Calcium Deficiency

[epsteindrive]

I have a calcium deficiency on a plant - there are at this stage just a small percentage of leaves with just a few spots. I don't have any calmag right now ( I was actually using the fermented eggshell organic equivalent). I only have I think 2 or 3 weeks left till harvest and for a variety of reasons I would much rather suffer some yield loss rather than dealing with the deficiency ... but on the other hand if this is likely to do serious damage then yes of course I'd prefer to do something about it. Can anyone with more experience than me ( none ) hazard a guess as to the likely impact at this stage given that I only barely notice the deficiency and I'm not that far away from harvest so I'm thinking maybe the loss would be minimal - or am I wrong.

 

[TorturedSoul]

If you're currently using reverse osmosis / distilled water, you can try using tap water (or a mixture of the two). The average municipal water has a good bit of calcium in it. However, much of it isn't in a form that plants can use, at least right away. Therefore, it may or may not help.

If you weren't so close to harvest, I'd suggest some calcium nitrate. But it contains a bit of nitrogen, so might not be the best thing to use.

I've wondered before if the form of calcium found in calcium supplement tablets (for people) would be accessible to plants, but do not know the answer to this question. It would sure be convenient for us if it was.

In regards to how significantly a calcium deficiency is going to affect your plants in the time they have left, that's a good question. You could continue to monitor them, and address the issue if/when it becomes worse - but calcium is not a mobile nutrient.

Earth Juice sells a calcium supplement that contains zero nitrogen, but it also contains magnesium at a one-to-one ratio (which is not the ideal ratio for these two elements, IMHO). The product has an oddball name (like so many of the products tailored to cannabis growers seem to these days), OilyCann, if I remember correctly.

 

[epsteindrive]

Thanks - will try using tap water and keeping an eye on them

 

[Emilya Green]

you say you are using the fermented eggshells, and that should be providing a large amount of usable calcium. I would just up the dosage a bit.

 

[epsteindrive]

Hi Emilya - yes it's your recipe but I hadn't made enough of it so I ran out of it; and it takes a while to make to ferment. I actually didn't realize how important calcium and mag were in a coir grow and how much I'd need.

... Also I got confused about whether to put molasses on coir - a lot of people say it does nothing so I left that out of the recipe and I wonder was that part of the problem because you say that adds some calcium/mag

 

[Emilya Green]

yes, add molasses to the recipe... that is where the magnesium comes from.

 

[Bush Doctor 77]

Thanks - will try using tap water and keeping an eye on them

De-chlorinate!

 

[Barney86]

Hi Emilya - yes it's your recipe but I hadn't made enough of it so I ran out of it; and it takes a while to make to ferment. I actually didn't realize how important calcium and mag were in a coir grow and how much I'd need.

... Also I got confused about whether to put molasses on coir - a lot of people say it does nothing so I left that out of the recipe and I wonder was that part of the problem because you say that adds some calcium/mag

Coir as in coco coir?
Shouldn't be putting any amendments in it if it is.

 

[epsteindrive]

seems like most people need to supplement cal and mag because the coir breaks down and steals it from the plant - or so I've read

 

[Barney86]

seems like most people need to supplement cal and mag because the coir breaks down and steals it from the plant - or so I've read

Yeah but coco is hydroponics mate so it's a lot safer to just use liquid nutes. Because you gotta constantly feed coco, if you put amendment into it there's always a fair chance that something will go wrong. The whole point of coco is that it's inert. Means if something goes wrong you can just run water through it till it's clean. Can't do that if you've filled it with slow release nutes. It'll just make them stronger.

 

[LiberalThinker]

If you're currently using reverse osmosis / distilled water, you can try using tap water (or a mixture of the two). The average municipal water has a good bit of calcium in it. However, much of it isn't in a form that plants can use, at least right away. Therefore, it may or may not help.

If you weren't so close to harvest, I'd suggest some calcium nitrate. But it contains a bit of nitrogen, so might not be the best thing to use.

I've wondered before if the form of calcium found in calcium supplement tablets (for people) would be accessible to plants, but do not know the answer to this question. It would sure be convenient for us if it was.

In regards to how significantly a calcium deficiency is going to affect your plants in the time they have left, that's a good question. You could continue to monitor them, and address the issue if/when it becomes worse - but calcium is not a mobile nutrient.

Earth Juice sells a calcium supplement that contains zero nitrogen, but it also contains magnesium at a one-to-one ratio (which is not the ideal ratio for these two elements, IMHO). The product has an oddball name (like so many of the products tailored to cannabis growers seem to these days), OilyCann, if I remember correctly.

You can get Calcium EDTA.