Calcium is crucial for:
● Cell wall structure (makes tissues firm and less prone to disease)
● Root and shoot tip growth
● Nutrient transport within the plant
● Preventing disorders like:
● Blossom end rot (tomatoes, peppers)
● Tip burn (lettuce, cabbage)
● Bitter pit (apples)
● ⚠️ Calcium is immobile in plants once deposited in old tissue; it can’t move to
new growth. So, a consistent supply through soil or foliar feeding is key.
Calcium Facts:
● Every plant needs calcium to grow
● Calcium is a critical nutrient that helps plant cells sense and respond to
stress
● Proper development of fruits and storage roots are dependent on a
constant soil supply of calcium
● Calcium deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in
agricultural soils
● Plants do not accumulate high calcium concentrations when it is in excess
● Nothing gets into the plant that isn’t in liquid form
● Calcium deficiency, is more frequently a product of low transpiration of the
whole plant
● Reduced transpiration may be due to water shortages or excessive usage
of potassium or nitrogen fertilizers
● The calcium supply to growing tissues will rapidly become inadequate if
transpiration is reduced
● Calcium deficiency is usually the inability of the plant roots to carry
calcium to the growing parts
● High levels of magnesium, ammonium, iron, aluminum and especially
Potassium will reduce calcium uptake in many crops
● Calcium deficiency is hard to detect with plant analysis or soil testing
because it can be caused by low soil water uptake