Subject: Re: Did the El Nino rains in June leach out the nitrogen from the soil?
From: Tom Stone <tstone@naturegolf.com>
Organization: NaturGolf
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 98 00:45:36
Message-ID: <MOD$981023.24521@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$980923.14391@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
Another plausible explanation would be that your soils went anaerobic (without
air) during the period of extreme wetness. Nitrogen is available for uptake
into the plant in the nitrate form. When a soil becomes anaerobic, the nitrate
nitrogen reverts to nitrite, and is unavailable for uptake showing in the plant
as a nitrogen deficiency.
dhs wrote:
> We had 13 inches of rain in June here in Massachusetts, and a lot before
> too... The sugar maples in particular, have smallish leaves, sometimes
> 1/3rd of the normal size. The leaves here are usually out mid may, and they
> continue to grow in June. I have heard as an explanation that the rains of
> May and June leached out the nitrogen from the soil, and it is the lack of
> nitrogen which causes this small size. I also have heard that the lack of
> sun stunted the leaf growth, which didn;t catch up. Both could be true, but
> is it really possible that El Nino rains leach the nitrogen from the soil?
> I can hardly believe it!
>
> Doubtful in MA Lisa