Do You Use Calcium - Orchid Board

BikerDoc5968 · #1 02-15-2009, 10:56 AM

No I don't mean do you drink milk or give the chids ice cream treats....

I mean to you use/add calcium to your fertilizer? I know there are some, like the MSU stuff, that have the Ca already in there. But, for those of you who may not be using something that is SO complete, do you add Ca and if so what are you using? Bone meal or what? I also understand not all chids need/require the addition of Ca...even some species/hybrids within a specific genus may not need the stuff. But what are your thoughts....I know you must have some thoughts....you can't be as brain-dead and orchidlly compromised as I am!

Dorothy · #2 02-15-2009, 11:02 AM

H - if you saying you are orchidlly challenged or compromised one more time ..
I'm gonna slap you upside da head.

Now cut that out!

BikerDoc5968 · #3 02-15-2009, 11:20 AM

Geeez, Dorothy, so motivated this early in the morning

But aren't you the one who said that about me some time ago.... I don't mind being compromised...gives me an out when I say or do dumb things

do you or don't you use calcium on some of your chids???? Well, do you???? Feeling lucky, are you

Dorothy · #4 02-15-2009, 11:56 AM

I'm say dumb things all the time ..

I'm always feeling lucky

(not sure if it's good or bad luck, though

)

As far as the calcium, what ever is in the fertilizer mix .. I don't add any extra

greenbean · #5 02-15-2009, 05:34 PM

I'm planning on adding some crushed shells (after thorough soaking to get rid of salts of course) when I repot my Paph. 'Macabre' this spring. It seems to be growing slow and small, so I'm hoping this will help it.

isurus79 · #6 02-15-2009, 08:19 PM

I know that H&R Nurseries here on Oahu adds a little Ca to their fertilizer.

John D. · #7 02-15-2009, 10:47 PM

I add a little extra Calcium nitrate for both the calcium and the nitrogen, alternating weeks with a little magnesum sulfate (epsom salt).

Ray · #8 02-16-2009, 10:02 AM

Doc,

1) When considering calcium, think about magnesium as well, as both are needed to be of value to the plants.

2) The Greencare MSU "Well Water" formula, was created around the water in East Lansing, and as it was deemed to have a fair amount already, neither is added to the blend.

BikerDoc5968 · #9 02-16-2009, 10:31 AM

Thanks, Ray. I have read the article that was written by Jan Szyren that appeared some time ago in the AOS Journal related to this topic.

aberstwyth · #10 06-07-2009, 06:01 AM

Biker,
I`ve wondered about this for a while. Animals need calcium for their bones, but plants don`t have bones, so what do they need calcium for? All I can think of is that the common forms of calcium - limestone, shellgrit (chemically these are calcium carbonate) etc, are good ways to reduce acidity, Nothing to do with the calcium actually, it is the carbonate part of the calcium carbonate that controls pH

Regards
Aberstwyth