Magnesium Deficiency
Abiotic
20 host plants
Last updated
This profile contains verified disease data from extension databases. Regional field notes and expert review are in progress.
Interior needles on juniper yellow as magnesium becomes depleted, creating a sparse, yellowed appearance. Apply Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to soil (1 cup per 100 square feet) or foliar spray (5 oz per gallon water). Switch to a magnesium-containing fertilizer or add dolomite lime to address the deficiency.
Cultural management is your first line: remove infected material, clean up debris, and improve the growing environment to make conditions less favorable for the pathogen. Avoid wounding plants during maintenance, as many pathogens enter through fresh cuts. Chemical options are available for severe cases, but they work best as preventive treatments applied before symptoms appear.
Quick Reference
Management
Cultural Controls
- Apply Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) either to the soil (1 cup per 100 square feet) or as a foliar fertilizer (5 ounces per gallon of water).
- Switch to a fertilizer containing magnesium.
- Addition of dolomite lime to the soil may help, but is not an immediate solution.