You never feel more helpless than when watching your lush vibrant foliage wither and decline.

Plants operate on a totally different spectrum than we mammals do, and their subtle needs can seem totally incomprehensible at times. You just want to shake them and wail, “Tell me what you need! TELL ME WHAT TO DOOOO.”

Lucky for us, clever scientists met with these same problems. And they figured out that plants need nutrients just like humans do… and their sickly appearances can tell you exactly what they’re craving.

Plants need an abundance of each of the following “macronutrients.” If they’re running low, you’ll see these telltale signs:

• Nitrogen: older leaves get yellow and droopy, and quickly wither and die. New growth may be slower than usual, and light green.
• Sulfur: The older leaves stay green, but new growth is wimpy and yellow. Overall growth is slower and smaller than usual.
• Potassium: Older leaves wilt and may look scorched on the edges. Newer leaves can show yellowing between the veins.
• Calcium: New growth is weirdly shaped, often hooklike. Sometimes the growing tip will shrivel and die.
• Phosphorus: Older leaves darken almost to black; new leaves may be reddish-purple. Your fruit production will suffer too.
• Magnesium: Slow, pale yellow new growth, sometimes with dark spots. It’s like your plants are born old!

To fix these common problems, adjust your soil nutrients quickly–but be careful, don’t add too much! The opposite problem, burning your plants with too much nutrition, is just as bad or worse.

Once you’ve determined which your plants are craving, hike on down to your local garden supply store. Ask them what organic or commercial fertilizers they suggest, and add it GRADUALLY to your plants.

Happy harvesting!