Turns out, calcium is pretty important for humans and plants.
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If youhave a garden, you should know (if you don’t already!)
that calcium is a vital nutrient that enables your plants to grow healthy and strong.
Photo:Basie B/Getty Images
Calcium strengthens the cell walls of plants, promoting growth and resilience fromdiseases and pests.
Adding calcium to your plants can help your garden thrive.
Why Do Plants Need Calcium?
Calcium is an essential nutrient for plant growth and maintenance.
It is a building block for plant cell walls, giving plants structure and rigidity.
Calcium also acts as a signaling molecule, regulating cellular growth, development, and stress responses.
This improves general plant resilience.
Fruit plants like tomatoes and peppers may develop dark, sunken areas in the fruit.
Low calcium levels can also make plants more vulnerable to diseases and pests.
Minerals like magnesium, potassium, and sodium can reduce calcium absorption in plants.
Alkaline soils tend to have more calcium than acidic soils.
Clay soils have higher calcium levels, while sandy soils usually have lower calcium content.
Adding too much calcium can damage your plants, so testing the soil is essential.
Add the shells to your compost or top layer of soil.
Over time, this will increase the calcium that flows to your plants.
The used chemicals in the crushed eggshells dissolve over time in the soil and impart calcium, Wilson says.
This is one of the easy, timeless approaches to integrating kitchen waste in your garden.
Gypsum also offers calcium and sulfur, which help plants grow.
Adding gypsum to soil improves its structure, enabling better root growth anddrainage for plants.
Limestone
Limestone is another way to add calcium to plants.
If your soil is acidic, limestone can help neutralize it.
It offers a slow-release form of calcium.
it’s possible for you to also use bone meal, which provides phosphorus and calcium.
Spray calcium-rich sprays onto leaves for quick uptake, Wilson says.
This is most crucial during rapid growth or in stressful periods.
Limestone can help make acidic soil more alkaline.
Optimal pH for calcium availability is around 6.5.
Frequently monitor soil pH and adjust it to bring this nutrient into optimum availability, Wilson says.
A balanced fertilizer can ensure your plants get all the nutrients they need.
Balanced fertilizers and organic amendments will continue to support an adequate nutrient supply, including calcium, Wilson says.
Rotating crops and using cover crops to prevent calcium depletion in the soil are also beneficial, says Sons.
“Consistent watering is essential because calcium is transported with water in the plant.”
