Most of the daffs are growing nicely, but I noticed that many of the leaf
tips are very yellow and pale, I seem to remember reading somewhere about
this, but can't find it now. Google didn't turn up anything useful either.

Would this indicate a soil deficiency of some sort?
As far as I know nitrogen promotes leaf and stem growth, phosphorous
promotes flowering and potassium helps flowering and makes fruit tastier. I
know that other nutrients (iron and magnesium?) are also involved, but am
very confused as to what part they actually play.

I did test the soil last summer from various parts of the garden, and got
high readings for nitrogen and almost no phosphorous and potassium! Ph was
about 8.0 or a little below. Soil is heavy clay with what looks like chalk
pebbles further down.

I'm intending to manure everywhere quite liberally when the weather
improves, as I've found a local stable with quite a pile of nicely rotted
black gold!

Will the manure and the application of bone meal help?
An enthusiastic but relatively clueless soul would be grateful for any
advice!

--
Regards, Charles

cthorpe at ukfsn dot org
"I really cannot tolerate intolerance"

"Charles Thorpe" wrote in message
news
I did test the soil last summer from various parts of the garden, and got
high readings for nitrogen and almost no phosphorous and potassium! Ph was
about 8.0 or a little below. Soil is heavy clay with what looks like chalk
pebbles further down.

I can't answer your question, but I have a question in return. What did you
use to test your soil for nitrogen, phosphorous, etc.? I've seen the kits
to test the Ph, but I've never seen anything to test for other things.

Thanks.

On Wednesday 04 February 2004 10:36 Jan wrote in uk.rec.gardening:

I can't answer your question, but I have a question in return. What did
you
use to test your soil for nitrogen, phosphorous, etc.? I've seen the kits
to test the Ph, but I've never seen anything to test for other things.

The one I have is by Tenax, I've seen them, or similar kits in hardware
shops and garden centres.

They're used by adding a powder to a solution of soil in water in a
transparent cell, holding up to daylight and comparing the colour to a
series of transparent coloured squares.

ASFAIK they are accurate enough for the job.
--
Regards, Charles

cthorpe at ukfsn dot org
"I really cannot tolerate intolerance"

On Wednesday 04 February 2004 10:36 Jan wrote in uk.rec.gardening:

I can't answer your question, but I have a question in return. What did
you
use to test your soil for nitrogen, phosphorous, etc.? I've seen the kits
to test the Ph, but I've never seen anything to test for other things.

The one I have is by Tenax, I've seen them, or similar kits in hardware
shops and garden centres.

They're used by adding a powder to a solution of soil in water in a
transparent cell, holding up to daylight and comparing the colour to a
series of transparent coloured squares.

ASFAIK they are accurate enough for the job.
--
Regards, Charles

cthorpe at ukfsn dot org
"I really cannot tolerate intolerance"

The message
from Charles Thorpe contains these words:

Most of the daffs are growing nicely, but I noticed that many of the leaf
tips are very yellow and pale, I seem to remember reading somewhere about
this, but can't find it now. Google didn't turn up anything useful either.

Would this indicate a soil deficiency of some sort?
As far as I know nitrogen promotes leaf and stem growth, phosphorous
promotes flowering and potassium helps flowering and makes fruit tastier. I
know that other nutrients (iron and magnesium?) are also involved, but am
very confused as to what part they actually play.

I did test the soil last summer from various parts of the garden, and got
high readings for nitrogen and almost no phosphorous and potassium! Ph was
about 8.0 or a little below. Soil is heavy clay with what looks like chalk
pebbles further down.

I'm intending to manure everywhere quite liberally when the weather
improves, as I've found a local stable with quite a pile of nicely rotted
black gold!

Will the manure and the application of bone meal help?
An enthusiastic but relatively clueless soul would be grateful for any
advice!

--
Regards, Charles

cthorpe at ukfsn dot org
"I really cannot tolerate intolerance"

If you have plants with foliage that goes a bit yellow then get some
epsom salts in your watering can mix and bobs your uncle.

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 11:23:30 +0000, Charles Thorpe
wrote:

On Wednesday 04 February 2004 10:36 Jan wrote in uk.rec.gardening:

I can't answer your question, but I have a question in return. What did
you
use to test your soil for nitrogen, phosphorous, etc.? I've seen the kits
to test the Ph, but I've never seen anything to test for other things.

The one I have is by Tenax, I've seen them, or similar kits in hardware
shops and garden centres.

They're used by adding a powder to a solution of soil in water in a
transparent cell, holding up to daylight and comparing the colour to a
series of transparent coloured squares.

ASFAIK they are accurate enough for the job.

Provided you're good at distinguishing between various shades
of light brown.

Andy

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 11:23:30 +0000, Charles Thorpe
wrote:

On Wednesday 04 February 2004 10:36 Jan wrote in uk.rec.gardening:

I can't answer your question, but I have a question in return. What did
you
use to test your soil for nitrogen, phosphorous, etc.? I've seen the kits
to test the Ph, but I've never seen anything to test for other things.

The one I have is by Tenax, I've seen them, or similar kits in hardware
shops and garden centres.

They're used by adding a powder to a solution of soil in water in a
transparent cell, holding up to daylight and comparing the colour to a
series of transparent coloured squares.

ASFAIK they are accurate enough for the job.

Provided you're good at distinguishing between various shades
of light brown.

Andy

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 11:23:30 +0000, Charles Thorpe
wrote:

On Wednesday 04 February 2004 10:36 Jan wrote in uk.rec.gardening:

I can't answer your question, but I have a question in return. What did
you
use to test your soil for nitrogen, phosphorous, etc.? I've seen the kits
to test the Ph, but I've never seen anything to test for other things.

The one I have is by Tenax, I've seen them, or similar kits in hardware
shops and garden centres.

They're used by adding a powder to a solution of soil in water in a
transparent cell, holding up to daylight and comparing the colour to a
series of transparent coloured squares.

ASFAIK they are accurate enough for the job.

Provided you're good at distinguishing between various shades
of light brown.

Andy

In article ,
(Christopher Norton) wrote:

If you have plants with foliage that goes a bit yellow then get some
epsom salts in your watering can mix and bobs your uncle.

That will certainly work for Magnesium deficiency but there are other
things this could be.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

In article ,
(Christopher Norton) wrote:

If you have plants with foliage that goes a bit yellow then get some
epsom salts in your watering can mix and bobs your uncle.

That will certainly work for Magnesium deficiency but there are other
things this could be.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/