When fertilizer burn occurs or is suspected, what is the best thing to do ASAP, if possible?

• A. Repeatedly water the area thoroughly
• B. Apply more fertilizer
• C. Ignore and watch
• D. Apply pesticide

Answer: (A)

Fertilizer burn is caused by high soluble salts around the roots, which creates osmotic stress and draws water away from root tissues. The fastest fix is to flush the area with a large amount of water to dilute and leach the excess salts out of the root zone. Do this as soon as possible and water deeply so salts move beyond the immediate root zone. For containers, water until drainage occurs and keep doing so until the runoff is clear; for turf or garden beds, water thoroughly to move salts deeper into the soil and away from the root zone, then avoid applying fertilizer until recovery. After flushing, resume fertilization at the correct, lower rate and monitor soil drainage and moisture. Avoid adding more fertilizer, ignoring the symptoms, or using pesticides, since they don’t address the salt buildup causing the burn.