amending as you go?

im4satori said:

I noticed last night im showing some mild calcium def but only in the smaller 5 gallon pots

so what do I do

add/top dress a tbs or 2 of gypsum?
how long before I should expect the gyposm to become available?

Click to expand...

when did you transplant the plants into the 5 gals?
how long have they been in there?
just be CERTAIN that's what it is, reason I say that is many, many other plant maladies are manifested verrry similar...
and if you try and correct a calcium issue that isn't really there it'll exacerbate the actual problem.
too often the calcium isn't available or is cause by a cation imbalance, like too much mag for example.
another concern is aeration, overwatering or lack of drainage, ph issues, those will mimic a cation imbalance as well.
in my experience a cation problem is more than likely cause by some other issue, rather than a simple deficiency.
not saying that you don't have a simple calcium deficit, just saying be SURE that's the problem, or treating that will make it worse
it's just verrry frequently misdiagnosed.

greasemonkeymann said:

when did you transplant the plants into the 5 gals?
how long have they been in there?
just be CERTAIN that's what it is, reason I say that is many, many other plant maladies are manifested verrry similar...
and if you try and correct a calcium issue that isn't really there it'll exacerbate the actual problem.
too often the calcium isn't available or is cause by a cation imbalance, like too much mag for example.
another concern is aeration, overwatering or lack of drainage, ph issues, those will mimic a cation imbalance as well.
in my experience a cation problem is more than likely cause by some other issue, rather than a simple deficiency.
not saying that you don't have a simple calcium deficit, just saying be SURE that's the problem, or treating that will make it worse
it's just verrry frequently misdiagnosed.

Click to expand...

I understand the caution ratios proper

i transplanted maybe 2 weeks ago from a 2 gallon (seriously root bound) pot into a 5 gallon
i just remembered
i did top dress with 1 oz organic happy frog maybe a month ago for roses which has a good amount of calcium in it (8%)derived from gypsom
so youd think that calcium would still be in there provided 1 oz was enough at the time

looked them over again .. i have 6 in small pots and its only the headband showing the issue thus far and its mild
i could do nothing for now and see how it goes

its got signs of both magnesium calcium def or possible imbalance
spending time in the plant problems forum ive noticed these are the first to always show as short in the FFOF and most end up adding calmag and Epsom salt which im trying to avoid if possible

so im sure i see issue with calcium
but i cant say with 100% certainty it couldn't be an imbalance...its possible

i have the typical small red freckles that show as obvious calcium issue

mostly down low on the large fan leaves are the freckles
typical calcium issue

i also have the taco shape leaf caused from magnesium issue

in my experience in hydro experimenting
excess potassium would lock out magnesium without much effort, even a 1x spray with potassium silicate will cause a 2 day mild magnesium lock out and itll clear on its own 2 days after spray

but i have never seen /pushed potassium high enough to lock out calcium... as soon as the magnesium lockout happened i backed off and likely never reached toxicity high enough or long enough to lock out calcium

maybe it has to do with calcium being a slow moving element idk

i have pushed calcium up to high levels and again in this example i got magnesium lock out first never seeing K issues

up to now (only having hydro experience) i have only had calcium def if my calcium levels dropped below 60ppm and seem ideal at around 80ppm
but that's hydro and has little to do with it
as in im not applying this knowledge directly to soil (more indirectly) im just referencing my experience or observation regarding the competition between elements

disclaimer; lol
i understand its not to be compared in the same way by way of buffering and i also understand that's regarding chem salt fertilizers that are water soluble and available vs organic biology

anyone want to see my poop

lol