Dr.RedWhite
Active member
I have read that 1 cup per cu. Ft. is right. I am thinking 2 cups for 2.5 cu.ft. I have Hi-Yield agricultural limestone.
How much lime in 2.5 cubic feet of soil?
- Thread starter Thread starter Dr.RedWhite
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fuggzy
Member
no pro, but i'll give it a go.
no pro, but i'll give it a go.
Well I'm no pro by any means, and brighter minds might be needed. This is just what I read when I had basically the same question.
I would generally follow the 1 cup rule. It would also depend what it is you are trying to get our of it. I'm assuming it is for ph levels in peat. You can use other items to do the same thing pending on what it is being used for. If you are using to for ph you could try something like wood ash...
From: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/wood-ash-can-be-useful-yard-if-used-caution
"Since wood ash is derived from plant material, it contains most of the 13 essential nutrients the soil must supply for plant growth," said Sullivan. "When wood burns, nitrogen and sulfur are lost as gases, and calcium, potassium, magnesium and trace element compounds remain. The carbonates and oxides remaining after wood burning are valuable liming agents, raising pH, thereby helping to neutralize acid soils."
If you are not using it to correct ph maybe something like Gypsum might be useful.
From: http://geology.com/minerals/gypsum.shtml
What is Gypsum?
Gypsum is an evaporite mineral most commonly found in layered sedimentary deposits in association with halite, anhydrite, sulfur, calcite and dolomite. Gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) is very similar to Anhydrite (CaSO4). The chemical difference is that gypsum contains two waters and anhydrite is without water. Gypsum is the most common sulfate mineral.
Physical Properties of Gypsum
Chemical Classification: sulfate
Color: clear, colorless, white, gray, yellow, red, brown
Streak: white
Luster: vitreous, silky, sugary
Diaphaneity: transparent to translucent
Cleavage: perfect
Mohs Hardness: 2
Specific Gravity: 2.3
Diagnostic Properties: cleavage, specific gravity, low hardness
Chemical Composition : hydrous calcium sulfate, CaSO4.2H2O
Crystal System: monoclinic
Uses: Use to manufacture dry wall, plaster, joint compound. An agricultural soil treatment.
This is an article in regard to the differences of lime and gypsum...
http://www.safelawns.org/blog/2010/11/guest-blog-the-difference-between-calcium-and-gypsum/
I have not read the entire post, but it explains what they are, and what they're from it the start.
Google "substitute lime for ________ in soil" Hope this sheds a bit of light on your problem.
no pro, but i'll give it a go.
Well I'm no pro by any means, and brighter minds might be needed. This is just what I read when I had basically the same question.
I would generally follow the 1 cup rule. It would also depend what it is you are trying to get our of it. I'm assuming it is for ph levels in peat. You can use other items to do the same thing pending on what it is being used for. If you are using to for ph you could try something like wood ash...
From: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/wood-ash-can-be-useful-yard-if-used-caution
"Since wood ash is derived from plant material, it contains most of the 13 essential nutrients the soil must supply for plant growth," said Sullivan. "When wood burns, nitrogen and sulfur are lost as gases, and calcium, potassium, magnesium and trace element compounds remain. The carbonates and oxides remaining after wood burning are valuable liming agents, raising pH, thereby helping to neutralize acid soils."
If you are not using it to correct ph maybe something like Gypsum might be useful.
From: http://geology.com/minerals/gypsum.shtml
What is Gypsum?
Gypsum is an evaporite mineral most commonly found in layered sedimentary deposits in association with halite, anhydrite, sulfur, calcite and dolomite. Gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) is very similar to Anhydrite (CaSO4). The chemical difference is that gypsum contains two waters and anhydrite is without water. Gypsum is the most common sulfate mineral.
Physical Properties of Gypsum
Chemical Classification: sulfate
Color: clear, colorless, white, gray, yellow, red, brown
Streak: white
Luster: vitreous, silky, sugary
Diaphaneity: transparent to translucent
Cleavage: perfect
Mohs Hardness: 2
Specific Gravity: 2.3
Diagnostic Properties: cleavage, specific gravity, low hardness
Chemical Composition : hydrous calcium sulfate, CaSO4.2H2O
Crystal System: monoclinic
Uses: Use to manufacture dry wall, plaster, joint compound. An agricultural soil treatment.
This is an article in regard to the differences of lime and gypsum...
http://www.safelawns.org/blog/2010/11/guest-blog-the-difference-between-calcium-and-gypsum/
I have not read the entire post, but it explains what they are, and what they're from it the start.
Google "substitute lime for ________ in soil" Hope this sheds a bit of light on your problem.
A lot would depend on what that 2.5 cubic feet is of?
Many peeps are using dolomitic lime stone less in favor of oyster shell and gypsum.
I think when they say agriculture lime that it is dolomite.
Check the bag and see if it say that there is 11% of magnesium in it.
Calcium carbonate referred to as limestone is available in two types.
Calcitic and dolomitic, both contain calcium carbonate but dolomite also contains 11% of Mg.
My favorite source of calcium carbonate is powdered oyster shells.
Many peeps like to third their lime use up between dolomite, oyster shell and gypsum.
I mean myself I use coco coir and use it @1TBL/gal.
If it was a peat base mix I would double that.
I believe that there is 7.4 gallons in a cubic foot.
Myself I'll use like 1 TBL/gal and give the mix a couple of weeks and check the mix's ph.
If its less then the 6.4 pH that I like to start my mix at I'll add some more oyster shell.
One other thing When using lime it MUST be mix in throughly.
Much of where the ph. stabilizes at depends on what was used to fortified the mix with!
Ratz
In organic gardening just make sure that you don't use any Hydrated lime.
It does great harm to the microbe life.
Many peeps are using dolomitic lime stone less in favor of oyster shell and gypsum.
I think when they say agriculture lime that it is dolomite.
Check the bag and see if it say that there is 11% of magnesium in it.
Calcium carbonate referred to as limestone is available in two types.
Calcitic and dolomitic, both contain calcium carbonate but dolomite also contains 11% of Mg.
My favorite source of calcium carbonate is powdered oyster shells.
Many peeps like to third their lime use up between dolomite, oyster shell and gypsum.
I mean myself I use coco coir and use it @1TBL/gal.
If it was a peat base mix I would double that.
I believe that there is 7.4 gallons in a cubic foot.
Myself I'll use like 1 TBL/gal and give the mix a couple of weeks and check the mix's ph.
If its less then the 6.4 pH that I like to start my mix at I'll add some more oyster shell.
One other thing When using lime it MUST be mix in throughly.
Much of where the ph. stabilizes at depends on what was used to fortified the mix with!
Ratz
In organic gardening just make sure that you don't use any Hydrated lime.
It does great harm to the microbe life.
The main difference between agricultural lime and dolomite is the percentage of magnesium. In agriculture dolomite lime is used to treat a magnesium deficiency.
And already mentioned but the amounts of lime to add should be detrimened by what your starting soil is exactly. For instance pro mix has lime added but a lot of peat does not have lime, so obviously the amounts should vary.
Most compost will have a high percentage of calcium too, and don't forget other sources of calcium. Things like kelp, alfalfa, crab shell, oyster shells and many more have loads of calcium. Actually plenty of magnesium as well. So if your using things with calcium, you need even less liming agents. My last mix was based on pro mix and I did not add any lime, but I did add oyster shell, crab shell, neem meal, kelp meal and so on. So cal and mag are well covered in a diverse botanical based mix.
No need to go lime crazy because the grow bible said you have to. Especially if your recycling your soil, or have hard water.
And already mentioned but the amounts of lime to add should be detrimened by what your starting soil is exactly. For instance pro mix has lime added but a lot of peat does not have lime, so obviously the amounts should vary.
Most compost will have a high percentage of calcium too, and don't forget other sources of calcium. Things like kelp, alfalfa, crab shell, oyster shells and many more have loads of calcium. Actually plenty of magnesium as well. So if your using things with calcium, you need even less liming agents. My last mix was based on pro mix and I did not add any lime, but I did add oyster shell, crab shell, neem meal, kelp meal and so on. So cal and mag are well covered in a diverse botanical based mix.
No need to go lime crazy because the grow bible said you have to. Especially if your recycling your soil, or have hard water.
Dr.RedWhite
Active member
Well it begins as a mix of 1 cu ft of Miracle gro potting mix, 1.5 cu ft of Baccto premium potting mix and I added two cups of Jobes 2-5-3 vegetable and tomato organic mix. I may have jumped the gun on the 2 cups of agricultural limestone which says it has 13.83% magnesium. This might be some form of heresy but it is for a special rose bush that puts out awesome red and white striped flowers, I am going to winter it in this mix in a greenhouse and I want to enter it next year in a contest. I have let it "cook" for 2 weeks and will let it go for another week. Next time I will use 1 cup but I think it will be ok I hope.
1 tablespoon per gallon of soil
1 cup per 1.5cu' of soil
powdered dolomite lime
been using this measurement (found on many many threads) for 4+ yrs and NEVER any issues. I don't even bother to check ph run off. why bother, my plants always look spot on all the way thru harvest.
1 cup per 1.5cu' of soil
powdered dolomite lime
been using this measurement (found on many many threads) for 4+ yrs and NEVER any issues. I don't even bother to check ph run off. why bother, my plants always look spot on all the way thru harvest.
Martha Focker
Member
have you tried reading the directions on the back of the package?
Dr.RedWhite
Active member
So if I add another 1/2 cu ft of soil I will be in business or I am just a bit over the recommended level. Reading the back of the package is pretty hard to transfer into soil volume as it says apply 4-5 pounds per 100 square feet.
ive been using my measurements for 4+ years. ive seen it listed as such in hundreds of posts over a number of grow forums.
I have an awesome unit conversion app on my smart phone. makes figuring out dosages really simple.
I have an awesome unit conversion app on my smart phone. makes figuring out dosages really simple.
St. Phatty
Active member
On the lime I bought, the package said, 1 teaspoon per gallon of soil, it was a light application.
The kind that has magnesium in it.
That's where I ended up, about 1 tablespoon, per gallon.
My neighbor told me that the "premium compost" I bought was likely to be acidic because it had a lot of bark fines ... something like that.
And I have a tendency to over-nute my plants, which tends to make the run-off acidic. So I thought, an alkaline nutrient, FAR-OUT !!!
How much lime in 2.5 cubic feet of soil?
Exactly a fist
Exactly a fist
