Spectrum Analytic Inc
1087 Jamison Rd
Washington Court House, OH 43160
(800) 321-1562
1087 Jamison Rd
Washington Court House, OH 43160
(800) 321-1562
Knowledge is key to using your analytic results to their fullest. The Spectrum Agronomic Library provides you with useful information that will help you to better understand the complex science of agronomy. Our agronomists will be continually adding original and reprinted articles, so check the library regularly for new information.
With the cost of fertilizers and other crop inputs continuing to rise, there are some additional forms of fertilizer coming to the market place. One of the problems with the products coming on the market is there confusion with the traditionally used fertilizer materials. One of the products that is coming to light is the phosphite fertilizers manufactured using phosphorous acid (H3PO3). Not to be confused with the phosphate materials that are traditionally used, which are manufactured using phosphoric acid (H3PO4).
Rather than reinventing the wheel and writing an article of our own, there have recently been two very good articles written. One appeared in Better Crops in 2006, and the other appeared in New Ag International in September of 2007. Both of these articles do a good job of bringing to light the differences in these products, how they can be used as well as benefits of each product.
Phosphite Fertilizers: What Are They? Can You Use Them? What Can They Do? (290KB) By C.J. Lovatt and R.L. Mikkel, Better Crops/Vol 90 (2006, No 4) pgs 11-13.
Phosphites and Phosphates: When Distributors and Growers alike could get confused! (415KB) By Jean-Pierre Leymonie. Courtesy of New Ag International, September 2007 edition.
The soil test report for your lawn or garden soil sample will mean little to you unless you understand the terms and numbers used. This guide provides definitions of terms and the acceptable ranges for the figures listed. The Spectrum Analytic soil test report, see figure to the right, includes the analytical results, a graphic representation of those results which includes the status levels and nutrient recommendations, if requested. This information should help you in planning your soil management program.
To aide the homeowners and gardeners in calculating fertilizer needs, we have 2 other papers that cover these subjects: Area calculations will help you in calculating the amount of area to be covered by fertilizer. Fertilizer and lime applications will help to explain how to come up with the analysis or analyzes to suit your soil test recommendations.
The standard test results for your lawn or garden soil sample will mean little to you unless you understand the terms and numbers used. This fact sheet provides definitions of terms and the acceptable ranges for the figures listed. Recommendations for corrections are made on your test result form if values are not within the acceptable ranges. A typical results form appears to the right. Terms and numbers will be explained in sequence from top to bottom. This information should help you in planning your soil management program.
After reading this paper you will have a more complete understanding of raspberry and bramble nutrition. This paper is a summary of several sources of university publications that will give the reader the necessary information on fertilization of brambles. In general most growers will use an off the shelf fertilizer analysis on bushes, when in reality brambles are like any other living thing that requires different nutrients in different ratios depending on the soil type, native material, and other amendments that may be distributed around them.
The paper discusses the importance of soil pH, nitrogen requirements, as well as phosphorus and potassium fertility of raspberries and brambles. And it does not end here; the paper goes into the secondary nutrients of calcium, magnesium and sulfur and their usage as well as application recommendations. From here the grower can also fine tune their fertility program further by looking at boron, zinc, manganese, copper and iron requirements of brambles.