One of our customers emailed in with some questions. They wanted to know about lower pH levels and higher iron levels & potential correlations and were seeing seeing sub Boron and excess irons in tissue samples.

After some research, near as I can tell boron and iron have no interactions. Both are however affected by calcium (See chart 1).

More calcium will reduce iron uptake. Boron and silicon help to increase calcium uptake.

In low pH excess phosphorus can reduce boron uptake

High potassium can reduce boron uptake

Boron deficiency

• Reduces growth of soil bacteria.
• Poor movement of sugar and carbohydrates in the plant.
• Affects timing of maturity, pollination, and reproduction.

Some old articles on boron and silicon:

• http://blog.calciumproducts.com/posts/proper-nutrients-are-key-for-proper-maturity-and-disease-management.cfm
• http://blog.calciumproducts.com/posts/boron-.cfm
• http://blog.calciumproducts.com/posts/silcon-the-forgoten-nutrient.cfm

What about Iron?

Injury due to high soil iron concentrations is not common under neutral or high pH soil conditions. Toxic situations occur primarily on acid soils (< pH 5.0) and where excess soluble iron salts have been applied as foliar sprays or soil amendments (poor quality limestone).

The first symptoms of iron toxicity are necrotic spots on the leaves. An unusual form of iron toxicity has been observed in Michigan on organic soils and high organic sands. Some iron-rich, low pH, low manganese soils create an environment in which an interaction between the iron and manganese in the soil reduces manganese uptake by plants. The symptoms observed on the plants are of manganese deficiency, but the low plant uptake of manganese is caused by excessive available iron in the soil.

http://web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/modf1/05209708.html

Toxicity Symptoms

Iron toxicity is primarily pH related and occurs where the soil pH has dropped sufficiently to create an excess of available Iron. (I think this statement is wrong, not low pH, low calcium is the issue cmd)

As with some other nutrients, the visible symptoms of Fe toxicity are likely to be a deficiency of another nutrient. Fe toxicity can also occur when Zinc is deficient, or the soil is in a "reduced" condition caused by very wet or flooded conditions. Excess Fe can result in Dark green foliage, stunted growth of tops and roots, dark brown to purple leaves on some plants (e.g. bronzing disease of rice). http://www.spectrumanalytic.com/support/library/ff/Fe_Basics.htm

High levels of nitrogen and potassium increase iron uptake

Excessive iron can reduce uptake of manganese, additions of sulfur improve uptake of manganese

High iron can reduce zinc uptake, and low zinc uptake is often found with low manganese

Iron excess:

• Interferes with phosphorus absorption.
• Requires use of higher levels of potassium to regulate.
• Can cause Zinc deficiency

To reduce problems with excess iron make sure you have adequate levels of calcium in your soils and the pH is at least 6.5. SupeCal SO4 gypsum and SuperCal 98G limestone are great ways to ensure proper nutrient uptake.

 Update!

The load out in Fort Dodge is operational again!

Thanks for your patience.

 DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY ARE HATCHED

Meaning: 

Don't be hasty in evaluating one's assets.

Origin:

Many of the proverbial words of advice that have lasted the test of time begin with 'don't'. 'Don't count your chickens' is one of the oldest, and possibly the wisest, of these. The thought was recorded in print by Thomas Howell in New Sonnets and pretty Pamphlets, 1570:

Counte not thy Chickens that vnhatched be,
Waye wordes as winde, till thou finde certaintee

 Source: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/count-your-chickens.html

Notice!

Late this morning a van trailer drove though our load out scale and destroyed most of the loud out system. We estimate that the loud out system in Fort Dodge will be down for most of this week.

 We love farmers! Without them we would have no customers or food!

This is just one of the many reasons why Calcium Products supports the The American Cancer Society and has made a donation to the Relay for Life campaign.

Getting ready for the Survivor's Walk

Why Support the American Cancer Society?

According to "Cancer Incidence in the Agricultural Health Study – abstract

The overall cancer occurrence among farmers and their spouses in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) is significantly less than that expected compared to other men and women of the same age living in Iowa

However --

The risk of prostate cancer is significantly greater among farmers and commercial applicators. Female spouses had a significantly greater frequency of a serious type of skin cancer (i.e., melanoma) and female pesticide applicators had a significantly greater frequency of ovarian cancer.

Thanks to all who helped us have a great year and made it possible to give back to our community!

DOG DAYS

Meaning: The hottest, most sultry days of summer..

Origins: This saying has nothing to do with dogs. The expression originated in Roman times as 'canicularius dies,' 'days of the dog,' and was an astronomical expression referring to the dog star Sirius, or possibly Procyon. The Romans linked the rising of the Dog Star, the most brilliant star in the constellation, 'Canis Major,' with the sultry summer heat, believing that the star added to the extreme heat of the sun. 'Canicular days,' of course, have nothing to do with heat from the Dog Star, but the ancient expression remains popular after more than 20 centuries."

From "Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997, http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/10/messages/722.html

 GREEDY AS A PIG

At Calcium Products we read everything we can get our hands on about soil fertility. We talk with anyone who will teach or listen. We would like to introduce you to 5 of those people and in our estimation 5 of the top consultants in the country. 

Gary Zimmer, Midwestern Bio Ag

Neal Kinsey, Kinsey Agricultural Services, Inc

Phil Wheeler, Ph.D. Crop Services International

Mike Amaranthus, Ph.D. Mycorrhizal Applications, Inc.

Jon Frank, International Ag Labs

We have been lucky enough to have had the chance to visit and learn from each of these consultants first hand. Now is your opportunity to learn from them. All five were recently featured in the July 2010 magazine Acres USA in the article titled 

Top 5 Mistakes in Fertilizer Application

Reprinted with permission from Acres U.S.A., P.O. Box 91299, Austin, Texas 78709 (512) 892-4400, Subscriptions: $27/year.  For sample copy of Acres U.S.A. call 1-800-355-5313.  www.acresusa.com

What links these guys together? They have all discovered through their hard work, cooperation with clients and years of on farm testing, the power and importance of calcium in the soil and how it impacts yield. We encourage you to stop by their websites or visit with them at trade shows and field days.

A big thank you to the staff at Acres U.S.A for letting us reprint this article!

Yield Starts Here is a blog for farmers, focusing on increasing yield and profitability by focusing on the soil. It is managed by Craig Dick, a Blogronomist and Sales and Marketing Manager at Calcium Products. Find other articles by Craig and guest writers at http://blog.calciumproducts.com/ .

You have likely seen several articles about the need for continued increases in food production to meet a growing population.  Dr. Harold Reetz, formerly with the International Plant Nutrition Institute, recently wrote a very good article about the need for new champions to help raise the yield bar.  Please read more here: http://www.fluidjournal.org/article1.php

I have an enormous respect for the farmers & others who have been seen as stretching the yield barrier.  I grew up surrounded by farm magazine articles about fantastic corn yields by Herman Warsaw and Francis Childs.  Recently Kip Cullers has been doing the same with soybeans.  We definitely need to continue striving for more production, but we also need to verify that we grow food that is healthy & nutritious.  Many farmers, agronomists, & consultants are working together to help in this effort, recognizing that there is more to a successful outcome than just the "Big 3" nutrients.

Glen Howell is a contributing writer of Yield Starts Here, a blog for farmers, focusing on increasing yield and profitability by focusing on the soil. Glen is an agronomist & sales representative at Calcium Products. Find additional articles by Glen and other writers at http://blog.calciumproducts.com/

Glyphosate & crop nutrient interactions have been a topic of conversation during many of my recent visits with agronomists & dealers.  Some articles that discuss this in more detail:

http://blog.calciumproducts.com/posts/losing-the-glyphosate-resistant-pigweed-battle-we-can-help-you-get-back-in-the-fight.cfm

http://blog.calciumproducts.com/posts/controling-3-major-yield-robbers-in-2010.cfm

http://blog.calciumproducts.com/posts/glyphosate-induced-micronutrient-deficiency.cfm

I also found this article by Dr. Don Huber a very good summary of what is going on: http://www.fluidjournal.org/1gsdgfs-S10/S10-A4.pdf

THE CORN IS AS HIGH AS AN ELEPHANTS EYE

Meaning: The corn is really tall

Origin: Originally from lyrics in Rogers and Hammerstein’s song Oh What a Beautiful Morning, from the musical Oklahoma.

So where did “knee high by fourth of July or the addition “by the fourth of July” come from?

From what I can find, back in the days of 40 bushel corn, knee high by the fourth of July was the goal, now you are doing something wrong if it not starting to tassel by July in the southern corn belt.

The addition of “buy the 4^th of July” to “High as an Elephants Eye” likely has more to do with it rhyming well than an actual reason.

http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/ohwhata.htm

Happy Independence Day!