Some 20-25 years ago, I bought a 5 lb bag of zinc sulfate. It was
packed by Bandini, which is no longer in business. I use only a little,
on my four dwarf citrus and on my gardenia. Now that the bag is almost
empty, none of the nurseries around me carry it.

Does anyone know of a retail source of zinc sulfate in relatively small
packages? No, I don't want it mixed with iron or boron. And I'm
looking for it in the form of dry powder or granules.

It seems that, in recent years, it's becoming harder and harder to find
single-nutrient fertilizers. All I see are combinations. However, even
the combinations are incomplete. For example, most commercial citrus
fertilizers contain no zinc although citrus is well-know to require
extra zinc. One commercial citrus food contains 0.02% zinc; 0.50% or
even 1.00% would be better.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:55:59 -0800, "David E. Ross"
wrote:

Some 20-25 years ago, I bought a 5 lb bag of zinc sulfate. It was
packed by Bandini, which is no longer in business. I use only a little,
on my four dwarf citrus and on my gardenia. Now that the bag is almost
empty, none of the nurseries around me carry it.

Does anyone know of a retail source of zinc sulfate in relatively small
packages? No, I don't want it mixed with iron or boron. And I'm
looking for it in the form of dry powder or granules.

It seems that, in recent years, it's becoming harder and harder to find
single-nutrient fertilizers. All I see are combinations. However, even
the combinations are incomplete. For example, most commercial citrus
fertilizers contain no zinc although citrus is well-know to require
extra zinc. One commercial citrus food contains 0.02% zinc; 0.50% or
even 1.00% would be better.


A 5-pound bag of zinc sulfate is a lot of zinc. Plants use very small
amounts of some elements. I'm sure if you just use zinc metal
filings, there would be millions of zinc ions available. You should
be able get zinc sulphate at any chemical supply house or obtain a
small quantity from a science school supply. I have zinc strips on my
roof (to prevent mold and algae), so I know my backyard is getting
more zinc than it needs.

Also, you could crush up a Centrum vitamin--plenty of elements,
including zinc, in one pill. The formula for men has more zinc.

On Jan 19, 6:55�pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
Some 20-25 years ago, I bought a 5 lb bag of zinc sulfate. �It was
packed by Bandini, which is no longer in business. �I use only a little,
on my four dwarf citrus and on my gardenia. �Now that the bag is almost
empty, none of the nurseries around me carry it.

Does anyone know of a retail source of zinc sulfate in relatively small
packages? �No, I don't want it mixed with iron or boron. �And I'm
looking for it in the form of dry powder or granules.

It seems that, in recent years, it's becoming harder and harder to find
single-nutrient fertilizers. �All I see are combinations. �However, even
the combinations are incomplete. �For example, most commercial citrus
fertilizers contain no zinc although citrus is well-know to require
extra zinc. �One commercial citrus food contains 0.02% zinc; 0.50% or
even 1.00% would be better.

There are plenty of agri supply emporiums that carry zinc sulfate,
perhaps your local Agway.

Scroll to bottom of page:
http://www.southernag.com/fertilizers-l&g.htm

In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

Some 20-25 years ago, I bought a 5 lb bag of zinc sulfate. It was
packed by Bandini, which is no longer in business. I use only a little,
on my four dwarf citrus and on my gardenia. Now that the bag is almost
empty, none of the nurseries around me carry it.

Does anyone know of a retail source of zinc sulfate in relatively small
packages? No, I don't want it mixed with iron or boron. And I'm
looking for it in the form of dry powder or granules.

It seems that, in recent years, it's becoming harder and harder to find
single-nutrient fertilizers. All I see are combinations. However, even
the combinations are incomplete. For example, most commercial citrus
fertilizers contain no zinc although citrus is well-know to require
extra zinc. One commercial citrus food contains 0.02% zinc; 0.50% or
even 1.00% would be better.

ACE Hardware sells:

Western Organics 5 lb bag of Zinc Sulfate for $4.49

Ace#: 7194657
Manf#: LG40021
UPC#: 087818402219

http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com...sulfate-p-8967
5.html

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA - http://rhodyman.net

On 1/20/2009 7:23 AM, Stephen Henning wrote:
In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

Some 20-25 years ago, I bought a 5 lb bag of zinc sulfate. It was
packed by Bandini, which is no longer in business. I use only a little,
on my four dwarf citrus and on my gardenia. Now that the bag is almost
empty, none of the nurseries around me carry it.

Does anyone know of a retail source of zinc sulfate in relatively small
packages? No, I don't want it mixed with iron or boron. And I'm
looking for it in the form of dry powder or granules.

It seems that, in recent years, it's becoming harder and harder to find
single-nutrient fertilizers. All I see are combinations. However, even
the combinations are incomplete. For example, most commercial citrus
fertilizers contain no zinc although citrus is well-know to require
extra zinc. One commercial citrus food contains 0.02% zinc; 0.50% or
even 1.00% would be better.

ACE Hardware sells:

Western Organics 5 lb bag of Zinc Sulfate for $4.49

Ace#: 7194657
Manf#: LG40021
UPC#: 087818402219

http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com...sulfate-p-8967
5.html


I contacted the nearest Ace Hardware (about 3 miles away). They don't
carry any garden supplies.

I then contacted another Ace Hardware (about 25 miles away). They will
order zinc sulfate for me. Thanks.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

David E. Ross wrote:
On 1/20/2009 7:23 AM, Stephen Henning wrote:
In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

Some 20-25 years ago, I bought a 5 lb bag of zinc sulfate. It was
packed by Bandini, which is no longer in business. I use only a little,
on my four dwarf citrus and on my gardenia. Now that the bag is almost
empty, none of the nurseries around me carry it.

Does anyone know of a retail source of zinc sulfate in relatively small
packages? No, I don't want it mixed with iron or boron. And I'm
looking for it in the form of dry powder or granules.

It seems that, in recent years, it's becoming harder and harder to find
single-nutrient fertilizers. All I see are combinations. However, even
the combinations are incomplete. For example, most commercial citrus
fertilizers contain no zinc although citrus is well-know to require
extra zinc. One commercial citrus food contains 0.02% zinc; 0.50% or
even 1.00% would be better.
ACE Hardware sells:

Western Organics 5 lb bag of Zinc Sulfate for $4.49

Ace#: 7194657
Manf#: LG40021
UPC#: 087818402219

http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com...sulfate-p-8967
5.html


I contacted the nearest Ace Hardware (about 3 miles away). They don't
carry any garden supplies.

I then contacted another Ace Hardware (about 25 miles away). They will
order zinc sulfate for me. Thanks.


BTW, a simple Google search indicates that Bandini is very much still in
business. Of course, a simple Google search also shows a multitude of
sources for Zinc Sulfate.

On 1/21/2009 10:19 AM, dave a wrote:
David E. Ross wrote:
On 1/20/2009 7:23 AM, Stephen Henning wrote:
In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

Some 20-25 years ago, I bought a 5 lb bag of zinc sulfate. It was
packed by Bandini, which is no longer in business. I use only a little,
on my four dwarf citrus and on my gardenia. Now that the bag is almost
empty, none of the nurseries around me carry it.

Does anyone know of a retail source of zinc sulfate in relatively small
packages? No, I don't want it mixed with iron or boron. And I'm
looking for it in the form of dry powder or granules.

It seems that, in recent years, it's becoming harder and harder to find
single-nutrient fertilizers. All I see are combinations. However, even
the combinations are incomplete. For example, most commercial citrus
fertilizers contain no zinc although citrus is well-know to require
extra zinc. One commercial citrus food contains 0.02% zinc; 0.50% or
even 1.00% would be better.
ACE Hardware sells:

Western Organics 5 lb bag of Zinc Sulfate for $4.49

Ace#: 7194657
Manf#: LG40021
UPC#: 087818402219

http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com...sulfate-p-8967
5.html

I contacted the nearest Ace Hardware (about 3 miles away). They don't
carry any garden supplies.

I then contacted another Ace Hardware (about 25 miles away). They will
order zinc sulfate for me. Thanks.


BTW, a simple Google search indicates that Bandini is very much still in
business. Of course, a simple Google search also shows a multitude of
sources for Zinc Sulfate.

I did such searches.

Bandini and the company that owns it no longer distributes zinc sulfate.

I located a number of companies that produce or distribute zinc sulfate.
Most of them market the product only in bulk. Several companies have
not yet responded to my E-mail. (This is a general problem. Companies
either list E-mail addresses on their Web sites or have Web-mail pages
for submitting message. But they never respond.) One company would
ship me a 5 lb bag for $15.

On the other hand, the Ace Hardware store in Moorpark, CA, will sell me
5 lb for $6.

Note that a few distributors of zinc sulfate obtain the product from
China. There are recent reports that Chinese zinc sulfate is
contaminated with cadmium. While this might not be a problem with my
roses, I certainly don't want to add cadmium to anything I eat, such as
my dwarf citrus.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

zinc sulfate

Sort of reminds me of my ongoing quest for Iron Phosphate. Which got me
to call again and it is shipping at the end of the month! Happy happy
Joy Joy order placed July 3 08. This from ScienceLab most likely
they have zinc sulfate but too pure and expensive for your needs.

Wondering in you can replace zinc sulfate with something similar ?

Bill

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

"David E. Ross" wrote:

Some 20-25 years ago, I bought a 5 lb bag of zinc sulfate. It was
packed by Bandini, which is no longer in business. I use only a little,
on my four dwarf citrus and on my gardenia. Now that the bag is almost
empty, none of the nurseries around me carry it.
[snip]

From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc
Toxicity

Even though zinc is a very essential requirement for a healthy body,
excess zinc can be harmful. Excessive absorption of zinc can also
suppress copper and iron absorption. The free zinc ion in solution is
highly toxic to plants, invertebrates, and even vertebrate fish. The
Free Ion Activity Model (FIAM) is well-established in the literature,
and shows that just micromolar amounts of the free ion kills some
organisms. A recent example showed 6 micromolar killing 93% of all
Daphnia in water.[84]

Zinc sulphate is ZnSO4·7H2O which has a molecular weight of 287.
Zn has a molecular weight of 65, so zinc sulpate is 22.6% Zinc.
So a 5lb bag has 1lb of zinc in it. That seems an awful lot of Zinc
to be adding to your land. How can you be sure you're not poisoning
your land, or the groundwater?

(I am not any kind of expert.)

--
Sleepalot aa #1385

On 1/22/2009 11:50 AM, Sleepalot wrote:
"David E. Ross" wrote:

Some 20-25 years ago, I bought a 5 lb bag of zinc sulfate. It was
packed by Bandini, which is no longer in business. I use only a little,
on my four dwarf citrus and on my gardenia. Now that the bag is almost
empty, none of the nurseries around me carry it.
[snip]

From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc
Toxicity

Even though zinc is a very essential requirement for a healthy body,
excess zinc can be harmful. Excessive absorption of zinc can also
suppress copper and iron absorption. The free zinc ion in solution is
highly toxic to plants, invertebrates, and even vertebrate fish. The
Free Ion Activity Model (FIAM) is well-established in the literature,
and shows that just micromolar amounts of the free ion kills some
organisms. A recent example showed 6 micromolar killing 93% of all
Daphnia in water.[84]

Zinc sulphate is ZnSO4·7H2O which has a molecular weight of 287.
Zn has a molecular weight of 65, so zinc sulpate is 22.6% Zinc.
So a 5lb bag has 1lb of zinc in it. That seems an awful lot of Zinc
to be adding to your land. How can you be sure you're not poisoning
your land, or the groundwater?

(I am not any kind of expert.)


A lack of zinc causes a blotchy chlorosis in citrus. I've seen this in
my own dwarf citrus (lemon, navel orange, kumquat, and tangelo). I
apply a large pinch of zinc sulfate to each plant about once in three
weeks from late March until the end of September. (See my
http://www.rossde.com/garden/dwarf_citrus.html.)

A lack of zinc causes gardenia flower buds to die and fall off the bush
without ever opening. I've also seen this in my garden.

I apply a large pinch of zinc sulfate to each plant -- along with other
nutrients -- about once in three weeks from late March until the end of
September. I stop feeding my citrus and most other plants in October so
that new growth is not promoted just before we get frost.

Whatever and whenever I give anything to my gardenia I also give it to
my Australian tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum) to prevent chlorosis.
I give zinc sulfate (about a tablespoon full) to my liquidambar tree (L.
styraciflua), along with gypsum (calcium sulfate, about 2-3 handsful),
elemental sulfur (about 2 handsful), iron sulfate (1 handful), and Epsom
salts (magnesium sulfate, about 2 tablespoonsful) once a year, also to
prevent chlorosis. Both the liquidambar and tea tree show severe
chlorosis -- and even leaf burn -- if I don't do this.

My observations are that the zinc promotes healthy growth in the plants
where I use it. I don't use a lot of it. After all, a 5 lb bag has
lasted me more than 20 years.

I'm not concerned about the ground water in my area. The natural ground
water is so highly mineralized that it can't be used even for
agriculture, let alone for drinking. It was tested during a severe
drought in the late 1970s, with the thought of adding 1 part ground
water to 10 parts imported water in order to stretch the supply of the
latter. Even at that dilution, the result would be unusable.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary