Sorce for Calcium wanted.

jcrous · February 21, 2014

I have very recently converted my first garden bed to a raised bed and filled it with mushroom compost (75% and 25% soil) mix. It is however a bit poor in calcium content.

What are the best sources for calcium?

Hermitian · February 21, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcrous

I have very recently converted my first garden bed to a raised bed and filled it with mushroom compost (75% and 25% soil) mix. It is however a bit poor in calcium content.

What are the best sources for calcium?

I believe you have access to dolomite lime?

RayR · February 21, 2014

What's the PH of your beds? Dolomite lime would be a good choice to add Ca and Mg as long as your PH isn't too high already.

jcrous · February 21, 2014

I have not yet tested, but I believe it will be alkaline due to the mushroom compost. I will test tomorrow.

snippits · April 8, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcrous

I have very recently converted my first garden bed to a raised bed and filled it with mushroom compost (75% and 25% soil) mix. It is however a bit poor in calcium content.

What are the best sources for calcium?

If the Ph is in acceptable range, then gypsum will do it. Gypsum is not suppose to raise Ph but lime will. Gypsum also has sulfur in it.

I always put a little bit in my tomato planting holes. Going straight organic this year growing my tomatoes, and I will be using Tomato Tone which has gypsum in it as one of the ingredients. I think most of the calcium and sulphur in Tomato Tone come from gypsum.

Redbaron · April 8, 2014

A simple way to help is simply grind up some egg shells in the blender and add a bit of vinegar. let that soak a couple days then add water, shake, and water your tomatoes with it.

Sun City Linda · April 8, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbaron

A simple way to help is simply grind up some egg shells in the blender and add a bit of vinegar. let that soak a couple days then add water, shake, and water your tomatoes with it.

I would think watering tomatoes with vinegar water would be problematic.

Doug9345 · April 9, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

I would think watering tomatoes with vinegar water would be problematic.

The egg shells should neutralize it. Taking a guess without figuring out the chemistry, It might be a calcium acetate solution.

Sun City Linda · April 9, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug9345

The egg shells should neutralize it. Taking a guess without figuring out the chemistry, It might be a calcium acetate solution.

ahhh ha! Thanks.

RayR · April 9, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug9345

The egg shells should neutralize it. Taking a guess without figuring out the chemistry, It might be a calcium acetate solution.

You're right Doug, calcium acetate, and carbon dioxide gas

Redbaron · April 9, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

I would think watering tomatoes with vinegar water would be problematic.

Vinegar won't harm the tomatoes. They like a slightly acid soil anyway. So anyway you are not really trying to completely dissolve the eggshells anyway. Just a bit of a jump start. The biology in the soil will take care of the rest. Worms for example love egg shells, once they are ground up small enough. But that is a very slow release. To give the plants a bit of a boost to start the vinegar dissolves some off the shells. Then diluted by water. All good.

Lady J · May 8, 2014

In addition to egg shells, I grind up all my crab shells and add them to the soil as well. It not only adds calcium, but also adds chitin.

b54red · May 8, 2014

I have added ground oyster shells to my beds before and raised my calcium levels significantly. Most feed stores sell it as grit for chickens. I also put all of our egg shells into the compost which also adds calcium. If you could get some Texas Tomato Food it has a lot of calcium in it but I don't know if it can be purchased outside the USA.

I used tons of fresh mushroom compost for years but it raised my ph to an unacceptable level after a few years. It seems that sometimes the mix would be extremely alkaline but things sure grew good in it for a while. I have been working to get my ph down naturally for the last three years and it is finally getting a bit lower and the plants are healthier now.

Bill

**mdvpc** · May 8, 2014

You might be able to get a liquid calcium at a hydroponics store in your country.

Uncle Dunkel · May 8, 2014

Like others here if PH is ok I would use gypsum to raise calcium. If ph needed raised I would use lime to raise ph and calcium. If my plants needed a quick fix of calcium I would use a product that contained a chealated calcium.
Tim

February 21, 2014	#1
jcrous Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 23	Sorce for Calcium wanted. I have very recently converted my first garden bed to a raised bed and filled it with mushroom compost (75% and 25% soil) mix. It is however a bit poor in calcium content. What are the best sources for calcium?

February 21, 2014	#4
jcrous Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 23	I have not yet tested, but I believe it will be alkaline due to the mushroom compost. I will test tomorrow. __________________ Regards Johan Crous

April 8, 2014	#6
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	A simple way to help is simply grind up some egg shells in the blender and add a bit of vinegar. let that soak a couple days then add water, shake, and water your tomatoes with it. __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

May 8, 2014	#14
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	You might be able to get a liquid calcium at a hydroponics store in your country. __________________ Michael

May 8, 2014	#15
Uncle Dunkel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Corbin, KY Posts: 74	Like others here if PH is ok I would use gypsum to raise calcium. If ph needed raised I would use lime to raise ph and calcium. If my plants needed a quick fix of calcium I would use a product that contained a chealated calcium. Tim Last edited by mdvpc; May 9, 2014 at 01:35 PM.

February 21, 2014	#3
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	What's the PH of your beds? Dolomite lime would be a good choice to add Ca and Mg as long as your PH isn't too high already.

May 8, 2014	#12
Lady J Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Southern California Posts: 3	In addition to egg shells, I grind up all my crab shells and add them to the soil as well. It not only adds calcium, but also adds chitin.

May 8, 2014	#13
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have added ground oyster shells to my beds before and raised my calcium levels significantly. Most feed stores sell it as grit for chickens. I also put all of our egg shells into the compost which also adds calcium. If you could get some Texas Tomato Food it has a lot of calcium in it but I don't know if it can be purchased outside the USA. I used tons of fresh mushroom compost for years but it raised my ph to an unacceptable level after a few years. It seems that sometimes the mix would be extremely alkaline but things sure grew good in it for a while. I have been working to get my ph down naturally for the last three years and it is finally getting a bit lower and the plants are healthier now. Bill