Fertigation: when EC is over the line you are pickling the root
The meter at the tail of the drip is part of the recipe.
- A white ring at the dripper, more wilt after a shot.
- Over-EC is pickling the root.
- No water is a miss; too thick wilts more after a watering.
- Too thick lines up along the drip tape.
- Don’t concentrate further past EC; 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, more wilt after a shot. Over-EC is pickling the root.Walk the worst strip and compare a neighbour. Photograph the whole plant, a close-up and the soil surface. If those three do not line up, do not rush a bag. Lab numbers have to match the field.
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”
No water is a miss; too thick wilts more after a watering.
Looks like “Disease wilt”
Too thick 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 concentrate further past EC; 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 the salt out and drain it.
These are ranges. Confirm with your local extension station and the product label.
When you see A white ring at the dripper, test. Walk an S and mix — one hole is not the field.
Lesson video
2026-03-23 · 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