Calcium has been given many names in the context of soil, such as the king of soil nutrients and the soul of soil. All this is true. Good soil needs large quantities of calcium to grow healthy and fruit-bearing plants. The first and foremost role calcium plays in the fertility of soil is reducing its acidity. Let's find out more about the benefits of calcium and how to add calcium to soil.
Calcium is normally added to soil in the form of limestone or calcium carbonate. You can measure your soil's pH to decide whether it needs calcium for neutralization or not. However, calcium has more roles to play than maintaining the soil's pH level, and therefore measures should be taken to add it to the soil before planting anything in it.
If your soil in low in organic matter it needs more calcium. How to add calcium to soil depends on the type of your soil and its location. Calcitic limestone is easily available on the market and is an excellent source of soil calcium. It is basically a calcium carbonate salt (above 90% concentration) in which magnesium percentage is quite low - an ideal blend for the fertilization of your soil.
Try to find very finely ground lime. This lime is easily absorbed by the soil and reacts readily with other substances to produce better results. It should be mentioned in this guide of how to add calcium to soil that calcium carbonate or lime is best absorbed by soil in autumn. In addition to calcitic limestone, dolomite lime is also available as a fertilizer but it is not as effective as calcitic lime.
Apply small quantities of lime to your soil over a period of several years if you want to see a healthy and fruitful soil in the long-run. Don't plow it deep down, leave it more on the surface and wait for the results. Remember that magnesium decreases the rate by which plants absorb calcium. Therefore, try to find fertilizers which have a low concentration of magnesium.
Calcium nitrate can also be used as a source of calcium for soil. Gypsum which contains only 20% calcium is used when the pH level is already normal. Calcium improves soil structure, decreases the effect of toxic substances, and helps in regulating nutrient absorption in plants and trees.
