I've been doing some research on soil micronutrient levels, and uncovered some interesting information on optimal Boron levels.

It seems that optimal Boron levels can be higher than the 1 PPM that we've been using - under certain conditions. Those conditions are that Boron can be higher as long as it is less than 1/1000th of the amount of Calcium, and no higher than 3 PPM.

I'm a little torn about using these levels as a recommendation for most lawn owners - there are many folks that test and maintain Calcium levels in their lawn areas, and don't maintain the same levels in the nearby flower and perennial beds. And there are sensitive plants that can have negative effects from Boron levels at or above 2 PPM.

If the Calcium levels are lower in the beds, then the Boron levels could be too high there, while they're fine for the turf with the higher Calcium levels.

Before I consider new recommendations (or possibly different recommendations for different situations) I'd like to hear whether people maintain different levels of Lime/Gypsum in their lawns an flower beds - I've got the Winter to consider how to use this new information in recommendations, and how to word the recommendations.

This isn't a topic for the newbie - this is for the advanced soil tweaker. Please don't make this degenerate into a primer on "tell me what Boron does".

Tell me what Boron does!

I maintain different balances in lawn and garden, but I'm about to test both so that wouldn't be a major issue. Both levels can be balanced correctly. Many of my plants prefer slightly more acidic conditions than the lawn does, although they're completely tolerant of the same pH level if it came down to that. Additionally, the garden is extremely heavily mulched...which breaks down into copious late-stage OM...and seriously alters the CEC.

Again, I'll get a new baseline on that next year when I re-test the gardens as I already know something isn't quite right. They tend to slow severely in early September, and shouldn't, although the argument's been made that I'm so demanding that the poor things just get tired.

Personally? I'd be happy with the old recommendations across the board. I know they're safe, I know they're high enough, and I know they work. I simply don't know if some of my annuals and ornamentals are tolerant of amounts greater than 2 PPM and don't want to find out the hard way--it would ruin at least a year's worth of plants, potentially more if it damages or kills perennials and shrubs.

I hear you.

I've debated producing "HELM" recommendations for the few people that really want to push soil levels, but I've seen "outrage" at things as simple as intensive Nitrogen supplementation, and some of the HELM levels would be considered outrageous by those members. And I don't want to be saying "No" to less-experienced members that are simply curious about what HELM is - a HELM recommendation takes many hours and I'm not doing one to satisfy curiosities. If you think testing with refractometers is crazy, fine.

I agree that keeping things simple is better. Wouldn't want a newbie whose soil is severely deficient in calcium read a thread where you are pushing 3ppm and try to do likewise (even though doing so would be completely his fault). At the very least, where appropriate you could be a little more aggressive with your Boron amendment amounts and if you hit 1.2 ppm, oh well.

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As of right now I only maintain the soil in the lawn area. I do not amend the soil in the flower beds except when I plant new annuals. The only thing they get is overspray from the milorganite or soy.

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O yeah google is broken. What does boron do?

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I've never tested the gardens; they just get mulch and MO and Alfalfa in the spring. Roses get more food throughout the year and there are annuals and shrubs along the edge of the lawn. Wouldn't want to do anything that could harm all the beds.

O yeah google is broken. What does boron do?

It makes Google work.

Andy,say one increased the boron levels above your "old" ideal recommendation to your "new" higher levels on the lawn,what benefits would you expect to see from these higher levels vs the old ideal # ?

You won't notice anything visual. When balanced at the optimal levels, micronutrients allow everything else to work at its peak. When they're in short supply, they behave as "locks" to the overall growth and health processes. How do you view "healthy"? I like the way Morph describes it - you learn that something is a little out of whack when the lawn/plant "stalls" in its growth.