CALCIUM

As an industry, we are finally moving beyond the point where calcium is simply considered a component of rock dust with which we lift soil pH. Calcium is in fact the most important component in cellular nutrition for microbes, plants, animals and humans. Calcium (Ca) Helps deliver other nutrients throughout the plant. Promotes plant growth and enzyme activation. Calcium added to nitrogen increases N absorption by plant. Promotes stronger cell walls and helps in root and leaf development. Makes phosphorous and micro-nutrients more available. Here is a brief look at some of the benefits of using Calcium:

• Yield, quality, taste, shelf-life and disease resistance are all a function of good mineralization, and mineral uptake is calcium dependent.
• You will usually find an increase in all mineral levels in a plant following the correction of low calcium, by soluble calcium. That is why it is critical to understand the factors limiting calcium performance.
• The oversupply of nitrogen and potassium will reduce calcium availability. Nitrates remove calcium, as they leach, and high potassium reduces the uptake of calcium. This is a common problem in high production agriculture and regular supplementation with soluble calcium is the solution.
• Calcium helps create a healthy environment for your plants plus it is the carrier (or trucker) of all other nutrients to the plant. As Calcium content in the plant drops so can the protein, energy level and minerals of the plant.
• Study after study shows Calcium at the optimum level will decrease disease in most plants.
• Calcium is a growth stimulant actively involved in the promotion of cell division in growing plants, root tips and developing fruit. Root crops, fruit crops and vegetable crops all require large amounts of plant-available calcium.
• Foliar feeding a specially formulated liquid calcium concentrate is both the most effective and least expensive means of delivering an adequate supply of calcium to plants. It is immediately available to the leaf and is readily absorbed by the root system.
• Calcium neutralizes soil acidity, Promotes root development, and improves soil structure.
• Plant available calcium determines the uptake of all other nutrients into the plant.
• If the soil is adequately balanced with calcium, all other nutrients will become balanced and the pH will properly adjust itself provided we stop pouring salt fertilizers on our land.

When Available Calcium Is Limited So Are Yields!

The secret of solubility – Relative solubility has been identified as a major factor in calcium performance. In an effort to explain the superior performance of soluble calcium in comparison to larger applications of limestone, it was discovered that limestone contains less than 11 lbs. of soluble calcium per ton. Gypsum fares a little better with 33 lbs. per ton. It is the soluble component which provides the calcium response. In this context, a few gallons of Liquid Calcium provides the same amount of soluble plant available calcium as a large amount of limestone.