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Wichita, KS

I hae a friend who grows tomatos who told me this weekend that tomato growers will sometimes use fertilizers that raise the magnesium levels in order avoid blossom end splits.

I have two questions:
Tomato growers-- is this true of tomatos?
Pumpkin growers-- has anybody heard this and tried it in order to avoid blossom splits? and does it work?

9/13/2004 6:16:14 PM

Oz

epsom salts...one handfull to 30 gallons water

9/13/2004 7:41:49 PM

[email protected]

Mg, Ca, & K20 it is felt need to be in a proper balance. Though more important is the need to keep these elements from ever dipping below minimum thresholds in season.

9/13/2004 8:59:52 PM

Ohio

Epson salt has alot of magnesium in it? Epson Salt Reallly?????? I didnt know that!!!

9/14/2004 4:33:34 AM

New Salisbury IN

Magnesium and calcium are antagonistic too much of either one will cause the other to be low even if you have good amounts in the soil

9/14/2004 12:31:49 PM

I'm with Gordon... GO UTES!

You want to be careful on the ratios... there was a tread
on the Mallorn list a few years ago. I could post it if
anyone was interested. The premise was that too much
magnesium and/or potassium would keep pumpkin weights down.
Too much, in relation to calcium.

The anecdote given was that, in fact, pumpkins would
weight light to the charts if potassium or magnesium were
too high... of course, more research is needed.

I think the dominant factor in blossom end splits is the rate
of growth. I never have 'em...;-)

9/14/2004 12:46:07 PM

[email protected]

K........Ca.........Mg
3-5%....75-90%.....7-10%

On a base cation saturation basis. This still assumes that the minimums are met.

9/14/2004 3:38:54 PM