Calcium Nitrate is one of the main
ingredients of a hydroponic growers fertiliser recipe, but did you know
it can also be used in the home garden, both as a diluted in water
additive, or in it’s granular form.
A lot of American tomato growers use
Calcium Nitrate at an early stage, usually around the time they stake
the plants. I recently read on “Hilling” plants, as you would potatoes
and they used a hand operated high arch wheel hoe, although I have seen
it done behind a tractor to do several rows of tomatoes. The hand plough
will do plants under 15 inches in height, with the Calcium Nitrate
added beforehand in a dry form and covered under the hilling.
For those
growing at home and using the wheel hoe, extra soil is added around the
base of the plant, covering the Calcium Nitrate.
Calcium helps strengthen cell walls and the nitrate nitrogen is the source preferred by fruits and vegetables, and is readily available to plants.
The idea is the same as deep planting
and using the lower stem of the tomato to grow new roots, thus making
for a stronger plant. I think a visit to my old work maybe in order next
time I’m close so I can grab a bag if they have any left after recently
stopping production.
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