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Foliar Nutrition - Calcium and Boron

Y

YosemiteSam

dk...do you buy that amino chelates or the tria in Ca25 have any effect on translocation?
 

dizzlekush

Member
dk...do you buy that amino chelates or the tria in Ca25 have any effect on translocation?

All testing ive seen on Calcium25, both in published literature and home-made experiments have shown a complete lack of benefits from the Calcium25. So in actual use Ca25 seems to be lacking in any sort of results, which makes me believe the 'science' that the companies have published in their patents, that they've based their products on, is complete hogwash, as ive never seen any of the science confirmed outside of their several patents and it doesn't seem to work at all.

Albions calcium metalosate in several studies has shown to show greater improvements in growth in comparison to the other Ca salts i mentioned when applied to the foliage, and did so at LOWER application levels. over-application of other salts was not a factor, they were applied within the normal range. So whether or not the Ca is trans-locating to different areas of the plant (which i have never seen mentioned in the lit i've read), the plant is definitely getting better use out of the chelated Calcium.

HTH,
-dizzle
 

Izoc666

Member
Excellent informative !!

i shall research it more.

DK, i have one question to ask you. As you re saying if I use B thru foliage, it will hurt the growth process but it rather better to feed thru rhizosphere, thats correct ?

And I like to use Dyna Gro s pro-tekt, Foliage Pro, and Neem Oil for foliar spray but from what i read your thread its bad with foliar spray thats right ? so instead of foliar spray, I should feed B thru rhizosphere , it will make an effective against pest and fungi so the foliar spray is not neccesary.

Please educate me and im still learning about Ca and B subject. DK thank you for creating this thread :D

happy gardening
 

DrFever

Active member
Veteran
thought i might add into this thread something i found

One difficulty in using foliar sprays to supply essential elements to crops is that translocation of the applied element may not be rapid enough for increasing crop yields. With some plants this problem is more difficult than with others. For example, the relative mobility of essential nutrients in bean plants when applied as a foliar spray in order of decreasing mobility, was as follows:

Mobile

Partially Mobile

Immobile

Potassium
Phosphorus
Chlorine
Nitrogen

Zinc
Copper
Manganese
Molybdenum
Magnesium

Boron
Calcium
Sulfur
Iron



Nitrogen fertilizer compounds have been used for several years as foliar sprays. Sodium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, potassium nitrate, and urea have all been used experimentally, but only urea gives satisfactory results. The other fertilizers cause the burning of leaves, due partly to the high osmotic concentration of the spray solution.

Urea has been successfully sprayed on apple trees, tomatoes, celery, lima beans, potatoes, cantaloupes, cucumbers, and sugar cane. Amounts up to 15 pounds of urea per acre at one spraying have been used with beneficial results on apple trees. Higher concentrations burn the leaves. The usual concentration for apple trees is five pounds of urea per 100 gallons of water. This is commonly mixed and applied with the regular spray materials at weekly intervals early in the growing season.

The application of urea fertilizer to leaves of plants has given response approximately equal to that of fertilizer applied to the soil. The uptake of urea is faster when it is sprayed on the leaves, but it is cheaper to apply it to the soil.

Phosphorus is capable of being utilized by the plant when it is sprayed on the leaves. Although the practice is not common, there are many good reasons for predicting that there may be an increase in the foliar application of phosphorus.

One reason is that in most soils only a small percentage of phosphorus fertilizers is recovered by the plant (averaging about 20 percent for the first year); whereas, when phosphorus is sprayed on the leaves, nearly all of it is absorbed. In one experiment, approximately three pounds of P2O5 sprayed on tomato leaves gave a greater early growth than did 135 pounds of P2O5 applied to the soil. The yield of tomatoes, however, was 12 percent greater when the 135 pounds of P2O5 was sprayed on the leaves.

Potassium applications as foliar sprays have been made, using potassium sulfate fertilizer. Some leaf injury resulted, and the conclusion was reached that soil applications are far more satisfactory.

Magnesium is now commonly applied to plant foliage as solutions of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts). One reason for the popularity of the practice is that soil applications of magnesium commonly take three years to correct magnesium-deficiency symptoms of such perennials as apple trees, whereas foliar sprays are effective within a few days after application.

A foliar application of a two per cent solution of MgSO4 to tomatoes, oranges, and apples has relieved magnesium deficiency and has increased crop yields.

Calcium is seldom applied as a foliar spray because it can be efficiently applied to the soil. If CaCO3 is too slow in reaction, then CaO or Ca(OH)2 can be applied to the soil. CaCl2 is primary method of applying Ca to foliage.

Sulfur sprayed on leaves is readily absorbed by the plants. This fact was demonstrated, however, in connection with the study of the influence of certain sulfur sprays when used as a fungicide. Although there have been no reports of a sulfur deficiency being relieved by sulfur sprays, the practice may become established because it is physiologically sound.

Iron has been sprayed on foliage since about 1916 to relieve chlorosis. The first of such research work was carried out with chlorotic pineapples growing on highly alkaline soils in Hawaii. Periodic sprays of five percent ferrous sulfate are now common practice on Hawaiian pineapple plantations. The biggest obstacle to this practice is the fact that, even though the iron moves readily into the leaves, it is translocated very slowly. As a result, after spraying with ferrous sulfate, chlorotic spots may still be in evidence in places which did not receive some of the iron spray. Iron chelates have also been successfully used as a spray.

On alkaline soils where iron chlorosis is common, applications of iron compounds to the soil have not been very successful because the iron is soon rendered insoluble.

The leaves of chlorotic grain sorghum on calcareous soil in Tulare County, California, were sprayed with 40 gallons per acre of three percent ferrous sulfate solution about one week before heading, at a cost for materials of 50 cents per acre. The yield of grain sorghum was increased from 540 pounds of grain on the untreated plot to 1,774 pounds on the treated plot, an increase of 222 percent.

Applications on the soil of more than 3,000 pounds per acre of ferrous sulfate were required to accomplish similar increases in yields.

Manganese. While soil manganese becomes less available in alkaline soils, many states in more humid regions of the country often report manganese deficiencies in peat and muck soils and in local areas of alkaline soils. Manganese deficiencies are frequently corrected by spray applications of manganese sulfate, usually five to 10 pounds per acre. Manganese sulfate is also applied to the soil at rates of from 20 to 150 pounds per acre. Manganous oxide is also used to correct manganese deficiencies. In alkaline soils an acid-forming material, usually fertilizer, is applied to prevent fixation of the applied manganese. NH4+ applied H+ released.

Zinc is often sprayed on the leaves of apple and pear trees to relieve "leaf rosetting," a symptom of zinc deficiency. Approximately 25 pounds of zinc sulfate in 100 gallons of water (roughly a three per cent solution) applied to apple trees just before the buds open has corrected zinc deficiency. Zinc sulfide, zinc oxide, and zinc carbonate have all been successfully used as sprays. Driving galvanized (zinc-coated) nails in trees also relieves zinc deficiency.

Boron, as boric acid or borax (sodium tetraborate), used as a foliar spray has proved to be a successful method of application. Internal cork of apples has been controlled by spraying the foliage with eight pounds of borax in 100 gallons of water. As little as two pounds of borax per 100 gallons of water has checked "cracked stem" of celery. Boron has been satisfactorily applied to the soil, either alone or in mixed fertilizers.

Copper deficiency has been controlled by spraying the leaves with a mixture of eight pounds of CuSO4 plus eight pounds of Ca(OH)2, in 100 gallons of water. Without the calcium hydroxide, the copper sulfate injures the foliage. Copper oxide has also been used successfully as a spray.

Molybdenum, as sodium molybdate, 1 ounce in 100 gallons of water, has eliminated deficiency symptoms in citrus trees. Somewhat like iron, however, molybdenum does not seem to be readily translocated within the plant. Spraying only the lower half of a citrus tree that showed molybdenum deficiency did not cure the deficiency symptoms on the upper half of the tree.

In highly acid soils, molybdenum is sometimes fixed in an unavailable form, thus causing deficiencies, particularly for legumes. The amount of molybdenum in soils and the amount required by plants is very small. In addition to sodium molybdate soil application of 0.5 to two pounds per acre, a commercial seed-coating preparation (Molygro) for some legumes, applied at about two ounces per acre, is used to correct deficiencies. Broadcast applications are best mixed with limestone on very acid soils to prevent fixation.
 

dizzlekush

Member
Not a terrible article, but not a good one either. About what you'd expect from Maximum Yields. The author seems unaware of the "point of deliquescence" of different salts and how it effects the efficacy of foliar application of inorganic salts. For instance he mentions Urea as being the best foliar source of N, comparing it to the worst possible salts with very high POD like KNO3, but forgets to mention salts with relatively low POD like Ca(NO3)2 or MgNO3, which will almost surely have better results on cannabis that Urea. Also suggesting MgSO4 for foliar applications (which the author does twice) is silly since it has a POD of >90%, assuring next to none will be absorbed. The same goes with the P salts (e.g. MAP) that the author says high efficacy for foliar applications. Total bullshit.

Also the author doesn't seem to read that much scientific lit since Ca is one of the 3 most applied minerals to the foliage in lit (alongside Zn and B), while the author states 'its seldom applied to the foliage'.

Not an article to go by.
 

DrFever

Active member
Veteran
Crops require 16 essential elements to grow properly. The elements include carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (02), which are derived from air and water. Ail the remaining nutrients used by plants come from soil in the form of inorganic salts. Legumes are an exception because they can also fix nitrogen from the air.

The macronutrients obtained from the soil include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulphur (S). The remaining essential elements needed by plants are known as micronutrients because plants use them in relatively small amounts. They include: boron (B), chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) a . nd zinc (Zn). Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen comprise from 94.0 to 99.5 per cent of fresh plant tissue. The remaining nutrients, which come from the soil, make up the balance of the tissue.

Inorganic micronutrients occur naturally in soil minerals. The parent material from which the soil developed and soil forming processes determine what the micronutrient content of the soil will be. As minerals break down during soil formation, micronutrients are gradually released in a form that is available to plants. Two sources of readily available micronutrients exist in soil: nutrients that are adsorbed onto soil colloids (very small soil particles) and nutrients that are in the form of salts dissolved in the soil solution.

Organic matter is an important secondary source of some micronutrients. Most micronutrients are held tightly in complex organic compounds and may not be readily available to plants. However, they can be an important source of micronutrients when they are slowly released into a plant available form as organic matter decomposes.

Boron containing fertilizers should not come into contact with the seed at planting time boron should be used as a topdressing, to stop avoid toxicity issues
It is important to keep the need for micronutrient fertilizers in perspective. Over-promotion of micronutrients is not a good thing . Some growers have applied micronutrients in the hope of increasing crop yields even though there is little evidence to suggest a deficiency exists. in the first place
 

whodare

Active member
Veteran
I was reading about boron and it's effect in iaa oxidase activity, could that have an effect on flower set and initiation? Would a small, say10-20%, boost in boron at flower initiation, as long as it doesn't over accumulate at leaf margins and burn them, possibly increase flower sites, root length, and speed of initiation?
 
S

SeaMaiden

I have to admit, I'm kinda trippin' out about the low POD (don't know what POD is, but I'm taking it to mean absorption rates, or absorbability?) of MgSO4, because I've seen such quick responses in what I considered to be Mg deficient plants with a foliar application of MgSO4 (with surfactant).
 

DrFever

Active member
Veteran
I was reading about boron and it's effect in iaa oxidase activity, could that have an effect on flower set and initiation? Would a small, say10-20%, boost in boron at flower initiation, as long as it doesn't over accumulate at leaf margins and burn them, possibly increase flower sites, root length, and speed of initiation?

It wouldn't hurt to try it on a plant in your room see if you notice a difference, IMO boron, mang def are mi nute in our grows
i honestly think the key to better yields is we hammer plants with tons of phos, mag, and Zinc being needed more gets forgotten

Iron is second only to aluminum in the list of abundant metals. It makes up about 5% of the earth's crust, so it is rarely absent from soils, although it may not be present in an available form.

For garden soil we like to see 50-200ppm of iron on a standard soil test. Above 250 ppm usually indicates something out of balance.

What does iron do in the plant? Paraphrasing Arden Andersen, "Iron draws energy to the leaf by absorbing heat from the sun; it makes the leaf darker, thus absorbing more energy. It will increase the waxy sheen of the crop. Iron is necessary for the maintenance and synthesis of chlorophyll and RNA metabolism in the chloroplasts. It increases the thickness of the leaf, [which] increases nutrient flow geometrically, resulting in a production increase geometrically." Science in Agriculture p236

Iron is needed by nitrogen fixing bacteria.

So iron is a good thing, in most cases. Below we have a couple of different views on just how good it is and how much we want:

Both iron and manganese become less available at pH 7 and above and in the absence of organic matter and water. These conditions are found in some arid parts of the western United States. High calcium soils also tend to have low available iron, particularly if they are also low in organic matter. In a calcareous soil, most of the potentially available iron is tightly bound to organic matter. Some plant roots have been shown to have the ability to obtain iron from these sources by chemically reducing ferric iron (Fe+++) to ferrous iron (Fe++). High phosphorus soils may also have low available iron, as any free iron will chemically bind to from iron phosphate....Correcting an iron deficiency may be difficult because the problem is not a lack of iron in the soil, but that it is chemically bound. Lowering the pH, if practical, is the surest method. Foliar iron sprays are also effective. Foth and Ellis Soil Fertility pp146-147
 

dizzlekush

Member
Good find habeeb, I thought i already read all the relevant articles from Bill Argo & Paul Fisher's Plant Nutrition Series, but i actually skipped that article thinking it discussed the different environmental factors that induce the flowering cycle in different plants. Not a great title for the article...
 
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