5Look

for urine patches in clover

Lack of potassium in the soil can translate into pasture production losses of up to 40 per cent. Fortunately, a potassiumdeficiency is the easiest of all deficiencies to spot.

“If I go onto a farm and it’s very patchy, the dung and urine patches are standing out obvious, and the pasture in between is weedy and the clover is not vigorous, and the clover is vigorous in the dung and urine patches, I can guarantee you that’s a nutrient deficiency.

“Potassium-deficient clover has a brown ring around the edge of the leaves, that’s a classic symptom.”

Have a look at where your clover is growing, where it’s doing best and where it’s not. If it looks green and healthy in urine patches but nowhere else, it’s a big clue that potassium is deficient because urine is very rich in potassium.

If clover is growing well in dung patches but not away from it, it’s a clue that either the phosphorus or sulphur is deficient. A sulphur deficient clover plant will be very yellow.