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Location

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Date Posted

Colorado

Anyone have a good application rate for applying calcium nitrate in the early spring?

I don't want to over do it.

3/6/2009 11:44:31 PM

South East

20 lbs per 1000 sq feet

3/6/2009 11:50:58 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

Calcium Nitrate is 15.5% nitrogen. 20 lbs per 1000 ft2 as Frank has suggested is equal to 130 lbs of nitrogen per acre. I would suggest this is not out of line if you have not added any compost or manure recently and your OM is in the 3.5-4% range.

If you have added high nitrogen amendments last fall or this spring, I would be very careful. Likely 7-8 lbs per thousand is more appropriate.

Apply in late May or early June. CN is immediatly available to the plant and is gone in about three weeks, so your soil N levels will be down in time for pollination.

3/7/2009 5:23:31 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

What is your current PH at as it will jump up fast with Calcium Nitrate

3/8/2009 2:17:06 PM

Germany

I thought Ca-nitrate doesnt change pH ?

3/8/2009 8:41:30 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

I disagree with the comment on pH increasing with CN. All nitrogen fertilizers tend to lower pH. CN has some calcium but doe not contain calcium carbonate required to raise pH. It is more like applying gypsum. Also, the amounts you are putting on are so small they will have little or no effect.

3/9/2009 7:14:08 AM

If you want the "bump" from the CN for the cool soil use a soluble and drench outside of the root zone,,,let the roots grow into that area. Less risk of overdoing it and yet gain the benefits.

3/9/2009 7:37:36 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Calcium [Ca(NO3)2] and potassium nitrate (KNO3) are common nitrate-nitrogen sources. These fertilizers are often referred to as basic or alkaline fertilizers since their use tends to cause the substrate pH to increase over time. This occurs because the root excretes an OH- for each NO3- that it absorbs. The release of OH- (hydroxyl ions) into the the substrate solution causes the pH to increase.

The exchange of the oxygen and hygrogen Ions increase the PH over time.

3/10/2009 2:05:26 PM