6-0-0 CalTec

Got Calcium?

There is an old wives’ tale that says to “let pumpkin tendrils sip milk from a saucer”. Common belief holds this originated with the idea that milk can be used to combat calcium deficiencies.

But don’t raid the refrigerator just yet. The calcium and phosphorus in milk are bound into molecules too large to penetrate even the most receptive leaf. Still, there IS a kernel of truth to this tale.

Calcium is critical for plant development. In fact, by weight and volume, plants need it more than any other element:

• Calcium is the chief determinant of cell wall and membrane strength, and it improves a plant’s vigor and stiffness.
• Calcium is critical for healthy plant growth and cell division.
• Calcium improves a plant’s ability to resist disease.

But to be effective, efficient and available to plants, calcium needs to be chelated. Chelating micronutrients such as calcium makes them more mobile in soil and in plants, makes them less prone to leaching, and prevents them from becoming locked-up by inhospitable pH levels in the soil. When applied as a foliar spray, chelated calcium – unlike unchelated calcium – is able to rapidly penetrate a leaf’s waxy coating and enter into the plant, working to quickly correct deficiencies.

Growth Products’ Cal-Tech 9% liquid solution is 100% chelated, so that it’s immediately available for plant uptake. It also provides dual efficiency, since the calcium can be absorbed via the leaves and the roots of the plant.