Dear colleagues,
I have a case at a field at a Norwegian farm which has excessive calcium levels. How can this be reduced in the best way? I´m looking for a procedure.
Some data on the field:
- Total exchange capacity (TEC) is 7,32 (silty sand)
- Active pH is 7,9
- Calcium saturation is 95,4 % - desired 66 %
- Magnesium saturation is 1,4 % - desired 14 %
- Potassium saturation is 1,1 % - desired 5,3 %
- Sodium saturation is 0,4 % - desired 0,9 %
- Among the micronutrients boron and manganese are low.
- The soil structure is collapsed (over-flocculated)
The reason for this extreme calcium saturation is that the field had calcium stabilized sewage sludge applied some 17 years ago. Since then almost nothing has grown there. The farmer, and we, are looking for solutions. It is an organic farm.
My own first suggestion is the apply elemental sulphur (S) in high doses (to acidify and leach out Ca as CaSO4) and , i.e. 100 kg/ha plus kieserite and potassium sulphate (200 kg/ha of each).
Looking forward for your input! Thank you in advance!