the new plants on and use them in several places in the garden when they're ready.
Just an idea.
Actually, if we are all supposed to be gardeners, why aren't we collecting seed more to grow our own plants. There's so much more for your money then, and it's not that difficult to do.

 

[Meadowlark]

...Actually, if we are all supposed to be gardeners, why aren't we collecting seed more to grow our own plants. There's so much more for your money then, and it's not that difficult to do.

Agree...but more.

By collecting your seed, over a period of time, you can actually see effects of adaptation. The plants over generations adapt to the local climate, insects, and diseases. As a result, they are healthier and more productive than plants from seed collected thousands of miles away.

As an example, I have a jalapeno pepper seed I have been collecting for about 10 years. It never has insects or diesease and produces over 300 peppers per season of large jalapenos.