Signs of a nitrogen imbalance

Your garden’s soil needs to contain the right amount of nitrogen to ensure healthy plant growth and reproduction. Here’s how to spot an imbalance and what you can do about it.

Not enough
If your plants don’t have access to enough of this essential nutrient, they’ll look sickly and their leaves will eventually yellow and fall off. A nitrogen deficiency will also affect the plant’s growth, possibly delaying the production of flowers and fruit.

Too much
While your plants need plenty of nitrogen to thrive, an excess will prevent them from blooming or producing fruit. Nitrogen toxicity is also characterized by extremely dark green leaves, sometimes with brown, crispy edges.

What to do
If you suspect that your garden has a nitrogen imbalance, test the soil to confirm. This will ensure you don’t add too much and create an excess. However, if the test reveals a deficiency, you can use an organic fertilizer such as compost to add nutrients to the soil.

Pick up a soil testing kit and organic fertilizer at your local garden center.