Drip too strong: every watering can salt the root zone
EC over the line is a brine, not a feed.
- A white ring at the dripper burns roots; afternoon wilt, worse at the emitter.
- More water-fertiliser makes it worse.
- Too little drip is dry; too thick wilts more after a watering and shows salt frost.
- Disease dies in patches; too-thick feed lines up along the drip tape.
- Don’t chase strength; don’t fertilise the white ring.
- Irrigation EC: Follow how salt-shy the crop is. Seedlings lower still. No meter? Try half the labelled lower rate first
- Name what you see before you feed.
- If leaves, roots and the surface disagree, stop.
What you see in the field
A white ring at the dripper burns roots; afternoon wilt, worse at the emitter. More water-fertiliser makes it worse.Ask what was applied, and how much. Injury in a line with granules in the seed furrow matches this page. Scattered patches look more like disease. Do not stack another bag.
Tap to enlarge. The caption says what to photograph. Missing field photos are marked as to-be-added.
Why it looks like this
The field looks like this because the root cannot take water or nutrients the usual way. Fix the soil condition first — drainage, salt, acidity, compaction or a salt of fertiliser — then a thin feed. Rates live in the range on this page; confirm with a local station and the label.
Easy to mix up
Looks like “Shortage of water”
Too little drip is dry; too thick wilts more after a watering and shows salt frost.
Looks like “Disease wilt”
Disease dies in patches; too-thick feed lines up along the drip tape.
Do this / don’t do that
- 1Compare the worst plants with a neighbour ridge. Photograph whole plant, close-up and soil surface before you add fertiliser.
- 2Match roots, leaves and the soil surface to this guide. If they do not line up, do not copy a bag count.
- 3Use the rate range on this page only as a range. Confirm with a local station and the product label.
Don’t do this first
- Don’t chase strength; don’t fertilise the white ring.
Rate range
Irrigation EC
Follow how salt-shy the crop is. Seedlings lower still
No meter? Try half the labelled lower rate first.
Flushing
Clear water every so often
Carry salt out of the root layer and out of the field.
These are ranges. Confirm with your local extension station and the product label.
How soon after a spray or a feed it showed
A 1–3 day burst looks more like spray injury / fertiliser burn.
When you see A white ring at the dripper burns roots; afternoon wilt, test. If the leaf and the soil disagree, test before you pour.
Lesson video
2026-03-15 · Li Zeyu · For learning. Serious damage: local agronomist or a soil test.
For learning only. Fertiliser and pesticide decisions need a local agronomist and a soil test.
Not sure? Photograph the field to identify the problem