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DIY micronutrients
I have been experimenting with do it yourself micronutrients.
I obtained some hydrochloric acid from Lowes and use it to make ferric chloride, zinc chloride, etc. I obtained some sulfuric acid from a battery company and use it to make ferric sulfate, zinc sulfate, etc. And, of course, only a minimum of acid should be used to effectively dissolve the metal(s.) A readily available of the metal zinc is from the can of a carbon zinc battery (Don't use an alkaline battery!) Simply cut the battery in half, lengthwise, and clean out the materials, scrub the metal clean and dissolve. Iron can be either stove bolts, bailing wire, etc. Just make sure it is a soft wire with no alloys and NO coatings--such as galvanized wire. A trip to a metal scrappers can provide you will most needed metals ... After the metal is dissolved in the acid, it is important to neutralize the solution to near 7.0 ph; this can be done with calcium hydroxide (cooking lime, or a like base--in a pinch, sodium bicarbonate can be used, or baking soda.) Anyone else avoiding the high cost of micros and using a similar system or have any data on homemade micros? Regards, JS |
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