Making water soluble calcium w/ egg shells &

vinegar...

Maybe try the 'recipe' for a bionutrient brew for

calcium phosphate. Simplified:

the essential vegetative growth , changeover and the

reproductive periods. In animals, like humans, there
is the infantile, juvenile and adulthood. It is not only
critical to provide the right nutrient at the right stage
of the development, but also critical to use or apply
specific nutrient of calcium phosphate in the juvenile
or changeover period. For the plant, for example, we
know that nitrogen is critical on the vegetative stage
as potassium is critical in the flowering and fruiting
stages. It is however, the changeover period that is
most critical that will determine the quality of the
final reproductive stage. At this stage, an additional
nutrient is badly needed by the plant. And this is
calcium phosphate. Calcium phosphate is good for
plants 'morning sickness'. It is the stage that
additional baby needs to be fed or the process where
flower/fruit is about to come. Ash made from
soybean stems are excellent for this purpose.

1. Roast/toast eggshells.
2. Soak roasted eggshells in equal volume of vinegar
for two weeks until the vinegar dissolves the
eggshells.
3. Dilute 1:20 parts water and spray on plants or
water into plants.
4. Note below that this is best used during a specific
period in the plants growth, just before
flowering/fruiting.

Here is a simple, natural method of generating

calcium phosphate. Get eggshells and roast them
enough to generate some good ashes. Afterwhich, dip
these roasted eggshells on about equal visual volume
of vinegar. Allow it to sit for a couple of weeks until
eggshells are practically broken down by the vinegar
acids. You may use this diluted 20 parts water and
can be sprayed or watered to the plants during the
changeover period.

This is from the BIM piece posted on an earlier

thread:

When this is applied to that changeover period, it will

improve plant health and productivity. The use of
calcium phosphate is important to natural farmers.
This however, does not mean that we shall forget the
nutrient timing application of other critical nutrients
for plant growth both macro and micro nutrients,
given at the right stages and combinations.

How to Make Eggshell Calcium (and Why

Youd Want to)

We consider this very important bionutrient needed

by the plants used by natural farmers.***

While most of our calcium resides in our bones and

teeth, its also important for muscle contraction,
nerve health, enzyme activity and cell formation.

Ticodxb February 28, 2012

I have some egg shells roasted and ready to dissolve
them with vinegar to make a water soluble calcium
for my tomato plant (that is singular... I sadly only
was able to get one tomato plant to grow successfully
this season- it is too late to try again until
September/October... )
Does anyone know the shelf life of this calcium
concentrate once it is made? I don't want to make it
too early if it doesn't store well.

'Calcium Phosphate
A lot of agriculture advisers have used calcium
phosphate for better plant growth, health, pest and
disease controls. Natural farmers use this very
specific bionutrient. Under the theory of
Nutrioperiodism developed by a Japanese
horticulturist, Yasushi Inoue in the 1930s, plants
and animals need a very specific nutrient relative to
the stage of their development. In the plant, there is

And some comments and replies about the ph of it:

******** ******** ******** ********

I'd love to try the 'recipe' above to dissolve my
eggshells quickly and water them into the soil.
I am a bit wary of adding vinegar to the soil, even
diluted.
Is it possible I could add something to the eggshell
water after the shells have dissolved like baking soda
in order to bring the pH closer to neutral? If so, are
there any chemistry people out there who could tell
me a ratio of vinegar to baking soda? ***
******** ******** ******** ********
Hamiltongardener...
After bopping around the net this morning, I'm going
out on a limb to suggest that the pH might be sort of
neutral. I don't have any litmus paper to test my
current little experiment here but here's what I found
out:
The vinegar is acidic, the egg shell is alkaline. When
the eggshell dissolves in the acid (I think you need
more than 1 tsp--perhaps enough to cover your
crushed eggshells) you are left with something called
calcium acetate. (Free calcium ions floating around in
the vinegar.) If left exposed to the air it will form
crystals.***

by Genevieve | September 25 | Filed Under Food &

Nutrition |
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in our body.

In fact, our bodies need ample, daily amounts of

calcium and if we dont get what we need, our
bodies have no problem pulling excess stores from
our teeth and bones.

Ingredients and equipment:

So, lets just say we want to be sure were consuming

PLENTY of calcium, especially if we are a pregnant
or nursing mama!
I do best consuming ~ 2,000mg of calcium
a day.
I feel the most calm and balanced and dont suffer
from muscle soreness or body stiffness. High-quality
organic, and preferably raw, dairy products are
phenomenal sources of calcium as are bone broths,
fish bones, and even almonds
.But since I would need to drink 2 quarts of milk to
hit this quota, I sometime rely on a calcium
supplement, especially when Im nursing or pregnant.
Which one to choose? Calcium citrate? Hydroxide?
Gluconate ? Aspartate? Or Coral Calcium? And, I
could go on!
But as natural mamas, we know that the best source
is FOOD since its the mostly easily accessible for
the body.

In animal and human tests, eggshell calcium

shows increased bone density, less arthritic pain,
and even stimulates cartilage growth. Sounds great,
huh? And its really easy to make.

Fill a stock pot with approximately

6 cups of filtered water and bring
to a boil.

Carefully put your eggshells into

water. (This will kill any harmful
pathogens)

Let cook for 10 minutes.

Drain shells.

Spread the shells on glass or

stainless steel baking sheet and let
dry overnight. In the morning, put
in a 200 degree (Fahrenheit) oven
for about 10 minutes to completely
dry out.

Once completed, put a few

shells into a coffee grinder and
run until they are pulverized
into a granular form. Continue
until all of your shells are
powder.

Store in a tightly sealed Mason

jar in the cupboard away from
heat or moisture.

You will also need:

1 stock pot

1 coffee grinder

1 small Mason jar with secure

and clean Directions

Did you know that eggshells are a great, inexpensive,

natural source of calcium?
High-quality eggshells contain 27 essential
microelements but theyre mostly composed of
calcium carbonate, a form and structure thats very
similar to our bones and teeth.

1 carton of organic pastured

chicken eggs
If you can get fresh from the farm,
even better and try to get eggs
from chickens that dont eat soy.
Pay the extra price since this will
serve as a supplement and is much
cheaper than buying calcium
tablets. Confused how to find or
know if eggs are good quality?
Heres a tip the thicker the shell,
the more nutrients. I dont have a
good source close to where I live,
so I order mine from Tropical
Traditions and their farms in
Wisconsin. I love theirs because
they are SOY-FREE, something very
hard to find in store bought, even
organic eggs.

Use up your eggs as you normally

would, keeping the shell in the
carton to make your supplement

When you have your dozen shells,

rinse them well in water. Remove
any whites that might be stuck but
dont remove membrane as these
have extra nutrients.

How to Consume Eggshell Calcium

1 tsp. contains approximately 800-1,000 mg. of
calcium. Consume by mixing in a small amount of
water with a meal. Consume 3/4 to 1 tsp daily,
divided in 3 servings with meals. Dont consumer
more than 1 tsp a day as it can irritate sensitive
digestive tracks.
ENJOY!
How about YOU? Whats YOUR favorite way to
get calcium into your diet?

Eggshell Calcium Studies:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubme
d/11281164

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubme
d/15018022

The Best Nitrogen Source for Tomatoes

by Cindy Quarters, Demand Media
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/nitrogensource-tomatoes-31182.html
Using Fertilizer
Performing a soil test in your garden before you plant
provides an accurate measurement of the existing soil
nutrients that you can use to determine the type and
amount of fertilizer your garden needs. Soils that are
lacking in phosphorous or potassium can benefit from
adding a complete fertilizer when you till your
garden prior to planting. Soil that already has the
right nutrients benefits from periodic applications of
fertilizer with a nutrient ratio of 5-10-10 or 5-10-5 at
a rate of two pounds for every 100 square feet of soil.
This helps to maintain the fertility of your garden soil
throughout the year as your tomatoes draw nutrients
from the soil.
Nitrogen
The best fertilizers for tomato plants have a relatively
low concentration of nitrogen. Applying fertilizers
with a high nitrogen content promotes the growth of
stems and leaves instead of fruit and flowers.
Tomatoes that receive too much nitrogen grow
excessively long stems and produce less fruit. High
levels of nitrogen can also cause flowers to wither
and drop off from their stems, preventing your
tomato plants from producing fruit.
Phosphorous and Potassium
Tomato plants use phosphorous and potassium in
significant amounts to produce fruit. Fertilizer that
contains nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in a

ratio of 8-32-16 or 6-24-24 is an effective source of

phosphorous and potassium for tomatoes in soils with
low concentrations of these nutrients. The best time
to apply this type of fertilizer is before you plant your
tomatoes. Once you have established the desired
level of fertility in your garden you can apply
subsequent doses of fertilizer as side dressing at a
lower concentration to maintain a fertile growing bed
for your tomatoes.
Considerations
The roots of tomato plants are mainly found within
the upper six inches of the soil. Tilling your fertilizer
into the soil at this depth ensures that you do not
waste fertilizer on soil where your tomatoes do not
grow. Fertilizer applied at the beginning of the
growing season does not provide enough nutrients to
meet the full growth potential of your tomato plants
throughout the year. The best time to apply
subsequent doses of fertilizer is when the first crop of
tomatoes reaches one-third of the fruits' full size and
is still green. Applying a subsequent dose of fertilizer
roughly two weeks after you harvest the first fruits
and a third dose a month later ensures that your
tomatoes can continue producing abundant fruit.
References (3)

University of Missouri: Growing

Home Garden Tomatoes

University of California: Tomato

Fertilization

Rutgers State University: What

Causes Blossom Drop In Tomatoes

Resources (1)

University of Missouri:

The Role Of Potassium In Hydroponic

Fertilizers
People who grow fruits, vegetables and
flowers in hydroponic systems know and
appreciate the role of potassium in
hydroponic fertilizers. The greenhouse
environment is the best example of a
hydroponic system. The controlled
environment in these systems allows
farmers to have a thriving garden
regardless of the weather conditions
outside the structure.
The key to having a thriving hydroponics
garden lies in the timing of the supply of
nutrients. Understanding the roles of
different types of nutrients in plant growth
and development is very important. It will
ensure that the fruits or flowers produced
by the plants are of the best possible
quality. Examples of hydroponics plant
nutrients include Calcium nitrate,
Potassium nitrate, Magnesium Sulfate,
mono Potassium phosphate, Ferrous
sulfate, Magnesium nitrate and Ammonium
phosphate.
Plants are given these nutrients at different
stages of growth. Potassium is one of the
most important nutrients in plant growth. It
is essential in the growth of flowers and
maturation of fruits and seeds. This
nutrient also helps in root development.
This nutrient can be obtained from KNO3
and K2NO4. These fertilizers come in
soluble crystalline powder form which can
be diluted and sprayed onto the plants. I
can also be drenched into the soil to allow
the roots of the plants to absorb it.
Potassium helps plants to use other
nutrients and is a key constituent of plant
cells. It also plays an important role of
activating enzymes and transporting
products of photosynthesis. Plants usually
require more of this nutrient towards the
end of the season when plants are
flowering and fruits are developing.
Research studies conducted on this

nutrient indicate that by simply adding the

nutrient to plants when they are flowering,
their yield increases significantly. The
quality of the plant will also improve.
Farmers also report harvesting bigger fruits
that have a longer shelf life and richer
colors. Fruits are also known to mature
faster if the plant is supplied with this
nutrient.
Deficiency on this nutrient can cause
serious problems in plants. It is a proven
fact that plants which lack this nutrient
have a slower growth rate and their root
systems never develop fully. Plants are also
known to be more prone to pests, diseases

and stress due to temperature changes.

Maintaining a hydroponics system is
relatively easy, the only challenge lies in
supplying plants with the right amount of
nutrients at different stages of growth.
Choosing the right nutrients for the plant is
also important. There are guides which can
help you establish a thriving indoor garden.
These guides also come with nutrient
scheduling charts for different types of
plants.
The role of potassium in hydroponic
fertilizers cannot be overemphasized.
Before you buy any fertilizer, make sure

you know how and when it should be

applied to plants. If you are not sure about
nutrient scheduling, you should ask the
store attendant at the gardening supplies
stores. Alternatively, you can visit different
sites on the internet to look for more
information. You can also ask for
recommendations from online forums
related to this type of farming.