Thanksgiving Day Dinner, A Lesson in Crop Nutrition.

You survived the family Thanksgiving Day dinner. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a family gathering as much as the next person, but this year I reflected on how similar it is to crop nutrition. Individual family members are like calcium, phosphorus and the other plant nutrients; get them around the table they start interacting. This can be either good or not so good.

Whether in soil solution or within the plant, positive interactions happen when one nutrient assists in the uptake of another or works in tandem within the plant's biochemistry. Negative interactions occur when one nutrient affects another's availability.

Avoiding antagonistic interactions is like managing those unwanted familial interactions. So follow this rule of thumb: avoid excesses, make sure there is enough dessert for everyone, and leave no glass empty. Negative interactions are significant when one nutrient is in excess and another is significantly deficient.

Planning details, like trying to decide if Aunt Susan should sit beside or be in the same room as the family's black sheep, just adds unwanted stress. Likewise, avoid getting caught up in the nitty-gritty details of managing nutrient ratios.

Instead, ensure that nutrients do not exceed or drop below the plant's requirements. Having a soil test completed, applying nutrients only as required, and managing soil pH are three simple steps to assist you in managing crop nutrient interactions.

I can hardly wait, nine more weeks till the Christmas turkey and the relatives are knockin' at the door; what was it again, oh, yeah….avoid excesses, make sure there is enough dessert for everyone, and leave no glass empty.

This is has been Christoph Kessel, Horticultural Crop Nutrition - Program Lead for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.