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Hot West Tennessee

Tissue test show everything ok. Except the iron is 718 ppm. I have not sprayed any iron products. The zinc is 53 ppm. The ph 7.2. No wonder the new leaves are deep deep green. I have not fertilized. It has been raining alot.
Is it going to be a problem. Worried when it gets hot my leaves are going to toast. The soil was 253 ppm.

6/26/2014 11:49:08 PM

Connecticut

TNorange-

Just out of curiosity, did you wash (rinse) the leaves (like you should) before you sent them to the lab?

If yes, do you know if your water is high in iron? I had this happen to me as I was sending samples out from different locations and one seemed to always come back with high iron and as it turned out it was in my washing water.

If no, is there any chance your native soil is a "Ultisol"? I know these tend to be more common on the Eastern side of TN, and a pH of 7.2 is high for a Ultisol, but just thought I would ask.


My initial reaction is if you have not added any, and if you do not add any, you should be ok.

6/27/2014 12:44:23 AM

Brookfield, Wisconsin

I would think that a tissue sample would not be high in anything. Wouldn't the plant take up just what it needs?
If the soils low in a nutrient it makes sense for the tissue to be low.

6/27/2014 12:45:21 PM

Connecticut

Dabowhunter-

There is something called "Luxury Consumption" where the plant can uptake nutrients that are higher then what is needed for maximum yield due to excessive soil levels. This can be by mass flow and other biological process that do not allow the plants to be selective in what and in what amounts they are able to uptake. I found the below figure to help show what "luxury consumption" is.

http://www.spectrumanalytic.com/doc/_media/library/articles/alfalfa_and_potassium/image002.jpg?w=&h=&cache=cache

In leafy green crops nitrogen can be over consumed tot he point it can actually be potentially harmful for consumption. The European Committee for Food (SCF) has established and Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for nitrate ion of 3.65mg/kg body weight.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CDUQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agroecology.org%2Fdocuments%2FJoji%2Fleafnitrate.pdf&ei=LrGtU9OXGISTyATykYIo&usg=AFQjCNFiOKwJQfAOW9RcMhqJJaxqHSVXCQ

This is why there are ranges that you want to be in and simply adding nutrients (such as compost or manure) can result in more problems as you can push nutrient levels in the excessive range that can be just as negative on yields as not having enough.

Here is a picture showing what I am trying to describe, most growers seem to forget about the right side of this graph;-)

http://www.sesl.com.au/fertileminds/200801/F1.jpg


*In short: The plant can uptake more than it needs.

6/27/2014 2:09:15 PM

Hot West Tennessee

Great stuff guys. I think I know what I did. My K was so so. I had a bag of green sand. Thought I would add a little to my mycos under side vines. 20% fe will do it. Ding ding. Did not think about the iron. Just looking for some K. Is it going to cause ill effects?

6/27/2014 11:36:14 PM

Brookfield, Wisconsin

Thanks for the explanation Matt. Come to think of it I have seen the effects of excess nitrogen so makes sense now.

6/28/2014 12:41:01 AM

Connecticut

TNorange- Since your pH is high I do not think you will have any noticeable problems. Iron can result in a drop in pH so you may want to soil test later in the season to make sure the pH is still close to neutral (7.0) because if it drops into the acidic range (say below 6.0) the iron can become more available and result in greater odds for a toxicity.

Dabowhunter- Nitrogen is the easiest nutrient to see the toxicity effects from, and is a commonly over done nutrient in the giant pumpkin community.

Happy to help.

6/28/2014 12:51:02 AM

Hot West Tennessee

Thanks Matt D. Keeping fingers crossed. Just had a severe thunder storm come through. Rain wind, bad stuff. Won't know damage till morning.

6/28/2014 9:18:49 PM