Grapes on limey soil: iron is there, the root can’t eat it
High pH locks iron. Pouring more iron into the bulk soil often fails.
- Grape new leaves yellow, veins green, soil not poor.
- Common on north-west calcareous ground.
- Nitrogen shortage yellows old leaves; iron lock yellows new leaves.
- Salt injury scorches margins with white crust; iron lock keeps the veins green.
- Don’t chase yellow with urea; don’t dump ferrous sulphate on high pH as a season fix.
- Foliar chelated iron: Follow the pack. First aid, and repeat
- Name what you see before you feed.
- If leaves, roots and the surface disagree, stop.
What you see in the field
Grape new leaves yellow, veins green, soil not poor. Common on north-west calcareous ground.First the leaf position: new or old, even yellow or between the veins. If that does not match, do not fertilise yet. Pull one plant and read whether the roots are white, brown or foul.
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 “Nitrogen shortage”
Nitrogen shortage yellows old leaves; iron lock yellows new leaves.
Looks like “Salt injury”
Salt injury scorches margins with white crust; iron lock keeps the veins green.
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 yellow with urea; don’t dump ferrous sulphate on high pH as a season fix.
Rate range
Foliar chelated iron
Follow the pack
First aid, and repeat.
Organic manure
Tree-basin trench, follow local advice
Steadier than dumping ferrous sulphate on high-pH land.
These are ranges. Confirm with your local extension station and the product label.
When you see Grape new leaves yellow, test. Mix several spots of the tilled layer; skip the edge and the manure heap.
Lesson video
2026-03-11 · 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