Calcium

superdave336 said:
Thanks to Lou Monty I add oyster shells to my potting mix. I’ve also seen Troy add it to his. I don’t get that scientific or exact with anything just dump it in. Lou made it not sound that important as far as amount. Not sure on calcium nitrate
https://www.amazon.com/Down-Earth-Organic-White-Oyster/dp/B07N2Z4Z9D/ref=sr_1_24?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8wxL82iOzC0S07yyCPN5vdsXxpSq-p2PpGxe6rvxboPubr-hvwZaCntXoFkVEtU-fzqzHYc2cmjm4dLpJGslF2qeS-F1lO693oFMCthVdfQN7pvksKM1lnVAVuzkzuB6XGUtTeajkYEGK8UH3lm86IvIpsl1jlweNYmc9F3MH4sF0DPbqpl34kKuEuEdQ4I2ZGqo4uVR_nxiEwAIDeMEKDmejxzsxh4YBnyHLkzUjH9vey5zm9j7eUGtS5T1hbTef_dDuf35MjYL-xUxlpzAXRtzYY6jsJoP6_aOP9l7ukI.cTrKugNHjFje4eppUi6ZE2kJmGji59BKdaUReQa4AwU&dib_tag=se&keywords=oyster+shells&qid=1747273852&sr=8-24&th=1
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I used crushed oyster shells (from my chickens treats) on our little miss figgy at planting. It grew over 7' tall year 1. Not much little about that figgy.

Calcium Nitrate I use on Muscadines alternating with tripple 10 or 13 every two weeks during the growing season. I lost a 1 year old vine getting the Calcium Nitrate to close to the trunk. Not sure how that woudl workout if figs were potted. It's some fairly hot stuff.

Don't fall for the egg trick, seen that done by multiple "professionals" on YT, it doesnt break down fast enough. Grinding them might help it break down faster, but it's probably still a wash or at best a long term solution if you reapply conistently.
 
TorontoJoe said:
@Opiem10

Is the main purpose of harvesting those for the calcium or dinner? :LOL:

Clams, yes? I didn't know they were in rivers in your area
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Joe, In NJ, we have saltwater rivers that are rich with hard shelled clams. They tend to be slightly less salty than clams from the bays or ocean, but are fresh and fantastic.

Priorities for harvesting are 1) dinners, 2) exercise and beating cabin fever, 3) supplementing fig soil media with calcium and aeration.

If I am not mistaken, the residents of Okracoke Island spread shells all around the base of their trees. There it seems to have worked for more than 100 years.
 
I collected shells when I was down the shore and attempted to crush and pulverize them for use. I gave up after a short time and threw down some lime instead.

I purchased crab meal for this season for the calcium and chitin and I’ll refocus my efforts on collecting horseshoe crabs instead of shells this coming Summer.
 
I missed out John. I know. January is close and Iooking forward to making the trip.
Everyone……John is a wealth of knowledge when in comes to figs and life. Very thankful for him and the website for all the information and fellowship.
 
I get the crushed oyster shell from tractor supply, I guess that breaks down over time. I also supplement with gypsum so it doesn’t screw with the PH, and my water soluble regime, I add the Cal-Mag advanced from TPS nutrients every 2 weeks or so.
 
No personal experience with calcium nitrate.
I use bone meal early on and supplement with this every other feeding and seems to work well for me. PXL_20251224_164147520.jpgPXL_20251224_164042056.jpg
 
TorontoJoe said:
I like oysters! Maybe I should grind down the shells to a powder
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I just grinded (more like pounded) some oyster shells last week for the first time. I would like to add an excess amount to a selected group of figs trees to see if there is a marked difference in fig growth or production.
 
I’ve never tried to process seafood shells for the calcium. If one is grinding, is finer always better? I have some machines that would turn clam and oyster shells into a fine dust, but is it desirable to have some larger particulate for slower release?
 
TorontoJoe said:
I’ve never tried to process seafood shells for the calcium. If one is grinding, is finer always better? I have some machines that would turn clam and oyster shells into a fine dust, but is it desirable to have some larger particulate for slower release?
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From what I’ve read, finer is faster but still a slow release fertilizer. Without pulverizing the shell, it’ll be an extra slow fertilizer and amendment - years to decompose.

I already added 5lbs of crab meal to my vegetable garden and select few fig trees so the shells and chitin can start to breakdown over Winter. I have another 10lbs for the growing season.
 
Why do oyster shells break down faster than egg shells? Eggs are thinner. I go thru a lot of eggs and kept a lot of them for my garden to prevent blossom end rot on my tomatoes. I did bake and pulverize them anticipating using them in the spring. Some I just threw in the raised beds.
 
Opiem10 said:
Joe, In NJ, we have saltwater rivers that are rich with hard shelled clams. They tend to be slightly less salty than clams from the bays or ocean, but are fresh and fantastic.

Priorities for harvesting are 1) dinners, 2) exercise and beating cabin fever, 3) supplementing fig soil media with calcium and aeration.

If I am not mistaken, the residents of Okracoke Island spread shells all around the base of their trees. There it seems to have worked for more than 100 years.
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You are correct @Opiem10 about shells around the trees. Here is a good article about them.

www.ourstate.com

Our State Knows Best: Figs | Our State

We talked to three North Carolina fig fanatics about the fleeting fruit’s celebrated history and heritage on Ocracoke Island, how to grow your own across the state, and their favorite way to eat them — from cake to biscuits.
www.ourstate.com www.ourstate.com
 
When I have put figs in a bigger 5 gallon nursery pot I put in a cup of CoopGrow half way down in the pot, some garden lime and crushed oyster shells ( I saw lou monti too) and I now have a little Epsom salts in with my liquid fertilizers every time I water and I alternate watering with water and liquid kelp one time and right now it's the blue miracle grow the next time but I am going to start a barrel of jadam in the spring.
 
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