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San Diego

I got my soil report back, over all it looks good, but one thing that puzzles me that I don't know about. My boron level is way high, 5.0ppm. It was 2.8 last fall, still high but it almost doubled in one year. I went all organic and didn't fertilize at all during the growing season. I put in (400 sq foot patch) 2 yards of 1 year old aged manure, 40 lbs gypsom, 8 lbs kelp meal, 20 lbs 3-1-4 organic fert that was plant based, and 8 inches of grass clippings and leaves. That's it. I used city water the entire growing season. Any thoughts? My remedy, if anyone can comment on this too, is to water the patch and really was it out. I have well water available for this, thinking it might be best to use. Thank you for any comments. Jim

11/11/2005 3:42:22 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Your manure or organic plant based fertilizer is most likely your source...Check the label on the fertilizer

11/11/2005 4:39:31 PM

San Diego

I'll check the fertilizer. Funny thing, even with super high boron, it didn't bother the plant or pumpkin grwoth, my growth was off the charts for anything I have ever grown. hhhhmmmm

11/11/2005 5:26:43 PM

Puyallup, WA

Jim...you've got about 4X more than you need....assuming the analysis was correct. I've found that the labs do make errors. I'd check it again in the Spring.

11/11/2005 9:34:24 PM

Phoenix, AZ

Jimmy,

I understand it leaches out pretty easily.

11/12/2005 1:13:11 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Calcium is often mixed with an additive of boron. If you used a calcium foliar supplement this could also be the source.

11/18/2005 7:12:27 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Stan might be on to something. The soil might not have been properly collected or mixed. Likewise the lab could have botched the analysis. The organic fert labels might not have disclosed the actual boron content too.

Better fertilizer companies often sell their products in Washington State who tests them for all metals & micronutrients. Check the following link for the type you used & see if it contained high boron levels.

http://agr.wa.gov/PestFert/Fertilizers/ProductDatabase.htm

11/18/2005 10:35:06 PM