I was told my tomatoes didn't grow for lack of calcium.

Question

I was told to place egg shells in my dirt to help the veggies get their calcium but I don't use enough eggs for that to work. So, I am trying my own way. I am dissolving one of my calcium tablets in 20 ounces of water and pouring over my plant. Does anyone think this might work?

Linda Young · Answer

I suppose that could help. If you have some place to maybe get some egg shells, i.e. the nursing home kitchen might save some for you or, the cafe or ?????? also run water into your milk jugs to {rinse} them, use to water your tomatoes

LaVerne DeHart · Answer

I do not eat a lot of eggs either but each time i use one I wash it out and grind it with a mortar and pestal then put away in a baggie, jar, whatever,(dry washed shells first). Eventually you'll have plenty. It doesn't take much if you grind them fine and add to your water. They absorb into the earth much faster that way. As far as your calcium tablet is concerned, I suppose it is calcium but it would be hard to determine how many capsules to use. Linda Young's idea with rinsing out milk jugs and using that water is a good idea as well. Hope your tomatoes are healthy this year.

Jean · Answer

Calcium helps with Blossom End Rot, Was that your problem? The most important thing is consistent moisture.

Jane White · Answer

I agree with Jean

Kathie Tolson · Answer

Bone meal is calcium.

Lesley Ashworth · Answer

if you wash and crush the eggshell it can help but the soil looks pretty bad needs water

Bonnie Lewenza · Answer

Your soil looks like it has too much clay, you have to work your soil better the egg shells will work, add some peat and work into the soil. Plant your tomatoes sprinkle baking soda around the plants and water well. Once a week mix 3 Tbs. of epsom salts and 3 Tbs. sugar to 3 litre water. Water plants first and then pour the epsom saltand sugar on the plants avoiding the leaves.

Julius L · Answer

I always put a calcium tablet in the hole where I planted my tomato; water it in really well;  and then plant your tomato.  Also you can put the tablets in a watering can, fill with water, and water your plants consistently...rain water is the best if you can catch it in a rain barrel.

Julius L · Answer

I have never heard of using baking soda, Epsom salts, and sugar before.  What exactly is the benefit of those ingredients?

Douglas Hunt · Answer

The usual recommendation for increasing calcium intake by plants is to add lime to the soil, which increases the pH. You want 6.5 to 6.8 for tomatoes.

Pamela Knott · Answer

If you continue to have trouble, plant them in 5 gal buckets (put a couple drain holes in the bottom). Then you can fill with good potting soil with the proper ph. Living in Iowa, the commercial growers use a sandy soil so it drains well. And they water a lot! We also get that extreme 90* humid sunshine. But it grows the best tomatoes!

Littleblaze33 · Answer

Thank you everyone for your answers! I live in Georgia so yes on the red clay comment! We usually have a huge garden but due to husband going back to college and working full time, we could only have a 'mini' garden. I wish now I would have done the 5 gal. bucket think on the porch as the one year I did that, our yield was really good! I will try suggestions from the above answers to see what happens!wife

Beverly P · Answer

Egg shells will not 'fix' that issue, it is mainly for blossom end rot. However, with your type of soil you need all the organic material you can get into your soil. I lived in GA once upon a time, it is very difficult to grow there. But, keep adding leaves, kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, anything that come from the ground is good to go back in the ground. It may take a year or more to amend your soil to be favorable for growing vegetables, so until then, I would suggest going with container gardening and keep working that soil until you get good ground. Also shredded newspaper is good for the soil, get some manure if you can as well.

Carole · Answer

If you have dreadful soil where you live, then you can grow your tomatoes in containers or in a raised vegie bed. That way you can either use your own compost and add some well broken down manure (you can purchase this ready to use) or buy some vegie mix soil to get you started. (this will basically be the same thing, well broken down compost and aged manure) That way you can create the perfect soil for your tomatoes. It may be cheaper to do this than to try to amend poor soil in your back yard. As Douglas Hunt has suggested, before you do anything you could buy a soil testing kit to see what pH your soil is and it could be something that is easily fixed if not I reckon container or raised beds are the way to go.

Tena Barke · Answer

grandma used a tums crushed up - gorgeous tomatoes

Marilyn · Answer

Put some miracle grow on it .

Heather (New House New Home) · Answer

It looks to mW that you need to add some organic matter to your soil. It looks like it has a lot of clay, so adding some compost will help loosen it up and provide better drainage. The calcium is a good idea, but you will need to add some good organic matter to keep them going.

Minuet Stephens · Answer

MULCH! Surround them with straw or leaves or grass clippings (dried) or sugar cane or mushroom compost - anything to cover up that terrible soil. In fact I'd be planting them in hay bales with potting mix poured into them (instructions online). Several bales pushed together with a frame around them are the start of your new beautifully composted garden.

SusanB · Answer

It looks as though your soil is not rich enough. I would do a raised bed garden. Home Depot has them for $99. And it takes 20 bags of soil. That will fix your issue for sure and you won't have to worry about grinding stuff up. Gardens should be fun not a chore!!!! Good luck.

Connie Mar · Answer

Avoid Miracle Grow and other chemical fertilizers. They are bad for your soil, plants, and you. Using compost (your own, neighbor's, or from a bag) can help with your clay soil. And composted manure - can also get in bags if you don't have a direct source. If you dig a big hole and fill it with a mixture of your existing clay, compost, and manure - you'll have great tomatoes! Since your plant is still quite small, it's not to late to dig up and either amend the soil in the garden, or put it in a container.

David Rupp · Answer

The photo looks more like Celontro

Sandyn256 · Answer

David, you are correct! It does look like cilantro! Is this a test?

Judy Grecco · Answer

I agree with Carol, Tomatoes grow great in pots. It looks like parsley in the picture, not tomatoes?

James Bryan C · Answer

See my page here on growing tomatoes. Calcium is readily available in the soil. The problem is tomatoes can not get the calcium without getting enough water. The lack of calcium causes blossom end rot the tomatoes grow but rot appears on the end where the flower was attached to the fruit. I have 5 videos on the method as well as a note on our facebookpage www.facebook.com/provisionfarms Adding compost to the soil is a good start, I amend the soil in my market garden of 3.5 acres but I also on my tomatoes feed them a compost brew each week until they set fruit Folks who have told me they can not grow tomatoes have written back sent emails and messages saying they had great success with this method..

Kathy Smith · Answer

I dont have any luck in growing them either so I gave up

Christine Wilson · Answer

it may very well work ok- other items that help them grow are not that expensive either.
I use a little gypsum around my plants to aid the soil and it helps stop bottom rot.

Sharon Carson Dunham · Answer

I grew wonderful heirloom tomatoes last year....I compost my left over veggies, fruit, egg shells, some shredded paper, wood chips from my husband's wood shop, and the following spring add it all to my garden....gives great results!

Kathleen · Answer

I have found that fish emulsion and epsom salts also help the soil, but I prepare the year before as much as I can. Full sun and well watering is absolutely necessary too. Best wishes!

Peggy Johnson · Answer

This sure looks like cilantro or parsley, did you get your pictures confused? I would add compost to soil and would dig your plant back up, add compost and then replant.

Irish53 · Answer

Can you get the soil tested?. Alot of colleges with agriculture classes do it for either a small fee or free.

I was told my tomatoes didn't grow for lack of calcium.

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I was told my tomatoes didn't grow for lack of calcium.

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