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Boron and calcium



Beverly Erlebacher and Roger S. Miller were discussing calcium and boron
as possibly being deficient.

Unless your water is very soft, it is highly probable that there is NOT
a shortage of boron. It is soluble and very common. Calcium on the other
is used in large quantities by plants, is less soluble and has a high
affinity to complex organic molecules and to the negatively charged
cation adsorption sites of clay. Under vigorous growing conditions, I
see calcium shortage symptoms develop unless I keep up with regular
doses of calcium carbonate.

If in doubt, do a water change. It is very useful to have a water
analysis from your water utility to see what the real mineral levels are
in your tap water. Hard water does not always mean an abundance of both
calcium or magnesium. Sometimes there are also a lot of sodium,
potassium and carbonate salts.

Boron is needed only in very tiny amounts; about 0.03 parts per million
would seem to be appropriate given nominal nutrient concentrations that
we use based on the amounts of each mineral in healthy plant tissue.
-- 
Steve Pushak                          teban at powersonic_bc.anti-spam.ca 

Visit "Steve's Aquatic Page"            http://home.infinet.net/teban/
 for LOTS of pics, tips and links for aquatic gardening!!!

Aquatic Gardeners Association     -                  technical advisor