Before
You Lime Again...Consider Agri-Cal
An
Alternative Solution to Liming
You have fertilized
generously and applied ag lime in the last 4–5 years, but your soil test still shows
a low pH so now you are considering liming again. While limestone can raise the soil pH,
it takes time and a lot of material before it finally helps the growing crop. The problem
with ag lime is it tends to be rather insoluble and can take years to show it's
effectiveness. However, the odds are good that your soil already contains more
undissolved, unused limestone than soil tests advise you to apply.
Even in the soil pH is
within the optimum range, that doesn't necessarily mean there is enough calcium on an
available basis to produce top yielding crops. When pure sand is analyzed it has a
neutral pH, but has no available calcium. Too often, calcium's critical
role as an essential nutrient is overlooked or ignored. Even if your pH reading is
"ok" your soil may still require additional calcium to reach peak production.
"When
Available Calcium
Is Limited, So Are Yields."
Why Is
Available Calcium So Important?
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Calcium is the most
important fertilizer element |
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Is a direct nutrient to
growing plants |
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Neutralizes soil acidity |
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Improves activity of
favorable soil bacteria and the decomposition of organic materials |
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Promotes root development |
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Improves soil structure |
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Promotes nitrogen fixation
by legumes |
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Improves the efficiency of
fertilizers and chemicals |
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Reduces phosphate fixation |
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Increases water penetration
and water holding capacity |
"AVAILABILITY"
is the Key to Results
AGRI-CAL
is....
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A "calcium saturated
chelating agent" that is a true solution. Agri-Cal flows easily through ordinary
field spray equipment or irrigation systems. |
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Totally and immediately
available to growing plants. |
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100% water soluble and does
not have to go through biological breakdown. |
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Aids in the breakdown of
insoluble or "trapped" calcium which is already in the soil converting it into
an available form which the crops can utilize. The increase in available calcium improves
the availability and uptake of other important crop nutrients as well as making it easier
to work with the soil through improved tilth. This also allows for better soil aeration
and water movement. |
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Also a source of
soluble calcium...about 10% by weight/volume, and unlike many other calcium sources,
Agri-Cal will not become readily tied up with other minerals in the soil, but will remain
available. |
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Will show first season
results instead of waiting 6–12 months for dry liming to begin
working. |
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General
Recommendations
Soil: 2–5 gallons per
acre
Foliar: 1–3 gallons per
acre (specialty crops)
Liquid Nitrogen Solutions:
Agri-Cal should be used at 2–5 gallons per acre with all Liquid N applications.
Recent
Studies
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The addition of Calcium
with Nitrogen to small grains results in increased N absorption, grain yield, tiller
foundation, dry matter, and grain weight per unit of dry matter. |
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Calcium increased nitrogen
absorption, leading to increased tillering, increased weight per head of grain produced
and consequently, higher yields. |
(Texas A&M University, L.B. Fenn) |
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