A Brief Soil Micro-Nutrient Overview

In well-pH-balanced soils, micronutrient deficiencies in crops are usually rare in our clay soils, but there are some exceptions. Our soils are naturally high in calcium, iron, and magnesium, while the micronutrients of copper, nickel, and molybdenum are needed in such small quantities that deficiencies are unlikely in most soils. Deficiencies in these nutrients in our clay and silt-based soils are normally caused by high or low pH, which makes them unavailable. The nutrients of boron, manganese, chloride, and zinc are a little different, though. There are some places where these nutrients don’t have a naturally high background level, but they aren’t always a concern either. All of the micronutrients have different aspects, reactions, and levels of concern in the soil. (Technically, calcium and magnesium are secondary nutrients, but they are close enough for this discussion.)