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Home Garden Boron Deficiency #884937

Asked September 11, 2024, 7:53 PM EDT

My home vegetable garden soil always tests low in boron. I think Solibor is the additive for commercial use, but it is too expensive for a small user. I eventually found the boron content of 20 Mule Team Borax and calculated how much to use. Am I the only person with this problem? Is there another source for boron? Compost is not the answer if it comes from deficient soils.

Montgomery County Maryland

Expert Response

Fortunately, a low boron level on a laboratory soil test does not mean that plants will show deficiency symptoms. If you are not seeing specific deficiency symptoms tied to low boron levels, then it shouldn't be of great concern. Boron deficiency is generally not seen in Montgomery County soils, which are upland soils with relatively high clay percentage. (Clay binds/retains nutrients much better than sand, as does organic matter.)

If you find that adding boron is needed, our Garden Fertilizer Basics page notes that "if a soil test report shows a low boron level, dissolve 1 Tablespoon of Borax in 1 gallon of water and apply the solution evenly from a sprinkling can over 100 sq. ft." 

If you are using only homemade compost to amend planting beds and the plant material added is all boron-deficient (possible, but some plants might be better at absorbing low levels than others), then yes, it could be a poor source of supplementation, but commercial compost won't necessarily be deficient. (Like Leafgro, for example; as it happens, they do share a lab analysis of the product(s) online, but they don't appear to measure for boron content, just heavy metals, salts, and a basic N-P-K, under the "tested for safety and quality" FAQ listing.)

Miri
Dear Miri,

Thank you for your clear answer and the link to Garden Fertilizer Basics. I clearly need to understand the chemistry of boron in soil better and not just believe the lab recommendation.  

Best Regards


On Thu, Sep 12, 2024, 12:12 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied September 12, 2024, 4:48 PM EDT

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