Application of Calcium to Tomato Plants

[greenthinkglobal]

I had read that epson salts can be used to get calcium to the plants. How do you apply and what type of mixture? ALso are there any other ways to get calcium to the plants. Some of my Tomato's are experiencing "cat facing" and since I water regularly I'm wondering if calcium deficiency is the problem. Thanks for the help.

[Roger]

"Cat-facing" is not usually a result of a calcium deficiency; a calcium deficiency will be [usually] indicated by blossom end rot.

But to answer your question, calcium sources -

--Egg shells- best added when you place them underneath the plant at planting time; but you could add into the soil whenever to gradually bring up traces of calcium.
--Liming the soil with calcium carbonate [crushed limestone.] Best in the winter or off season, or before planting.
--There are commercial sprays available [calcium nitrate & calcium chloride] that you can spray on or around the plants themselves during the growing season.

Calcium may be present in abundance and still not taken up by the plant; uptake can be supressed by a number of causes [water deficiencies or irregularities; magnesium/nitrogen/potassium excess in soil; high humidity or excessive transpiration in the plant; high acidic soil, etcetera.]

[RedEyedRooster]

On my Epson Salt bag directions are to add 1teaspoon for every foot of tomato plant every two weeks.

[MaineDesigner]

Soft rock (aka colloidal) phosphate is about 16% calcium and both the phosphorus and calcium have relatively high availability.

[JennyC]

I had a problem with blossom end rot on my Romas and tried a completely nontraditional calcium supplement. My husband the chemistry teacher was worried about using calcium chloride, and while we have plenty of calcium carbonate in the form of limestone around here, we knew that would be very, very slow to get to the plants. So I dusted lightly around the base of the plants with dry mortar mix powder -- not too much because I didn't want a concrete mulch! The Romas are looking much better a few days later, no new blossom end rot, but I can't say whether that's because of the mortar mix or because of the rain we've gotten in the last couple of days.

[tcy1227]

What did you decide?

I just found 3 tomatoes with BER, and am afraid one of my largest is developing it. I cannot find that spray anywhere around here (NYC), and would love to save my fruit!!

[JennyC]

Well, I can't be sure it helped, just that something helped. But the end of finding new BER was two days after applying mortar mix. It surely didn't hurt.

[webgrunt]

Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. It does not contain calcium.

I ground up a couple dozen calcium citrate dietary supplements, dissolved it in water and watered my tomatoes with the solution when I has blossom-end rot. It stopped the rot immediately--all the tomatoes which ripened before I added that calcium had blossom rot, and none of the ones which ripened afterwards had it.

This is a good way to do a plant or two, but would get expensive if you had more plants than that. Maybe there's a bulk source for calcium citrate.

For those who are novices (like I am) "blossom end rot" is when the end of the tomato opposite the stem is off-color and mushy (like it's starting to rot) while the rest of the tomato is healthy.

[ggmary]

Kale is actually higher in calcium than milk. I used a blender to pulverize some kale in a little soapy water - then I added some molasses for good measure. I'm going to water my tomato plants with this mixture and see what it does....The only concern I have is that the kale may provide too much nitrogen....

[applestar]

Intriguing idea but why did you add soap?

[ggmary]

Just a small amount (a drop or two) because I read in Jerry Baker and other places that soap helps to "feed" plants by carrying the water further through dense or impacted soil. The soil I have in my yard is really dense and sandy....

[Gary350]

Sheet rock mud works great to prevent blossom end rot. Get a large hand full of sheet rock mud and stir it into 5 gallons of water. After planting your tomatoes plants give them a quart jar of water. I guarantee you won't have blossom end rot.

If you don't have sheet rock mud dissolve some sheet rock scraps in 5 gallons of water.

This works better than lime.

[applestar]

I'm so glad you posted this Gary350, because I had a bag of dry sheetrock mud powder that accidentally got soaked in a flood. It turned into what looked a lump of rock. I turned it out of the bag and put it out in the garden to see what would happen, and so far, it looks very rock-like. But your post has reminded me that I put it rather close to the blueberry plants. I think I'll move it near plants that prefer alkaline soil and/or extra calcium.

[kylie77]

I'm very new to gardening, last year was my first attempt. But I remember reading on here about spraying plants with a diluted milk solution. I did this last year, and didn't have any blossom end rot. I think it was also for getting rid of bugs too, but can't remember which ones, aphids maybe? I learned tons last year, but need a refresher I think!

[GardenJester]

Didn't someone on another similar thread suggested burying an Anti-acid tablet with your tomato when you transplant them? That sounded like an interesting idea.

[Lady Bug]

Since we backed off on the nitrogen and added calcium carbonate, our [url=https://organicgardenworks.com/2010/06/09/blossom-end-rot-tomato-plant.aspx]blossom drop and blossom end rot problem[/url] improved, we only had an instance or two of blossom end rot. Don't temperatures play a role in these diseases? We had a very hot beginning to the growing season this year.

[gixxerific]

[quote="kylie77" I think it was also for getting rid of bugs too, but can't remember which ones, aphids maybe? I learned tons last year, but need a refresher I think![/quote]

The milk solution is for fungal suppression not insects.

Someone also mentioned cat-facing as a problem of calcium deficiency. Cat facing is when you have a wet period followed by a dry period than a big wet period. The skins dry up a bit than swell and crack with the added moisture coming at high rates.

[JONA878]

BER will not be controlled by any application to the soil with any form of calcium.
You can grow plants in chalk soils and still get the deficiancy.
The basic problem is that the element moves exceedingly slowly through plants and is reliant on water as a carrier.
Excess salts in the soil from over use of ferts can cause blockage of mineral uptake. That's why growers will flood their soils prior to planting to flush the excess out.
If you have a good large root system with a top growth that is in balance with that root then all is well.
If. however the root is not in balance as perhaps restricted by some means, or over feeding has made the top too heavy to root growth, then the plant will usually still grow quite happily if everthing is still quite equible.
The problem comes if the plant is put under any stress.
In hot weather the plant is loosing water through its leaves in transperation. If the plant looses water through the leaf faster than the root system can replace it ...then you get the problem.
Usually it is the first couple of trusses of the plant that are worst affected as these are the fruits that are forming when the plant is at its most active.
Water is lost faster than can be replaced and the calcium movement slows or ceases.
Result.BER.
The problem occurs in apples where it causes Bitter Pit.
Again the movement of the calcium is so slow that the fruit ripens without enough calcium to stop the tell-tale spots and necrosis from happening.
In apples continual sprays of calcium chloride helps combat the problem but in toms I have not heard of this being used or even if it is practical.

[Thomas CA]

Interesting!

I just so happens that I work in the vitamin suppliment industry and have access to literally tons of raw calcium carbonate and calcium citrate (powder form - before they're pressed into pills/tablets).

My question is...which is better? Calcium Carbonate 600mg? or Calcium Citrate 500mg?

[JONA878]

Interesting!

I just so happens that I work in the vitamin suppliment industry and have access to literally tons of raw calcium carbonate and calcium citrate (powder form - before they're pressed into pills/tablets).

My question is...which is better? Calcium Carbonate 600mg? or Calcium Citrate 500mg?

That's a thousand dollar question I guess.
Maybe easier though to just try and get that ballance right in the first place.

[gixxerific]

If I remember right, especially in clay soils, there is a bunch of calcium. Just not is usable form. That is where the soil food web comes into play breaking down the calcium into something the plant can use.

[inalak]

Tried that crushed up calcium dietary supplement recently. It worked on our 4 potted tomatoes for a few weeks. We went with 3 600mg calcium carbonate. Just wondering if anyone has a suggestion on how often you think we need to do this. It's been a few weeks to a month since we watered it with the calcium solution and a couple BER tomatoes showed up. Time to reapply I assume?

It has been pretty windy lately and the soil seems to be drying out faster than usual. Could that be the cause rather than Calcium deficiency? I just don't want to apply more calcium and have it be too much...or is that not possible?

[soil]

I like to use azomite for preventing blossom end rot and other tomato deficiencies.

I grow san marzanos and they have a bad time with BER. well that was before I used azomite. it also makes the plants extremely healthy.

[Bobberman]

How about powdered milk. They say milk helps with tomato blight so maybe it would add calcium also! I was thinking of using a salt shaker and sprinkle it around the tomato!

[serial_killer]

Just a small amount (a drop or two) because I read in Jerry Baker and other places that soap helps to "feed" plants by carrying the water further through dense or impacted soil. The soil I have in my yard is really dense and sandy....

That is somewhat correct- Mild dish/ hand soap is a surfactant, meaning it lowers the surface tension of the water (plant food) allowing the tiny parts of the roots to "break the plain" of the water droplets running down. You know when you have a really bone dry container plant and the water just runs right threw, it has to do with the surface tension of the water and the inability of the dry medium to uptake it, water is retained easier by the wet medium because there is already some liquid stored there. The new water dripping down will be attracted to the existing water once again because of surface tension. Watch droplets on the hood of your car, as they slowly move towards each other see how the edges reach out and touch each other and as it rolls down it collects more drops from its path, thats the surface tension trying to hold the water together. (the trail it leaves behind is gravity / friction working against the tension to pull it apart)


Remember the 4th grade science experiment where you float the paper clip on the waters surface by gently setting it there with a fork? Now try it with soapy water.

[Ladybug027]

Thank for the tip Soil, I have been reading up on azomite and although none of my local farm and gardens stores carry it I can get it on line. My question is which type of Azomite do you use. I found three to chose from, trace mineral amendment, granular and a powder. Also how do you use them, in your seeding stage, side dressing ect... Thanks again for the tip, azomite sounds like a great natural product.

I like to use azomite for preventing blossom end rot and other tomato deficiencies.

I grow san marzanos and they have a bad time with BER. well that was before I used azomite. it also makes the plants extremely healthy.

[nathan125]

Commonly in my area in the free section of craiglist there are adds for free sheet rock scrap, could one just get some sheet rock and soak it in a bucket of water and feed it to the plant or even till it in the spring if it's sitting there all fall/winter
?