What can I use to add zinc to my soil, besides used coffee grounds?

Question

What can I use to add zinc to my soil, besides used coffee grounds? I think adding enough of the used grounds would also add acid which I do not need. Maybe I could grind up a zinc tablet & add it to the soil. We grow our vegetables in big pots, we can't plant Anything in the ground there is way to many trees. So I am open for ideas.

Nancy Turner · Answer

You could maybe find it at a local green house. Standard fertilizer should work for pots. I have been growing things in pots for years and never did anything but replace about half of the potting soil and a fertilizer for tomatoes and veggies. I do add a little egg shell ground up real fine and coffee grounds to my tomatoes for the added calcium and acidity. I don't do anything else. A greenhouse should be able to let you know what to use for the zinc, or call your local extension agent, they should know also what you should use.

Linda Sikut · Answer

Hi Phenonw,

First understand that coffee grounds don't add enough zinc to do anything according to the website below. Here's the quote 'The availabilities of nitrogen, calcium, zinc, manganese and iron are quite low and in some cases deficient. Thus, the coffee grounds will not supply appreciable amounts of these essential plant elements when used as a mineral soil amendment.'