Individual Nutrients

The 14 nutrients listed on the right hand side of this page are generally considered the essential soil derived nutrients for all plants. The macro nutrients are needed in much greater quantities than the micro nutrients, but a deficiency in any one of them can cause serious problems. There are also several elements in the soil (including some essential nutrients) that have caused toxicity in California orchards. This section provides deficiency & toxicity photos, management guidelines and links to more detailed reading on each of these elements.

"Herring Bone" pattern of manganese deficiency

Select One

Macro Nutrients
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
Calcium (Ca)
Magnesium (Mg)
Sulfur (S)

Micro Nutrients
Iron (Fe)
Manganese (Mn)
Zinc (Zn)
Boron (B)
Copper (Cu)
Molybdenum (Mo)
Nickel (Ni)
Chlorine (Cl)

Toxic Elements
Arsenic (As)
Boron (B)
Chlorine (Cl)
Sodium (Na)