IRON CHLOROSIS OF WOODY PLANTS

by Dr. Tom Dill, past Ext!sio! E"#$ator, C%as Co#!ty

&a!y trs, s%r#bs a!" ot%r or!am!tal pla!ts i! Nbras'a s#((r (rom iro!
"(i$i!$y. I! t% So#t%)st part o( t% stat t%r is !o x$ptio!. I! (a$t, it $a! b
m#$% )ors %r t%a! ot%r aras.
T% %i*% ma* soils i! t%is ara $a#s t% iro! to b ti" #p )it% ot%r lm!ts
i! t% soil. T%is ma's it #!a+ailabl to t% pla!ts. Si!$ t% iro! is !ot a+ailabl to
t% pla!t t%y ar slo) to *ro), %a+ yllo) la+s, a!" )%! s+r t% bra!$%s "i
ba$'. T% yllo)i!* o( t% la+s is +ry "isti!$t. T% +i!s o( t% la( rmai!
som)%at *r!, b#t t% ara i! bt)! t% +i!s )ill b yllo).
C%lorosis b$oms pro*rssi+ly mor appar!t as o! tra+ls )st a$ross t%
stat. T% mai! raso! is t% pH o( t% soil. As o! tra+ls )st i! Nbras'a, t% soil
b$oms mor al'ali!, t% pH is %i*%r. T%is ma's t% iro! ti" #p )it% ot%r
lm!ts a!" #!a+ailabl to pla!ts.
Symptoms i!$l#" partial or $omplt yllo)i!* o( la+s. T% yllo)i!* (irst
b$oms appar!t bt)! t% +i!s la+i!* a !t)or' o( "ar'r +i!s o! a *r!is%,
yllo) ba$'*ro#!". &or s+r symptoms i!$l#" smallr la+s t%at t#r! pal
yllo) a!" "+lop a!*#lar bro)! spots bt)! t% +i!s. T% la( mar*i!s may t#r!
bro)! a!" )ill +!t#ally $#rl, "ry #p b$oms !tirly bro)! a!" (alls o(( prmat#rly.
T% tips o( t% bra!$%s $a! "i a!" poor root "+lopm!t o$$#rs.
T%r ar t%r mt%o"s #s" to $orr$t t% problm. T% bottom li! is to *t
som iro! a+ailabl to t% pla!t. &t%o"s i!$l#"-
.. applyi!* a mixt#r o( "ry (rro#s s#l(at a!" s#l(#r to t% soil/
0. sprayi!* t% (olia* )it% sol#tio!s o( (rro#s s#l(at or iro! $%lat/
1. i!tro"#$i!* iro! salts i!to t% mai! tr#!' or stms o( a tr by impla!ti!*
or i!2$ti!*.
T% (irst t)o mt%o"s $a! b #s" (or all or!am!tal pla!ts. T% t%ir" mt%o" is
rstri$t" to trs a!" lar* s%r#bs.
T% slo)st pla!t rspo!s is applyi!* (rro#s s#l(at a!" s#l(#r to t% soil.
Ho)+r, )%! appli$atio! is $orr$t a!" (($ti+, a si!*l tratm!t may last #p to
t%r yars. Sprayi!* t% (olia* )it% li3#i" iro! may b *rat (or a!!#al pla!ts a!"
)%! $%lorosis is s+r. T%is mt%o" is +ry $ostly.
Tr#!' impla!ts or i!2$tio! is +ry (($ti+ )%! t% $orr$t $%mi$als ar #s".
I( too m#$% iro! is appli" t% la+s $a! b#r! bla$', b#t t%y )ill soo! (all a!" t% !)
la+s )ill b !i$ a!" "ar' *r!.
S+ral ot%r optio!s ar a+ailabl. T% i!$l#sio! o( s#l(#r i! yo#r +ry yar
la)! (rtili4r )ill slo)ly %lp to ma' t% soil mor a$i"i$ )%i$% ma's mor iro!
a+ailabl (or t% pla!ts to #s. T%is ta's a lo!*r tim, b#t "os %lp o+r t% lo!*
r#!. Lo$ally s+ral popl %a+ #s" ammo!i#m s#l(at, a! +ry"ay a*ri$#lt#ral
(rtili4r, to %lp. Si!$ it is ra"ily a+ailabl it is a *oo" $%oi$. Ho)+r, it is %ar" to
%a!"l a!" *t t% ri*%t amo#!t i! t% ri*%t ara.