Dolomite Lime Application
- Thread starter Thread starter Bengi
- Start date Start date
darkstar270
Member
2 tablespoons per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of the soiless mix.
From the "Organics for Beginners" thread
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=53792
From the "Organics for Beginners" thread
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=53792
S
Sat X RB
Add 1 to 1.5 grams per litre of mix to raise pH by one unit.
(Sorry too lazy to convert that if yr country's not metric.)
(Sorry too lazy to convert that if yr country's not metric.)
just don't use it..... you'll be fine..... don't worry about PH.
I guess this is a better response.
Why do you have the desire to add Dolomite? What is the desired benefit?
Why do you have the desire to add Dolomite? What is the desired benefit?
S
Sat X RB
well, I put Dolomite in to make the pH right ... and for a source of Mg and Ca.
If you use peat you'll proly want to lime it. How you go about liming peat depends on how you go about liming peat.
Alternatively there are some who say that just the right amount of EWC/compost in peat and that'll be just fine...
Dolomite only works when wet...and then there's that molecular bond thing holding calcium and magnesium locked in a bond...where mineralization may take years to happen.
Dolomite works...so does oyster shell,(oyster shell calcium being immediately)...so does a blend of both those plus agricultural gypsum.
Soil w/out peat and a decent % EWC and/or compost doesn't need liming at all.
Peat is where the liming or humic rich material incorporation work needs to be done.
Alternatively there are some who say that just the right amount of EWC/compost in peat and that'll be just fine...
Dolomite only works when wet...and then there's that molecular bond thing holding calcium and magnesium locked in a bond...where mineralization may take years to happen.
Dolomite works...so does oyster shell,(oyster shell calcium being immediately)...so does a blend of both those plus agricultural gypsum.
Soil w/out peat and a decent % EWC and/or compost doesn't need liming at all.
Peat is where the liming or humic rich material incorporation work needs to be done.
...whistling past the graveyard...
Bengi
Member
This.
RanchoDeluxe
Member
Hey dude, ( Damn this is getting old ) Read the Living Organic Soil thread....at least the first 30 or so pages. I used dolomite lime for years and then I learned why it's not this magical pH gatekeeper and is a shitty source for both Ca and Mg.
I'm actually just 2 weeks into flower without lime for the first time. Don't think I'll be looking back.
RD
I'm actually just 2 weeks into flower without lime for the first time. Don't think I'll be looking back.
RD
J
jerry111165
I like Stans answer the best.
Yes, I have personally done grows where abolutely no liming agents were used, and they worked out perfectly - because I had added the very best worm and thermal compost to the mix; however...
It certainly doesnt hurt to use liming agents when using sphagnum peat, and lots of it! as our base. I think that most of us do use peat as a large portion of our mix. The stuff is off the charts on the pH scale. Dolomite is NOT the answer, but the addition of gypsum and oyster shell certainly helps.
Just because we garden organically doesnt mean that pH isnt important anymore - its just as important as when we were using Bottles. Of course it is. Luckily we can count on good humus to help buffer and stabilize soil pH, but when we're using what, 50%, 60%, 70% peat as the bulk of our mix, adding some "helpers", such as Gypsum, Calcite Lime, Oyster Shell, Crab/Shrimp/Lobster shell will still help us out.
pH is still important. It doesnt mean I even check it - ever, but I bet it accounts for half the issues out there.
j
Yes, I have personally done grows where abolutely no liming agents were used, and they worked out perfectly - because I had added the very best worm and thermal compost to the mix; however...
It certainly doesnt hurt to use liming agents when using sphagnum peat, and lots of it! as our base. I think that most of us do use peat as a large portion of our mix. The stuff is off the charts on the pH scale. Dolomite is NOT the answer, but the addition of gypsum and oyster shell certainly helps.
Just because we garden organically doesnt mean that pH isnt important anymore - its just as important as when we were using Bottles. Of course it is. Luckily we can count on good humus to help buffer and stabilize soil pH, but when we're using what, 50%, 60%, 70% peat as the bulk of our mix, adding some "helpers", such as Gypsum, Calcite Lime, Oyster Shell, Crab/Shrimp/Lobster shell will still help us out.
pH is still important. It doesnt mean I even check it - ever, but I bet it accounts for half the issues out there.
j
benji,
I stopped using dolomite or any amendments, other than perlite and a small amount of volcanic sand, because you never know when and how much is being released. Haven't used it in the last 4 crops and have no Cal/Mag problems. I do use other sources of Ca and Mg, like Safer's Biomin Ca and Mg, and Epsom.
For pH, I pH anything I apply to the plants. Good luck. -granger
I stopped using dolomite or any amendments, other than perlite and a small amount of volcanic sand, because you never know when and how much is being released. Haven't used it in the last 4 crops and have no Cal/Mag problems. I do use other sources of Ca and Mg, like Safer's Biomin Ca and Mg, and Epsom.
For pH, I pH anything I apply to the plants. Good luck. -granger
J
jerry111165
For pH, I pH anything I apply to the plants. Good luck. -granger
Such as what, and how do you go about this?
Curious.
Thanks -
j
Such as what, and how do you go about this?
Curious.
Thanks -
j
O
OrganicOzarks
Oyster shell flour will do you right.
What? ..... surprise ... surprise.... What are using to PH with?
I PH nothing I apply to plants..
Skip the lime... Compacts the soil as time drags on..
Oyster, crab, ewc, compost- Will help with Ca/mg and PH. No other human intervention needed.... (hopefully ha ha...)
i would agree with gascan - if you are using appreciable amounts of peat in your mix then you should consider using a dolomite or some liming agent.
the good thing about dolomite is that unless your mix is acidic, it wont really do anything, because it is insoluble in water - but soluble in weak acid, so i think it is a good insurance policy.
if some of the other amendments like oyster shell were available to me i may consider using those... but they arent and dolomite does just fine.
i actually acidify my water with citric acid so i can be confident that the dolomite is providing calcium and magnesium to my plants.
VG
the good thing about dolomite is that unless your mix is acidic, it wont really do anything, because it is insoluble in water - but soluble in weak acid, so i think it is a good insurance policy.
if some of the other amendments like oyster shell were available to me i may consider using those... but they arent and dolomite does just fine.
i actually acidify my water with citric acid so i can be confident that the dolomite is providing calcium and magnesium to my plants.
VG
Figured i post something interesting
Dolomite lime fertilizer is certainly allowed in organic gardening. It is not inherently bad, but how it is used in the garden is often detrimental.
The belief is that minerals in your soil are continuously being leached by rain and consequently your soil is always moving towards more acidic.
Dolomite limestone is used to counteract this, to “sweeten” the soil. It can do that, but that doesn’t mean it’s good.
Minerals may or may not be leaching from your soil. If they are, it could be partially because of rain, but there are other reasons, too.
If your soil is low in organic matter, which is often the case, it probably can’t hold onto minerals very well, especially if it is low in clay and high in sand and silt. If you have lots of clay, you probably don’t have much to worry about.
Chemical fertilizers cause acidity, so if you use them, that is part of the problem, too.
Whatever the cause, dolomite lime fertilizer is not the answer. Let’s look at why garden lime is probably not what you want.
The main point I want to make is that even if minerals are leaching from your soil, it doesn’t make sense to blindly go back adding just two of them (the calcium and magnesium in dolomitic lime) without knowing you need them. You might already have too much of one of them. We need to think a little more than that when organic gardening.
Your soil needs a calcium to magnesium ratio of somewhere between 7:1 (sandier soils) and 10:1 (clayier soils). Outside of this range, your soil will often have drainage problems, your plants will often have health problems and insect and disease problems, and you will have weed problems.
One of your most important goals in the garden is to add specific mineral fertilizers to move the calcium to magnesium ratio towards this range.
The problem with dolomite lime? It has a calcium to magnesium ratio of 2:1. That’s way too much magnesium for most soils. Magnesium is certainly an essential mineral. Too much of it, however, causes many problems, compaction being one of the most common, but also pest and weed problems.
You should only use garden lime when you have a soil test showing a huge deficiency of magnesium in your soil.
Even then, calcitic lime (calcium carbonate) is generally the way to go because it has a small amount of magnesium and often a calcium to magnesium ratio of about 6:1, with a calcium content of 30% to 40% or more.
Dolomite lime fertilizer is certainly allowed in organic gardening. It is not inherently bad, but how it is used in the garden is often detrimental.
The belief is that minerals in your soil are continuously being leached by rain and consequently your soil is always moving towards more acidic.
Dolomite limestone is used to counteract this, to “sweeten” the soil. It can do that, but that doesn’t mean it’s good.
Minerals may or may not be leaching from your soil. If they are, it could be partially because of rain, but there are other reasons, too.
If your soil is low in organic matter, which is often the case, it probably can’t hold onto minerals very well, especially if it is low in clay and high in sand and silt. If you have lots of clay, you probably don’t have much to worry about.
Chemical fertilizers cause acidity, so if you use them, that is part of the problem, too.
Whatever the cause, dolomite lime fertilizer is not the answer. Let’s look at why garden lime is probably not what you want.
The main point I want to make is that even if minerals are leaching from your soil, it doesn’t make sense to blindly go back adding just two of them (the calcium and magnesium in dolomitic lime) without knowing you need them. You might already have too much of one of them. We need to think a little more than that when organic gardening.
Your soil needs a calcium to magnesium ratio of somewhere between 7:1 (sandier soils) and 10:1 (clayier soils). Outside of this range, your soil will often have drainage problems, your plants will often have health problems and insect and disease problems, and you will have weed problems.
One of your most important goals in the garden is to add specific mineral fertilizers to move the calcium to magnesium ratio towards this range.
The problem with dolomite lime? It has a calcium to magnesium ratio of 2:1. That’s way too much magnesium for most soils. Magnesium is certainly an essential mineral. Too much of it, however, causes many problems, compaction being one of the most common, but also pest and weed problems.
You should only use garden lime when you have a soil test showing a huge deficiency of magnesium in your soil.
Even then, calcitic lime (calcium carbonate) is generally the way to go because it has a small amount of magnesium and often a calcium to magnesium ratio of about 6:1, with a calcium content of 30% to 40% or more.
Dolomite lime fertilizer?......oh my
In the USA these are your options for amending with Calcium (Ca++)
Calcite Lime (aka Agricultural lime) - straight Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) (farm stores)
Oyster shell powder - same as Calcite Lime (farm stores - poultry feed supplement)
Limestone - Calcium Carbonate + Magnesium @ 3% (Super Sweet at Home Depot, et al)
Dolomite Lime - Calcium + Magnesium Carbonate (Soil Sweet at Home Depot, et al)
Gypsum - Calcium + Sulfur (Home Depot, et al. in the garden department. Don't buy gypsum in the construction (drywall) section of the store. Different form)
Why use Dolomite Lime again? Because it appeared in grow books beginning 32 years ago so it must be the only choice.
Calcite Lime (aka Agricultural lime) - straight Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) (farm stores)
Oyster shell powder - same as Calcite Lime (farm stores - poultry feed supplement)
Limestone - Calcium Carbonate + Magnesium @ 3% (Super Sweet at Home Depot, et al)
Dolomite Lime - Calcium + Magnesium Carbonate (Soil Sweet at Home Depot, et al)
Gypsum - Calcium + Sulfur (Home Depot, et al. in the garden department. Don't buy gypsum in the construction (drywall) section of the store. Different form)
Why use Dolomite Lime again? Because it appeared in grow books beginning 32 years ago so it must be the only choice.
Define cannabis gardener's who can't/won't or refuse to understanding that Dolomite lime is not the only choice associated w/liming cannabis peat based planting mediums....
Pro-drolomites..this condition is known as Dolomitosis
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