How receptive are potatoes to calcium?
The potato tuber botanically is a stem tissue. Compared to the above-ground stem portion of the plant, tubers contain much lower concentrations of calcium. Transpiration is the main driving force for the movement of calcium in the plant. Consequently, calcium moves with water in the xylem. Thus, tubers being a low transpiring organ of the plant, accumulate much less calcium per unit weight than the leaves. This means that tubers are naturally calcium deficient and, therefore, respond to in-season calcium applications.
