• Do you need help identifying a 🌶?
    Is your plant suffering from an unknown issue? 🤧
    Then ask in Identification and Diagnosis.

feeding cal mag if plants dont need it

I agree with AJ. If they aren't asking for it, leave em be.

It's one of the hardest things for me - to sit back and just watch the plants grow. It feels like I should be doing something for them, but almost killed several that I started by "over-loving" them...
 
You don't want to go introducing any more nutrients to your soil than necessary... excess nutrients can disrupt the soil's microbial community, and in more chronic cases contribute to the rapid breakdown of organic matter, decreasing the quality of the soil over time. Fertilizer of any kind isn't something you're able to add to soil preemptively, especially something as mobile as calcium, and expect it to sit around doing nothing in the meantime... if things look fine now, changing the soil conditions may just lead to a turn for the worse.

Soil chemistry is funny and complicated and I wish I knew more about it, but nonintervention is usually the best route if you can help it. I generally only hit the plants with the Cal-Mag if it looks like they need it.
 
"Total Nitrogen (N) 5.0 %
Available Phosphate (P205) 15.0 %
Soluble Potash (K20) 14.0 %
Calcium (Ca) 5.0 %
Total Magnesium (Mg) 3.5 %
Combined Sulfur (S) 4.0 %
Iron (Fe) 0.1 %"


^This is Maxibloom from Generial Hydroponics. Notice the high levels of both Ca and Mg. I give this to my plants every watering 1/2 strength and they are thriving!

If your soil and fertilizer program is lacking the needed secondary macronutrients Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur then yes it needs to be added.
 
Im using sta green top dressed with ffof

I have not fed any nutes to them and they been in that soil since end of april
 
If you are worried about them then give them a low dose, say 1/4 the normal feeding with every watering or maybe 1/2 strength every two weeks or a month.
It's not enough to harm them and there definitely won't be a deficiency.
 
Peppers need quite a bit of calcium while in the reproductive stage. With that said, The fact is with using a potting mix chances are with just using a basic water soluble fertilizer even with no Ca and tap water you will be just fine. Most tap water has some Ca and Mg in it and the potting soil your using should have some in it already.

I just got into growing peppers but I have grown a lot of cherry tomatoes in containers. I have used a soilless mix of perlite and peat nothing else, no lime nothing!!!! My only fertilzer was mircle gro tomato dry soluble fertilizer. I never had any flower drop or end rot and had huge harvests of tomatoes not ever even thinking or knowing the importance of calcium.
 
I'm confused as to when you know whether your plant needs CalMag or Fertilizer. By reading many threads throughout the forum, I've seen comments say when the leaves look all wrinkly do it. At the same time, I've seen people say that it is normal for super hots to have wrinkly leaves.
 
Helldozer said:
I'm confused as to when you know whether your plant needs CalMag or Fertilizer. By reading many threads throughout the forum, I've seen comments say when the leaves look all wrinkly do it. At the same time, I've seen people say that it is normal for super hots to have wrinkly leaves.
Click to expand...

A little bit of puckering isn't anything to worry about, but if the new growth is really wrinkled or distorted that's when I usually hit them with the Cal-Mag, keeping in mind that calcium can easily be locked out due to changes in soil pH, so you might have plenty of calcium in your soil and the pH is just too high for it to be readily available. Soil chemistry is a balancing act. I usually add a small dose of Cal-Mag to every fert dose, but if it looks like they need more then I'll up it next time.

I know it sounds complicated, but the best way to learn is through experience. Just fiddle with your forumula until you find something that works for you.
 
Collect rainwater and ya shouldnt have a ph problem :) unless your doing hydro

Im sure there a difference from cal definciancy leaves and wrinkly leaves

Cal deficiancy leaves are pretty jacked up and deformed

I also wonder why calcium is not mobile

Be helpful if the plants can use it mobile style to different areas
 
Taco leaf...Thats the description that comes to mind when Cal/Mag is lacking...

I have a pretty good sized area thats either drowning from the epic 6 inches of rain we got in about 8days, or else is starting to need some cal/mag...

Watching the leaves closely as the soil starts to dry.
 
Any time I water or feed my plants i give them CalMag full dose. I have General Organics 0-0-0. Cannot burn plants with it.
 
synclinorium said:
You don't want to go introducing any more nutrients to your soil than necessary... excess nutrients can disrupt the soil's microbial community, and in more chronic cases contribute to the rapid breakdown of organic matter, decreasing the quality of the soil over time. Fertilizer of any kind isn't something you're able to add to soil preemptively, especially something as mobile as calcium, and expect it to sit around doing nothing in the meantime... if things look fine now, changing the soil conditions may just lead to a turn for the worse.

Soil chemistry is funny and complicated and I wish I knew more about it, but nonintervention is usually the best route if you can help it. I generally only hit the plants with the Cal-Mag if it looks like they need it.
Click to expand...

I though calcium wasn't a mobile nutrient
 
Here is an interesting short read

http://www.tetrachemicals.com/Products/Agriculture/The_Importance_of_Calcium.aqf
 
The most important things a plant needs are FREE! Sun, water, and wind/air . Give your plants food when they need it. Dont let them starve or over feed them and you will have very happy plants. :dance:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top