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Napa Ca.

Just received my soil report stating 1.5lbs nitrogen needed for 1000sq.ft. Local ag supply suggested 15.5-0-0 w/19% calcium.Derived from ammonium calcium nitrate double salt. I have always heard high sodium levels were not good for growing, My sodium level is low, 16 ppm. Is this double salt not a good thing? Or by increasing your nitrogen will also increase your sodium level? Does this also calc. out at 9.67lbs. per 1000sq.?

4/25/2006 12:13:35 AM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

1.The calculation is correct thats the easy part.
2.The salt is Ammonium salt not Sodium.
3.Double salt means it has two different properties not twice as much.

Salt does not mean Sodium although when I ask I never seem to get a very clear answer as to what it does mean.

4/25/2006 3:17:21 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Correct....In this case the "double salt" refers to 2 elements. The product offered is often refered to as CAN (Calcium Ammonium Nitrate) which is found in widely differing rations (hence different analysis).

CAN IS considered a low salt form of Nitrogen compared to the other sources. It has gained popularity in the post 911 world because it cannot readily be made into a bomb.

Since CAN offers 2 elements your test & this crop will benefit from, the Ag retailer is making a good recommendation.

Go for it.

4/25/2006 7:31:36 AM

Napa Ca.

Thank you Tremor & Axc,

4/25/2006 9:48:48 AM

Phoenix, AZ

Being that I fought this in my soil already, I have some insight on "salts"

First, Na is not a salt. It is a cation and as such when it is in our soil, it (as a general rule) attaches itself to the negatively charged soil/organic particles. Because of this, mostly, it will not be suspended in water.

The items that we need to be concerned with and truly make up salts are: chlorides, sulfates, nitrates, carbonates and truly any molecule that is negatively charged. These are anions and are most likely to be held in water suspension becuause they are repelled by the negatively charge soil. Anions are what cause the issue with electrical conductivity (EC).

If you have too much Na, your soil is sodic. Use gypsum to replace the Na with Ca and more likely to "wash out" the Na...but only if you use water.

If you have too much salt, your soil is saline. Just flush with water. It is truly the easiest "problem" to resolve in soil.

These two problems are totally unrelated. But you can have both at once, like I did ;)

5/4/2006 11:36:24 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

I've seen a lot of posts where people seem to be applying Gypsum because they have high salts not particularly Sodium.Gypsum is a salt are they just making things worse?

5/5/2006 3:06:41 AM

Montoursville, PA

I see few if any really good organic advisements that call, for gypsum. There is at least a caution flag included by some soil biologists. A few say absolutely not.

I do not now use gypsum there being no reason, to do so, in my opinion. I have, in the past, used it but am unable, to state that it did any specific job, in my patch. I seem to find more reasons not, to use it than reasons, to use it. Arguement over the possible points seems worthless.

Gypsum has an additive that does not quickly leach out of the soil, to make it PH ballanced. That element can build up, to be, to much, in time, in my opinion.

Now I will listen but not argue the rather mute point that it improves tilth. Lots of good old fashioned manure will do most if not all the things that gypsum is advertised, to do.

7/3/2006 12:35:00 PM