Any reputable scientific university type study on this ?

bump

Seysonn et.al. to to find university studies on any subject put ~ site:.edu ~ along with your keywords in Google.

Example ~ clelate vegetable site:.edu ~ finds, among others, HS1208/HS1208: Understanding and Applying Chelated Fertilizers Effectively Based on Soil pH which is one of several University of Florida extension service publicans available on-line.

These are said to be organic in that the nutrients are attached to a carbohydrate molecule. The chelated substance enters the leaves where the plant then removes the carbohydrate portion and utilizes the micronutrient.

Not quite but close enough for our purposes. But not all CN quality as "organic". It all depends on if the chelate is bound to an organic nutrient source or a synthetic nutrient source. In other words the chelate is organic, the nutrient itself may or may not be. If that makes a difference to you.

My first question would be exactly which of the nutrients you feel is deficient? Iron, zinc, manganese, boron, etc. are all relatively minor ones easy to supply with most pH balanced soils. And if the pH is badly skewed to begin with then the benefits vs. cost doesn't balance out IMO.

Second question would be how to justify the costs of them for the average home gardener?

Dave

Dave:

I was looking at this primarily because a lot of the giant pumpkin growers use these substances on a regular basis and particularly calcium. As you know some of the minerals present in the soil and showing up in soil tests as "being there" are actually bound up and not available to plants even though being present in the soil. I looked at several videos and read several articles about chelated micronutrients either "bundled" with more than one and usually all the micronutrients in one package or individual such as calcium. I was just wondering if these were being commonly used by tomato growers or not and whether they were considered here as being organic as being advertised as such does not necessarily make it so. They are expensive but commercial growers seem to think they are worth it. Noone says anywhere that they make tomatoes either taste better or become toxic. Pumpkin growers apply them as a foliar feed which also has some appealing aspects. They reportedly do not harm the soil. My little garden will never be a financial success. Potatoes and tomatoes and garlic and corn at the local grocery store are fresh and cheaper than I can grow them. What is the value of being able to "pick and eat?"

This is a neat video

http://www.albionplantnutrition.com/plant-nutrition/efficacy/#video

Unckle Dunkle and Growneat Corporation !!!