What to Do About Calcium Deficiency in Tomatoes? Latest Symptoms and Calcium Supplementation Methods Explained
In tomato growth, aside from the necessary fertilizers, growth elements cannot be lacking. A deficiency of elements leads to deficiency disorders, producing various adverse symptoms. For example, calcium deficiency affects the growth and development of the fruit. The specific manifestations of calcium deficiency, the growth situation, and how to improve it, how to supplement calcium, and how to regulate it - we will continue to explain below.
1. Symptoms of Calcium Deficiency
After tomatoes become calcium deficient, the overall plant is relatively short and small, with thin stems and drooping leaves. Initially, the top leaves develop yellow edges and become wrinkled; in severe cases, they wither completely. Gradually, large yellow-brown spots appear on the middle leaves, and the affected areas later become necrotic. Calcium deficiency during fruit growth causes fruit cracking and abnormal coloring. There are tea-colored fruits and green-shouldered fruits. These symptoms caused by calcium deficiency are also called blossom-end rot.
2. Causes
It may be that too much nitrogen fertilizer or potassium fertilizer is used, affecting calcium absorption, or soil drought affects absorption, or the soil solution concentration is too high, so calcium cannot be absorbed and utilized. Rapid water transpiration and low environmental humidity lead to insufficient water, so calcium absorption is poor. Or the soil itself is calcium deficient, such as acidic soil. Naturally, the plant cannot absorb it. But in some cases, it is not that calcium is absent, but that it has been fixed.
3. Calcium Supplementation Methods
The time to supplement calcium is when the fruit is swelling and approaching maturity. Use a 0.3% calcium nitrate solution, a 0.2% calcium chloride solution, a 600-fold fluid calcium solution, a 700-fold chelated calcium solution, or a 500-fold amino acid calcium solution. There are many corresponding vegetable calcium supplements, and you can choose a suitable one to use. Generally, spray once a week. Spraying for a few weeks will show results. It can also improve some abnormal fruits.
4. Applying More Calcium Fertilizer
After using superphosphate fertilizer, the soil calcium content increases; when combined with biological bacterial fertilizer, the active calcium component increases. Superphosphate is generally applied at 100 to 200 jin per mu, and can be used as a base fertilizer or as a top dressing during the flowering and fruiting period. For planting in acidic soil, lime and gypsum can be added for improvement. Use about 100 jin of lime per mu. It not only improves acidity but also increases calcium content.
Calcium deficiency in tomatoes is not considered a common phenomenon, but it will occur if the soil is calcium deficient. It is mainly addressed by fertilizing to supplement calcium, mainly applying special water-soluble calcium fertilizer. These have faster effects than fertilizing, but fertilizing plays a long-term role.