Calcium

Hi all - I'm in NW Florida, and I've been fighting crabgrass & Virginia buttonweed since Hurricane Ivan blessed us a while back. Most of the weeds are around the edge of my yard, at the concrete. I recently read that both weeds were indicators of low calcium. My question is what's the best way to apply calcium? TIA.

Reply to
Shanghai
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I don;t know about the Virginia Buttonweed, but crabgrass grows just fine in all kinds of soil, including soil with normal calcium levels. You can have the soil tested to find out what, if anything, it needs. I would do that before embarking on any calcium addition.

Reply to
trader4

Calcium in the form of limestone, lime or slaked lime is generally used to raise pH. Never heard of the element itself as lacking.

Reply to
Frank

Got the info from 'The Organic Lawn Care Manual'. I took soil samples to the local extension service a couple years ago and wound up putting lime down per their recommendation, but that was to raise PH, not fight any specific type of weed. Guess I'll be visiting them again.

Reply to
Shanghai

There is plenty of stuff printed as fact that is just crap. And if they are saying having crabgrass is an indication of too little calcium in the soil, I say that's nonsense. If low calcium is the cause of crabgrass, then most of the lawns out there would have to be low in calcium. Fact is crabgrass, like most weeds, grows in a wide variety of soil conditions, it easily establishes itself. And in lawns in huge areas of the country it's necessary to routinely put down a pre-emergent to prevent crabgrass. That's what we do here in the northeast. Not sure what the correct practice is for FL, but I would look into that aspect of it.

Reply to
trader4

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