Re: fertilizers, Please help
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] fertilizers, Please help
- From: J* S*
- Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2000 10:11:43 -0500
Perhaps I should add for the benefit of City Folks, that anhydrous
(water-free) ammonia is a gas which farmers use as fertilizer. The
liquified gas is injected directly into the soil, where it dissolves in any
moisture present. It can then bind to any humic acid and acidic minerals
present in the soil. It would produce an alkaline reaction in the soil, as
would household ammonia.
Jim
>
>Household ammonia is very alkaline, pH probably about 10 -- not good stuff
used directly on any plants! "Ammonia" is ammonium hydroxide when in water.
>
>The only thing that counts in the soil is the overall pH that the material
produces. Ammonium sulfate has an acidic reaction in water and creates an
acid pH when applied to soil.
>
>As others have noted, there are only two forms of nitrogen which plants
can absorb: ammonium and nitrate. Nitrate is generally more easily
absorbed by plants, but they have to convert it to amine/amide/ammonium
form to metabolize it.
>
>Jim Shields
>
>
*************************************************
Jim Shields USDA Zone 5 Shields Gardens, Ltd.
P.O. Box 92 WWW: http://a1.com/daylily/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA Tel. +1-317-896-3925
