Calcium nitrate meal (not snack)?

[BigVanVader]

I did a root zone application of fish emulsion/kelp/Epsom salt/calcium nitrate on a row of my tomatoes and they turned dark green from bottom to half way up the plants almost overnight! My question is will to much Calcium Nitrate hurt in any way? I am considering side dressing the rest of my plants with it. How much should I use and is it even worth doing?

[AKmark]

You always see immobile nutrient works in old growth, mobile nutrient in new growth.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

I did a root zone application of fish emulsion/kelp/Epsom salt/calcium nitrate on a row of my tomatoes and they turned dark green from bottom to half way up the plants almost overnight! My question is will to much Calcium Nitrate hurt in any way? I am considering side dressing the rest of my plants with it. How much should I use and is it even worth doing?

Too much nitrates in any form can be very harmful. When it comes to nitrates plants don't have an off switch to regulate uptake. They will just keep taking it in even if it accumulates to toxic levels that will damage leaf and root tissues. Synthetic nitrate fertilizers are salts and accumulation of too much salts in the soil can also have a negative effect on roots and soil organisms.
Plants also have to expend energy to assimilate nitrates, energy that promotes vegetative growth. You don't want a fruiting plant to put most of its energy into producing stems and foliage when it should be putting that energy into flowering and fruiting. Excessive vegetative growth via nitrates will also create weak cell walls that will make the plant more susceptible to pathogens and pests.

You also have too take account of the fish emulsion which is high in organic N. Animal based organic N is rapidly mineralized by microorganisms and made available to the plant in the form of nitrates and ammonium.

So be careful out there, the goal is not to get the prettiest leaf color that pleases the eye or the bushiest and tallest tomato plants. The goal is to get healthy plants that produce lots of nice fruit.

[sjamesNorway]

Originally Posted by RayR

Steve, you would want fish hydrolysate, not fish emulsion. Hydrolysate doesn't usually have as strong a smell. I don't know how long the scent would be noticeable in a greenhouse, but outside it disappears pretty quickly in the soil.
Is it really hard to find liquid or soluble kelp powder in Norway? I mean Ascophyllum nodosum, the most common species of kelp used for plants is also known as Norwegian kelp

Ray, I've done an extensive search. Hydrolyzed fish is not available as a fertilizer in Norway, and I haven't been able to find kelp in any form in any garden center. You'd think that Norway as a fishing nation, and a country where Norwegian kelp is the dominant seaweed along the coast, would have these available to gardeners, wouldn't you.

I can only explain this by saying that vegetable gardening is not very popular in Norway, and organic gardening even less so.

They do have a tradition of using kelp and fish as fertilizers along the coast, but this hasn't found its way inland.

I have often been frustrated to read about all the goodies for growing you have in the States, and the prices compared to here. I haven't even been able to find a soilless mix for starting seeds. The closest thing is called "cactus and seedling mix". In the garden center, the biggest bag of perlite is 6 liters (6 1/3 quarts) and costs $13. 500 grams (a little over a pound) of blood meal cost $16.50. I often have to compromise because of cost. But enough of griping.

Steve