How to Do It Series - Episode 10 - Leaf Analysis & Interpretation

Graeme Sait

Sep 13, 2024 • 2 min read

Hi Everyone,

In the latest episode of the increasingly popular “How to Do It” series, I hope to inspire you to use leaf testing to determine nutrient requirements during the crop cycle. A plant tissue test can often be more valuable than a soil test in developing a productive nutrition program.

I see a leaf test in terms of simply asking the plant what it wants at any time of the season. You will often discover that those requirements do not synch with your soil test data. This incongruity relates to several factors, including mineral antagonism, soil type, climatic conditions, disease, and soil biology.

Even if you can only justify a single leaf test before flowering (the business end of the season), posing the question, “What do you want plant—oh that’s what you want—OK, here it is” can be of immense value in optimising plant health and yield.

What you will invariably uncover is a shortage of one or more of a group of minerals that I call “The Big Four”. These minerals are key players in all-important photosynthesis, and we like to keep them at luxury levels in the plant. They include calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and boron. I promise you that you will have a smile on your face at the end of the season if you can optimise this quartet within the plant.

I hope this information proves helpful, and I wish you all the very best in your growing seasons.

Warm regards,

Graeme Sait

CEO

Nutri-Tech Solutions