How do I quickly treat calcium deficiency in tomatoes?
Written by
Tina Carter
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.When you first discover calcium deficiency tomatoes in your garden, you may feel an immediate sense of urgency. Dark sunken spots on the bottoms of tomatoes signal that a nutrient crisis is happening as we speak. Obviously, your plants will need prompt intervention to save any developing tomatoes. This guide will help you rescue your tomatoes with step-by-step instructions.
Foliar Spray Preparation
- Mix 2 tablespoons calcium chloride per gallon room-temperature water
- Use plastic sprayer with fine mist nozzle
- Prepare fresh solution each application
Application Technique
- Spray leaves and fruits until runoff occurs
- Cover both top and bottom leaf surfaces
- Apply early morning when plant pores open
Treatment Schedule
- First application at symptom detection
- Repeat every 7 days for 3 weeks
- Continue during rainy periods
The quality of your spray will rely heavily on your gymnastics. Proper technique involves paying attention to all surfaces of the fruit, including stem ends, because any missed areas will continue to develop lesions. I know that because I've learned it from my own garden, which is not recovering evenly. Make sure you always spray from multiple angles.
Calcium chloride acts more quickly than soil amendments do. It enters plants' leaves directly, rather than waiting for the entire root system to become functional. It is a quick, temporary fix to give plants breathing room. After watering with calcium chloride, use a 50% soil drench of calcium chloride for a full, all-around treatment. I normally treat plants both ways when there is an extreme outbreak.
Avoiding the most common and frequent errors in treatment. Never increase the dosage or concentrate beyond the recommendation. High salt levels will begin to burn the leaves. Do not apply any treatment at temperatures higher than 85°F, as using chemicals to plants during the day at these temperatures can cause phytotoxicity. I ruined a crop of apple trees because I didn't know these things.
Ongoing cases indicate that additional issues are at hand. Test the pH of your soil and calcium readings after the emergency treatment has been applied. Apply drip irrigation to maintain stable moisture levels. Select resistant varieties to grow next season. Taking quick action protects your harvest.
Read the full article: Calcium Deficiency Tomatoes: Prevention and Solutions
