Thoughts on Neptune's Harvest Crab Shells for container?

[cheebamaster]

I keep running into a problem where I don't know what the best solution for adding organic calcium to my containers is. I've used gypsum on some, and am planning on getting a bag of neptunes harvest crab shells and adding a cup or so to the soil mix. Will this break down in time to avoid BER? I noticed my Early Girl tomato was developing BER on a few of the tomatoes and they were containers in which I added gypsum, so now I'm wondering if the gypsum hasn't broken down properly yet.

What have you found to be the best way to calcify soil in containers?

[drew51]

Gypsum is very stable, it may take a year for some to breakdown, maybe longer. Lime will add calcium, but it takes about 6 months according to most Universities. Crab shells I heard are great for nematode problems. I heard it kills them. I myself use lime, and early in the year use calcium nitrate. Not organic, but I don't care about that it works. Adds calcium instantly. And early in the year is when it is a problem. I have never had BER problems once the season is well underway.

[satya]

I've used the Neptune oyster shell in raised beds, not containers. It breaks down slowly. It's probably not going to prevent BER on currently growing plants. Nutri-Cal Liquid Calcium is a foliar spray that's fast acting. It's hard to find in stores, but if you search online should find it. I'm radically organically minded... I talked to the manufacturer and asked a bunch of questions I can't remember now... and, after talking to him I was convinced it was clean enough to buy to try to save some huge and healthy heirlooms that suddenly had BER... and it worked for the BER, but then, the crop got wiped out anyway by Russet Mites... ! It was a bad year for tomatoes!

[Gerardo]

I haven't used Neptune's. I've been using a combination of fish bone meal(3-16-0) AND crab meal (4-3-0) from Down to Earth. Both are about 14% calcium. . You can top dress if you've already created the pots.

With the addition of those two you get: 1) Calcium, 2) chitin, 3) solid growth and lots of trusses

Worked well for me thus far, with very little to no BER.

Cheers.

[wormgirl]

I have never tried the crab shell but I have to wonder if their fish/seaweed emulsion (which I love) has a significant calcium content because of the predigested fish bones? I have no idea, but I started wondering earlier today.

[heirloomtomaguy]

I too am trying out the Neptunes Harvest Crab Shells in my containers this year. They are said to break down slow so be sure to fertilize properly as you would without them. Im hopefull that they will be a good addition to my containers. Man if people think Neptune Harvest fish emolsion stinks they have never smelled their crab shells. Woof.

[JamesL]

I used NH crab shells in Earthtainer's a few years back. Can't really say if it had an effect or not.
Calcium - One of the reasons I (and others) like Texas Tomato Food - high in calcium.

[fonseca]

Originally Posted by Gerardo

I've been using a combination of fish bone meal(3-16-0) AND crab meal (4-3-0) from Down to Earth.

Likewise. I also top dress with crab shell meal, neem seed meal (also DTE) and a gritty grade of diatomaceous earth to fight the bugs.

Last year the DTE crab shell I used in my mix was gone by October. I could hardly find a trace of it in my containers.

I use Neptune's fish/seaweed a few times as a foliar until I start seeing mature flowers. I get a nice growth response after each application, but perhaps I am increasing the chance of getting BER? It seems to happen on my fastest-growing plants.

I try to remove affected fruit as early as possible. Below is last year's Cherokee Purple, which was the worst example in my garden, and one of only two plants that had BER out of 25.