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Old 09-22-2010, 01:25 PM   #11 (permalink)
stevelau1911
 
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Default Re: Newer leaves turning lighter

Quote:
Originally Posted by venturabananas View Post
Heidi,

This pure speculation on my part, because I just don't have the experience to really know, but I can't see any harm in adding calcium to the soil (and via foliar application) now, just prior to cold weather. Unlike nitrogen-based fertilizers which could break down and become toxic (e.g., produce ammonia) during the winter if not absorbed by the plant because it isn't growing in the cold, the calcium will remain calcium and shouldn't be toxic.

Note that if your soil is around neutral pH or on the alkaline side, you'd want to add gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate) rather than agricultural lime, which would make your soil more alkaline.

Good luck.
After 1 week of applying the gypsum, the newly unfolded leaf already looks darker and the unfolding leaf looks completely healthy already so it did work way sooner than I expected.

Now my largest basjoo has 4 pups and even they look like they've darkened up. Anyways thanks for the advice.
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I'm in zone 6 upstate NY, specialize in growing temperate cold hardy bamboos(mainly phyllostachys) and starting to get into bananas.

my picture website is http://www.flickr.com/photos/31489820@N02/

http://stevespeonygarden.blogspot.com/
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