calcium nutrition
What to do if Calcium
Deficiencies Begin to Show
62
feature
to very high levels
usually has little
effect on calcium
deficiency.”
ted c
a
growt
o
While checking calcium levels in
a recirculating nutrient solution
is always a good insurance
policy, boosting calcium to very
high levels usually has little
effect on calcium deficiency.
Calcium, being largely an induced
deficiency, responds to changing
the environmental factors that
are limiting uptake, transpiration,
and deposition in the plant. This
usually means adjusting humidity,
increasing air flow if required to
boost transpiration, checking that EC
levels are within range for the growing
conditions being encountered, and
making sure the root system is healthy
and functioning optimally. Changing
nutrient formulations to those that don’t
contain any ammonium has proven
to be effective for some growers under
certain environmental conditions that
consistently cause calcium issues. Cultivar
selection also plays a major role where
calcium deficiencies seem to be an ongoing
problem. Breeding for tolerance to tip burn,
blossom end rot, and other calcium disorders
has been a major breakthrough for many
hydroponic crops and is worth investing in.
“
BOOSTING
CALCIUM