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Concord, CA.

I just got my tissue analysis back and find it a little confusing to interpret.
My first thought is to increase the calcium feeding, but I am wondering if one of the other nutrients is blocking the calcium uptake.

Got any thoughts?

I have three healthy plants w/ about 500sf each, all the pumpkins are between 30 & 45 DAP, and gaining an average of 18lbs. ea. over the last week.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=224718

8/2/2014 2:58:09 PM

Ontario, Canada.

So what they are saying in the comments section is to investigate the cause of low concentration in the leaves and why there maybe an issue in your soil.

They have given a number of causes as to why this might occur. To confuse you even further I would add that low Ca solubility in alkaline soils is also a reason for poor uptake and distribution.

The key is to find and understand the direct cause. Local issues create tie-up problems for a host of micro nutrients.

Growers who simply react without discerning the cause may simply resort to foliar treatments with Ca. Problem is that this does nothing for a Ca starved fruit.

Calcium is not mobile in the plant and therefore it must be uptaken by the roots. It is distributed by the xylem to greatest demanding sink at the time of uptake. Thus rapid growth of the canopy can stress the plants supply of Ca. Often this rapid growth is not the fruit.

High temperature days play havoc with the movement of fluids in the plant. These types of days will often put a smile on your fruits butt end :)

In your case it appears as if the most likely cause is a tie up issue resulting from an Ammonium Nitrate (NH4-N) bloom in your soil. If your a fellow moron like most of us here t BP, excessive OM and warm summer temperatures drives the rhizopheric engine so fast that micro nutrients are displaced by (NH4-N).

You can try to aerate your soil. Also you can leach with a heavy irrigation event. Then drench with amino acid chelated Ca and a micro nutrient package mixed with a good Fulvic acid and Phosphite product.

8/4/2014 6:15:08 PM

Concord, CA.

Big Kahuna,
Thanks for the explination. I did increase the watering, this alone has shown better weight gains. Also, the temps have gone down a little and this also may have helped. I'm looking into the various products that you have mentioned.

8/5/2014 1:26:44 AM

Muddy Waters

You need a product like Jungle Juice or Sensibloom & give the plant a daily feed its all chelated & will be available to the plant now.Trickle feed system by Beni Meier>

8/5/2014 5:24:45 AM