any speculation on a generally safe elemental ceiling for chloride?
Folier CaCl2 1.17g / 946.35 ml + Na2B407 .03grams = 2.75 ms /143 ppm NaCl measure
Above is the recipe that was given to me by a relative of mine and mentor, he based it upon university data. It is 2% Na2B407 (borox) to CaCl2. I’ve provided below a link to Jr peters and the information on NaCl2 from their blog, they suggest 200 ppm (assuming NaCl or Kci), since it’s higher ive always gone with this recepie w/o the Borox. I’ve never used the boron when I’ve foliered because I always felt there was enough boron in my solution, but he stated why the boron was there, and I can’t quite recite exactly what he said in Chemistry terms (perhaps squiggly can elaborate) but along the lines Cacl2 antagonizes the boron.
So by adding it to the Cacl2 what is uptaken by the roots in solution will not be an issue, folier would not effect anything in solution as far as the roots are concerned (rhizosphere). Even if so, what would be un- available will be replaced by boron in the folier.. It aslso had something to do with the nitrogen translocation from the leaf to the trunk and roots. He stated also that at 2% it’s not an issue in plants that are less tolerant to both boron and Cacl as studies for other plants have gone up to 6% CaCl2 and 3% boron with no difference in results.
So I guess I’ll give it a try with the boron next time (be careful with boron it is toxic as well to plants) I need to boost the Calcium, which may be soon with a few new uncharted strains. So I'll be leaving out Cacl2 in my solution, I like that also as a diagnosis tool, if It looks like a ca deficiency and it doesn't correct I know it' isn't a Calcium issue.
Jr peters; Source
Calcium Chloride, CaCl2, is hygroscopic; it rapidly absorbs water and is used to dry gases by passing them through it. Calcium chloride is commercially available usually as the dihydrate, CaCl2·2H2O; it is used to melt ice on roads, to control dust, in brines for refrigeration, a preservative in foods and as a foliar spray for delivering the nutrient Ca to plants. It is also used in the monohydrate and hexahydrate forms.
Calcium Chloride Dihydrate – can be powder or crystal form and should be technical grade for Foliar application
The chemical formula is CaCl2.2H2O It has 2 waters associated with it and it is ideally having 75.5% Calcium Chloride with water as shown below:
CaCl2.2H2O
Ca(40) + Cl2(71) + 2H2O(36) make % of CaCl2 in it as 36/(40+71+36) = 75.51%
The % Ca in the Dihydrate form is 27% Ca in order to make a solution to deliver Ca as a nutrient to plants follow the directions below:
· Mix a water solution containing 200 – 400 ppm calcium from calcium chloride and add a spreader-sticker known to be safe on (won’t burn) poinsettia leaves or bracts.
· Use a clean sprayer that has not been used for herbicides or other toxic substances.
· Apply this mixture as a fine, low pressure mist, and apply only enough to wet the leaves or bracts without run-off. This is frequently referred to as ‘spray to glisten’.
· Weekly applications seem to be frequent enough to provide the needed calcium for rapidly expanding leaves or bracts. Applications should begin at the time of first color and can continue to pollen-shed.
· Practice foliar feeding of calcium on only a few plants before spraying the entire crop. If spray injury is going to occur, it should be evident in 3 to 4 days.
Dilution Table to Achieve 324 ppm Calcium Solution
Amount of Final Spray Solution Calcium Chloride DihydrateCaCl2 2H2O (~27% Ca)
100 gallon 1 lb.
25 gallon 4 oz.
3 gallon ½ oz.
Approximate ppm Ca 324 ppm
