Magnesium oxide (human supplement) as a treatment for yellow palm fronds

[SoulofthePlace]

Can I use Magnesium oxide (dietary human supplement, with Chelated Zinc, by Spring Valley) as a treatment for yellow palm fronds? I would crush the tablets and add to the fertilizer treatment. Good or bad?

P.S. 3 tablets per serving = 400 mg of Magnesium Oxide and 15 mg Zinc gluconate.

[sonoranfans]

I dont think MgO would be bioavailable.  I would go with sulPoMag so everything stays balanced.

 

[Moose]

58 minutes ago, sonoranfans said:

I dont think MgO would be bioavailable.  I would go with sulPoMag so everything stays balanced.

 

Eat the supplements then it would be bioavailable through your urea. Add that to your fertilizer.

Easier Tom's way.

[sonoranfans]

So MgO is insoluble in water but soluble in acid.  If you take it orally, your stomach acid(pH~2.8) takes care of the solubility issue.  As a fertilizer for plants it sure appears to be a big zero.  Solubility is one aspect of bioavailability, but its a big one that usually must be met if a mineral is going to be bioavailable.  Iron and magnesium are precipitated out as hydroxides in strong alkalinity so strongly alkaline soils can cause chlorosis too.  SulPoMag has sulfur which compensates for alkalinity by being mildly acidic so its the best choice out there for magnesium deficiency issues.

[PalmatierMeg]

Try magnesium sulfate (aka epsom salt).

[Alberto]

I have a supplement of chelated zinc 2.8 mg with chelated magnesium 50 mg (bisglycinate magnesium and bisglycinate zinc) What about this two salts?

[sonoranfans]

Alberto chelated nutrients are more bioavailable as the chelation stops precipitation of nutrients in undesirable pH soils, and also is a more efficient form in good soils.  this is why I use humic acid, its natures naturally occurring chelator for plants and also conditions soil for beneficial bacteria that assist in nutrient uptake.  All chelators are not the same, some are suitable for the human body, and some for soil nutrient delivery.  I would go with the chelator(s) that soil scientists have tested.  Epsom salts are also a good way to deliver a fast dose of Mg, but too much Mg can be a bad thing and cause deficiencies in other nutrients like Ca which results in stunted growth.  This is where soil scientists have found ratios and slower controlled deliveries are superior.  I'd be careful with epsom salts, but a small amount to kick start the correction might help.  I am a chemist, not a soil scientist so I dont have the benefit of researching long term in the area as a career.  I just have the chemical knowledge to understand the issues(and it helps me read the soil science articles I have read).  SulPoMag is a controlled ratio delivery system that is tested and proven, it would be the best choice, IMHO.

[SoulofthePlace]

Is this Arch. cun. "yellow" enough to need an epsom salt treatment? The soil is mostly volcanic detritus, grit gravel.

[sonoranfans]

I might go first with "garden lime" which differs from lime in that it has a proper Ca:Mg ratio.  The risk of  a setback is less with garden lime.  But if you took a teaspoon of epsom salts and added it to 3 gallons of water and watered next time with it it probably will help.  I would get that garden lime anyway and put some down and apply as the ratio of Ca:Mg is critical to balanced nutrient uptake.  With gravel, volcanic rock and grit it sounds like you have little or no cation exchange in your soil.  I would mulch that palm every 6 months till you build up cation exchange.  Alternately you could apply biochar and rinse it in to get improved cation exchange.  Problem with bio char is it fixes nutrients and as delivered it has a big cation exchange capacity with no cations.  this means it will take them from your fertilizer, starving the plant.  So I soak the biochar in water with dissolved fertilizer for 24-36 hrs and stir periodically, then pour off the excess water and its ready for use.  From the description of your soil(little or no cation exchange), it sounds like you have some of my problems in sandy soil.  Use a quality timed release fertilizer and mulch,mulch,mulch.  

[SoulofthePlace]

Pine bark mulch? The island has limited materials in shops. I tried mulching with natural seaweed taken from seashore, but I think that was bad for the palms, although it helped bananas to produce fruit faster. I will try Epsom salt if I can find it here. I have no idea what cation and bio char is. I doubt they have it here.

[sonoranfans]

biochar is burned wood.  It does not degrade as the burned form isn't decomposed over time.  Most organics are decomposed and rinsed away so you lose their cation exchange through time.  Biochar is charred, partly burned, so this doesn't happen.  Its a natural product of slash and burn agriculture, though that method is very inefficient in producing biochar.  the warmer and more humid the climate, the faster your mulch products disappear.  I started one garden bed with biochar/sand with a little organic matter, its producing very well after one year.  In theory I shouldnt have to mulch that garden regularly to have a strong cation exchange capacity(the ability of the soil to hold nutrients for later use by plants).  If nothing else is available used mulched wood(wood chips).  If you roasted the wood chips over a small fire till they were coated in dark grey color, they would be more persistent as a cation exchange modification of the soil(effectively biochar).