Magnesium
Magnesium (Mg)- is essential to photosynthesis in plants. It’s the "main molecule" in chlorophyll, the green coloring in green plants! Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use the sun’s energy to create carbohydrates. Without magnesium, plant leaves turn yellow (usually at the bottom) and will soon die.
PH- is measured on a scale of 1-14 with 7 being "neutral". Acids are lower than 7 and alkalis (bases) are above 7. To be technical, the term pH refers to the potential hydrogen-hydroxyl ion content of a solution. Solutions ionize into positive and negative ions. If the solution has more hydrogen (positive) ions than hydroxyl (negative) ions then it is an acid (1-6.9 on the pH scale). Conversely if the solution has more hydroxyl ions than hydrogen it is alkaline (or base), with a range of 7.1-14 on the pH scale.
Pure water has a balance of hydrogen (H+) and hydroxyl (OH-) ions and is therefore pH neutral (pH 7). When the water is less than pure it can have a pH either higher or lower than 7.
When the pH is not at the proper level plants will lose it's ability to absorb some of the essential elements required for healthy growth. For all plants there is a particular pH level that will produce optimum results. Most plants can still survive in an environment with a pH of 5.0 to 7.5.
If the pH is too high, some plants suffer from a lack of iron, zinc, manganese, copper and boron. If the pH is too low, it lacks phosphoric acid, calcium, and magnesium. At lower pH (more acidic) ranges, diseases can thrive. Normally, plants tend to take up more acidic elements, causing pH levels to increase or drift up the scale.
Magnesium deficiency in soil To get an accurate reading of any deficiency, the soil can be tested, but in the case of magnesium, the results are quite variable. Magnesium content can deteriorate quickly, especially during rain or watering. Magnesium is quite water-soluble and gets leached to the lower layers...
