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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Calcium Nitrate to add to foliar sprays

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  • From: "Joe Hecksel" <jhecksel@voyager.net>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Calcium Nitrate to add to foliar sprays
  • Date: Mon, 5 May 2003 14:03:08 -0400



> Of late, I've been reading on the Apple-Crop thread regarding the
benefits of adding Calcium-Nitrate to your chemical sprays.

The research I saw seems to be all over the map:
Some claim that early applications are more effective than late
applicatons. Others claim that late is better than early. The
conflict is probably a problem of what is being measured. The studies
favoring the early applications were looking at Parts Per Million (of a
small fruit) and the studies favoring late applications were looking at
total Ca when the (large) fruit that came off the tree. Personally, I
think the late applications are the way to go.

One problem with early applications is that calcium combines with many
ag chemicals and makes them less effective. The pest pressure at my
site really drops about July 1, so I can spray Imidan May 25-to-July 1
and then switch to Ca sprays.

Most studies agree that Calcium Chloride is slightly more effective
than Calcium Nitrate. Calcium Chloride is commonly used to melt snow
at low temperatures. Look for products with names like "Super Snow
Melt". One thing that I am curious about is the effectiveness of
Calcium Sulphate, i.e. Plaster of Paris. Very available and less
likely to interact with ag chemicals because it is insoluble. You
would have to agitate to keep in suspension, but folks using Surround
already cope with that.

Studies claim good Ca absorbtion at concentrations from 0.5% (1
Tablespoon/gallon) to 3.0%. Most studies seem to center around 1%
solutions or about 1 oz per gallon. Higher concentrations have been
linked to rough skin.


--
Joe Hecksel
Personal Webpage http://my.voyager.net/~jhecksel





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