i was just reading something about that...on the hydrated lime...it suggested dolomite lime too!..do they sale this at Lowes or do i get it from my DroShop
Some info for you=
[FONT="]Hydrated Lime[/FONT]
- Ca(OH)2) [FONT="]Hydrated lime can be found in most home and garden centers. Its chemical name is calcium hydroxide. Hydrated lime is produced by combining calcium oxide and water, which creates a chemical reaction and produces a fine white powder. Hydrated lime is also used to stabilize concrete and mortar and can be used to dry out manure piles and reduce insect and odor problems in animal carcasses. It has a high potency and acts much more quickly than other forms of lime.[/FONT]
· [FONT="]Hydrated lime is a fast-acting soil amendment. It is much more reactive than ground limestone, which makes it a much faster neutralizing agent. It is also more potent than other forms of lime, which means that you will need much less. According to Michigan State University Extension, hydrated lime only needs to be applied at a rate of 20 lbs. per 1,000 square feet. Ground limestone, on the other hand, needs to be applied at a rate of 50 lbs. per 1,000 square feet.[/FONT]
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· [FONT="]Hydrated lime's potency and quick action can also be detrimental when it is misapplied. Some experts recommend avoiding hydrated lime for lawn use, as it can burn grass easily when used in excess. [/FONT]
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To increase your pH by 1.0 point and make your soil more alkaline:[/FONT][FONT="][/FONT]
- [FONT="]Add 4 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in sandy soils[/FONT]
- [FONT="]Add 8 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in loamy soils[/FONT]
- [FONT="]Add 12 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in clay soils[/FONT]
- [FONT="]Add 25 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in peaty soils[/FONT]
Wood Ash
Calcitic limestone (CaCO3) is the liming material used most often to neutralize acid soils. Burned lime (quick lime, calcium oxide or CaO) and hydrated lime (slaked lime, builder's lime, calcium hydroxide or Ca(OH)2) are also used for soil application in Europe; however, the higher cost of these materials limits their use in western Canada. Wood ash contains oxides and hydroxides of calcium, magnesium, potassium and, to a lesser extent, sodium making wood ash similar to burned or hydrated lime in its mode of action.
Wood ash also contains many of the nutrients originally absorbed from the soil by tree growth, so it may improve crop growth through improved nutrition. By comparison, agricultural lime contains only minimal amounts of plant nutrients. A significant amount of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and potassium (potash) is added to the soil when wood ash is used as a liming material.
Most agricultural soils are deficient in phosphorus, and it is likely that improved crop growth after liming with wood ash may be due, in part, to increased phosphorus availability. Most soils in Alberta have adequate quantities of plant-available calcium and magnesium, and no improvement in crop growth is anticipated from improved soil fertility from these nutrients. Some soils are deficient in potassium, and crop growth may be improved when wood ash is used.
Field trials show a more rapid change in soil pH when wood ash is used as a liming material compared to using limestone. This factor may be advantageous for a farmer who plans to seed an acid-sensitive crop such as alfalfa soon after liming an acid soil.
Generally, wood ash contains less than 10 percent potash, 1 percent phosphate and trace amounts of micro-nutrients such as iron, manganese, boron, copper and zinc. Trace amounts of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, nickel and chromium also may be present. Wood ash does not contain nitrogen.
The largest component of wood ash (about 25 percent) is calcium carbonate, a common liming material that increases soil alkalinity. Wood ash has a very fine particle size, so it reacts rapidly and complete
Applying small amounts of wood ash to most soils will not adversely affect your garden crops, and the ash does help replenish some nutrients. But because wood ash increases soil pH, adding large amounts can do more harm than good. Keep in mind that wood ash that has been exposed to the weather, particularly rainfall, has lost a lot of its potency, including nutrients.
Specific recommendations for the use of wood ash in the garden are difficult to make because soil composition and reaction varies from garden to garden. Acidic soils (pH less than 5.5) will likely be improved by wood ash addition. Soils that are slightly acidic (pH 6.0 to 6.5) should not be harmed by the application of 20 pounds per 100 square feet annually, if the ash is worked into the soil about 6 inches or so. However, if your soil is neutral or alkaline (pH 7.0 or greater), find another way to dispose of wood ash. If you don't know your soil's acidity or alkalinity level, have it tested for pH.
However, since wood ash is very water-soluble, it raises the pH much faster than limestone, which can take six months to a year to do the job. That means you can get the pH of your soil out of whack quickly. High soil pH limits the availability of certain nutrients such as phosphorous, iron and magnesium. As a result, plants grown in that soil can suffer from deficiencies of those nutrients.
Dolomitic Lime
[FONT="]Dolomitic lime lowers the acidity of potting soil mixes, raising
the pH. Commercial and homemade potting soils often contain peat moss. Peat raises soil acidity and many house plants need a more neutral pH to flourish. [/FONT]
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[FONT="]Dolomitic lime is a mineral that must be ground or pelletized for houseplant use. Limestone comes in two forms, one mostly calcium while the other contains magnesium. "Dolomitic rock contains at least 6 percent Magnesium oxide,” says David Goforth of the North Carolina State University Master Gardener Program.[/FONT]
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[/FONT][FONT="]Dolomitic lime raises potting soil pH and makes necessary houseplant nutrients more available. Houseplant soil with too low a pH is too acidic. Plant nutrients are chemically bound in the soil and not available to your houseplant. Elements like fluorine or chlorine introduced by tap water become more toxic.[/FONT]
Lime is added according to the amount of potting mix you have. Experts at the University of Georgia Extension use "2 to 3 ounces (dry weight) of dolomitic limestone to 4 gallons (1/2 bushel) of mix" for most plants.
[FONT="]For bulk soil, Aggie Horticulture experts use this basic rule: "Add about 8 pounds of dolomite per cubic yard of potting mix to raise the pH by one unit." In other words if you have pH of 5.5, adding the dolomitic lime would raise the pH to 6.5. They warn that doubling the lime does not raise pH another unit, the pH scale does not work that way.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Dolomite lime requires time to change the pH of soil. Over a space of two to three months, the calcium and magnesium react within the soil to gradually change the pH. In order for lime to be effective on spring-planted tomatoes, it should be added to a garden no later than early spring. Some gardeners prefer to test soil and add lime in late fall. During this time, the wait for a soil test is shorter because many other gardeners have their soil tested in spring.[/FONT]
[FONT="]If tomatoes suffer from blossom end rot, this may be a sign that the soil should be limed. Tomatoes require a slightly acidic pH range between 6.5 to 6.7. In more acidic soil, the plants are not able to take up calcium even if the nutrient is abundant in the soil. But a low pH is usually a sign of low calcium in the soil. Tomato fruit that suffers from the condition begin to rot on their blossom ends.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Although a soil test will tell exactly how much lime to add, generally soils that have not been limed in two to three years should have 2 cups of dolomite lime added to the soil per each tomato plant that is placed[/FONT][FONT="] in the ground. The ground should be broken up to a depth of 12 inches and the lime should be thoroughly mixed into the soil.[/FONT]
Oyster Shells
- [FONT="]Oyster Shells contain a unique balance of the nutrients essential for life. This is why, as a soil amendment, it is ideal. The major components of Oyster Shells are protein polysaccharides (a carbohydrate) and minerals including calcium, sodium, magnesium, copper and iron, all which are necessary for photosynthesis (the manufacturing of chlorophyll) and plant stability. Oyster Shells 'sweeten' soil, decreasing acid PH and enhances microbes and bacteria needed for plant growth.[/FONT]
- [FONT="]Oyster Shells are ground to a fine powder for use in gardening. This allows for easy absorption by a plant's roots for distribution to the body of the plant. Using Oyster Shells is a good way to get a basic vitamin and mineral blend without having to buy several soil additives. Cultivated plants are dependent on their growers for adequate nutrition, so adding oyster shell powder to your soil will result in healthier plants and more abundant yields than using only manure.[/FONT]
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· [FONT="]Very little Oyster Shell is needed to feed your plants; only a tablespoon or so per gallon of soil should do it.[/FONT]
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· [FONT="]Use between 4 to 6 lbs. of oyster shell for every 100 square
feet of soil, or follow manufacturer's instructions. Keep in mind that lime only changes the pH where it is exposed to the soil because it is insoluble in water.[/FONT]
Gypsum
is Calcium Sulfate - CaSO4. The most common form of it is the dehydrate which means that each molecule of calcium sulfate has two water molecules associated with it. It is expressed as CaSO42H20.
It does not seem to change the ph level.
[FONT="]Gypsum helps break-up compact soils, thereby improving soil structure. By improving soil structure, gypsum improves water penetration and aeration of clay soils.[/FONT]
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Soil structure is essential for soil drainage and aeration. The better the structure of oil, the greater the ease that water and air can move around in the soil solution. With only two applications a year, gypsum can improve the structure of soils to a depth of three to six inches.[/FONT]
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Calcium that makes up gypsum adds extra benefits to soil. When soils have too many salts, calcium in gypsum replaces the sodium held on the clay-binding sites. The sodium can then be leached from the soil. The calcium in gypsum also provides an essential micro-nutrient for plants.[/FONT]
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Gypsum is ground into small rocks to be used as a soil conditioner. Gypsum can be sourced from different varieties of rocks including: selenite, satin spar, alabaster, desert rose, gypsum flower and gypsum rock.[/FONT]
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Gypsum does not supply soil with major nutrients needed to support plant life. Although gypsum will supply adequate calcium and sulfur, fertilizing may still be necessary. Gypsum is readily available at garden supply stores and online retailers. It is relatively low cost when compared to other soil conditioners.[/FONT]
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