04Natural remedies for nutrient deficiencies
Try the natural remedy first. Use the quick fix only if the symptom keeps spreading after 2 weeks. Organic remedies act slowly, so expect new healthy leaves in 10–20 days. Damaged leaves will not turn green again.
| Deficiency | Natural remedy and dose | How to apply | Quick fix if needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | Vermicompost tea: 2 tbsp vermicompost soaked in 1 litre water for 24 hours, strained. Or fermented rice water (rice washing water left 2–3 days), 1 cup in 1 litre | Soil drench every 7–10 days. Also mix 1 tbsp neem cake or mustard cake into the top soil once a month | NPK 19:19:19 as per the leaf colour chart |
| Phosphorus (P) | Bone meal, 1 tsp per medium pot. Or rock phosphate, 1 tsp per pot | Mix into the top 2–3 cm of soil and water in. Lasts 6–8 weeks | NPK 19:19:19, ½ tsp per litre |
| Potassium (K) | Banana peel tea: peels of 2–3 bananas soaked in 1 litre water for 2 days, strained. Or wood ash, ½ tsp per pot | Pour the tea as it is, every 10 days. Sprinkle ash on moist soil once a month only, since it raises pH | 13:0:45 (potassium nitrate), ½ tsp per litre |
| Magnesium (Mg) | Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate), ½ tsp per litre | Spray on leaves or pour at the base, once every 2–3 weeks. Maximum 2 rounds | Same, but no more than 3 rounds in a season |
| Calcium (Ca) | Eggshell powder: dried eggshells ground fine, 1 tsp per pot. Faster: eggshell water (a handful of crushed shells soaked in 1 litre for 3 days), 1 cup per pot | Mix powder into top soil. Water evenly, never letting the pot dry out fully | Calcium nitrate, ¼ tsp per litre, as a spray |
| Sulphur (S) | Gypsum, 1 tsp per medium pot. Epsom salt (above) also supplies sulphur | Mix into top soil once a season | Same |
| Iron (Fe) | First, stop overwatering and add 1 handful of compost to the top soil. Well-rotted compost releases iron slowly | Top-dress once and water well | Chelated iron (Fe-EDDHA), ¼ tsp per litre, as a drench once |
| Manganese (Mn) and Zinc (Zn) | Seaweed extract, ½ tsp per litre. Seaweed contains many trace nutrients | Spray on leaves every 15 days, 2–3 rounds | Zinc sulphate, ¼ tsp in 2 litres, one spray only |
| Boron (B) | Compost and seaweed extract (above) usually cover it | Top-dress and spray as above | Borax, a pinch (⅛ tsp) in 2 litres, one spray only. Boron turns toxic quickly, so never repeat within a month |
Home recipe: all-purpose green tonic
- Fermented buttermilk and jaggery tonic: 1 cup sour buttermilk + 1 tsp jaggery in 1 litre water, left overnight.
- Use: pour 1 cup per pot every 15 days to feed soil microbes, which help release nutrients already in Leihaao.
05Pests: aphids and mealybugs
Catch them early and a water jet or neem spray is enough. Both pests suck plant sap, multiply within days and are often farmed by ants.
How to identify them
| Sign | Aphids | Mealybugs |
|---|---|---|
| What the insect looks like | Tiny (1–3 mm), soft, pear-shaped. Green, black, yellow or brown. Some have wings | Small (3–5 mm), oval, covered in white cotton-like wax. Move slowly |
| Where to look | Tender new shoots, flower buds, underside of young leaves | Stem joints, leaf bases, underside along veins, and roots near the soil surface |
| Leaf damage | New leaves curl, crinkle and turn yellow. Growth becomes stunted | Leaves yellow, wilt and drop. Stems look dusted with white |
| Other clues | Sticky shiny leaves (honeydew), black sooty mould, ants going up and down, white shed skins | White fluffy clumps, sticky honeydew, ants, black sooty mould. Plant wilts even when soil is moist (root mealybugs) |
| Quick test | Rub the shoot with a finger. Aphids squash into a green or dark smear | Poke a white clump. It leaves a pinkish-red or orange smear |
Prevention
- Check the underside of leaves and new shoots every week (step 5 of the plant check).
- Do not overfeed nitrogen. Soft, blue-green (shade 6) growth attracts aphids.
- Control ants. Ants protect these pests from their predators. Sprinkle cinnamon or turmeric powder around the pot base.
- Keep new plants apart for 2 weeks before placing them with others.
- Plant marigold, coriander, basil or mustard nearby. Their flowers attract ladybirds and lacewings, which eat aphids.
- Hang yellow sticky traps (1 per 4–5 pots) to catch winged aphids.
Organic cures
| Remedy | Recipe per litre | Use against | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water jet | Plain water, strong spray | Aphids (light attack) | Every 2 days for a week, in the morning |
| Alcohol swab | Cotton bud dipped in rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl) | Mealybugs (a few clumps) | Wipe each clump directly. Repeat after 3 days |
| Soap spray | 1 tsp mild liquid soap (unscented, not detergent or dishwash with bleach) | Both | Every 3–4 days, 3 rounds |
| Neem oil spray | 1 tsp cold-pressed neem oil + ½ tsp liquid soap in warm water. Shake well | Both. Also stops eggs from hatching | Every 5–7 days, 3 rounds |
| Garlic–chilli spray | Blend 10 garlic cloves + 2 green chillies in 1 cup water, soak overnight, strain, top up to 1 litre, add ½ tsp soap | Both. Also repels | Every 5 days, 3 rounds |
| Neem cake drench | 1 tbsp neem cake soaked in 1 litre overnight, strained | Root mealybugs in the soil | Pour 1 cup per pot, every 10 days, 2 rounds |
For a heavy mealybug attack, cut off the worst branches and put them in a sealed bag in the bin, then spray. Always spray both sides of the leaves and the stem joints.