how much LIME to add to soil?

[NOKUY]

I'll be doin my final transplant on my current ladies tomorrow.

I use FFOF soil and about 1/3 perlite.

I've been feeding FF big bloom and grow big @ about 1/2 recommended dose during veg, and will be using B.Bloom and T.Bloom during flower as usual.

I have never added Lime before, but figured it couldent hurt as I wanna use T.Bloom at full strength if my plants will take it...I'll start off slow tho.

anyway I wanna make sure this is the right stuff first...it doesnt say "dolomite lime" anywhere. Here is a cpl pics:


http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/14504lime1-thumb.JPG (http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/14504lime1.JPG)

http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/14504lime2-thumb.JPG (http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/14504lime2.JPG)

I've been told 1 tablespoon per gallon of soil, and then I read not to use more than 1-1/3 tablespoon per gallon of soil. (would this "gallon" include the perlite or are we just talking about soil before the perlite)...what would you guys recommend?

(directions on back say 4-5 pounds per 100 sq feet) (I dont think that applies to me)..maybe it does if I scaled it down...I just dont wanna over or under do it.

thanks for the advice guys!!!
-yukon

[Dignan]

Yukon,
That's hydrated lime, not dolomite. You can use it but be very careful with it as it will burn.

Dolomite lime is usually applied at a rate of 1/2-1 TBSP per gallon of soil mix... you want to cut that amount by 70% or so when using hydrated lime, IMO.

I'd recommend something like 1/3 tbsp per gallon of (final) soil mix, my AK brother.

peace-

Dig.

[Bulénath]

Aloha yukon :wave:
I second that question!
Was just pondering the same thing, for since OG went away, I forgot!
Also very good question about perlite factor! I use a 33% perlite and 33% wormcastings, so this is a very interesting question. Thank you for asking, we are on the same wave length today, ill smoke another one, cheer to you! :joint:

[NOKUY]

are you positive that its "hydrated lime"

there was a bag of hydrated lime right next to it...I didnt buy it because it said "hydrated lime"...that bag was really really light compared to this one..this bag weighs 6#..that one maybe weighed 2#. (same size bag)

this one says for ingrediants: "derived from agricultural limestone"...thats all

I'm just trying to be sure here.

[inflorescence]

Dignan, where do you see that that product is hydrated lime? it looks like dolomite lime to me because it has caco3 and mgco3.
Hydrated lime has hydroxides (OH's) which cause the pH to shoot up to rapidly. I don't see any hydroxides listed.

And Bulénath and NOKUY, the gallon refers to a gallon of peat not mixed with perlite because the perlite is pH neutral therefore doesn't need to be considered in the calculation for the buffer (lime).

[NOKUY]

inflorescence

does that added bit above make any more sense of it?

[NOKUY]

"sproutco" told me that this looks like "dolomite lime"...so I'm gonna go w/ that unless someone is certain otherwise.

[NuggyBuds]

definatly dolomite limestone.

http://www.fertilome.com/MSDS/HiYield/Fertilizers/HY%20Agricultural%20Limestone% 20MSDS.pdf

Formula: Ca-C-O3 and Mg-C-O3

:joint:

[Guest]

definatly dolomite limestone.
http://www.fertilome.com/MSDS/HiYield/Fertilizers/HY%20Agricultural%20Limestone% 20MSDS.pdf
:joint:
Calcium Carbonate. :wave:\
Agricultural Limestone is manufactured from a dolomitic (Calcium Carbonate • Magnesium Carbonate) quarry at our Catanach plant, Malvern, Pennsylvania. It is a finely particled, tan product and is used in a variety of agricultural applications.

Different agricultural liming materials have different values. The value of agricultural limestone varies with the geological source of the limestone and how the limestone is processed. The geological source of the limestone determines how much calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, capable of neutralizing soil acidity, is in a ton of the material. The amount of these two carbonates determines the total neutralizing value (TNV) of the limestone. The processing of the limestone determines how fine the particles in the finished product are, which determines how fast the limestone will react with the acids in the soil to increase the soil pH.



Not the same as:
Dolomite Lime
For raising the pH of acid soils and preventing calcium and magnesium deficiency.

Features
Increased soil pH allows more nutrients to be available to plants.
Helps improve soil structure & promotes composting of organic matter. Also contains magnesium, which is an important trace element.

Ingredients
Calcium magnesium carbonate

Directions for use
One adult handful holds approximately 100g.

Apply Dolomite once per year at the rate of:

Garden Beds - use between 100 grams and 500 grams per square metre - the lower rate for sandy soils, the higher rate for heavy organic soils. Repeat after 6 months if necessary.

Lawns - apply an equal amount of Dolomite in Winter to the total amount of lawn food applied during the year.

Precautions
Do not apply Dolomite in close proximity to acid loving plants.

[NOKUY]

ok now i'm gettin confused...so is it or isnt it? (dolemite lime)

[Dignan]

Sorry guys, away for several hours... yeah, you're right, it's not the hydrated lime that I thought. Not sure if it's dolo or not. Sorry for the confusion.

Dig

[Guest]

ok now i'm gettin confused...so is it or isnt it? (dolemite lime)
Dolomite lime is the fine powder. Dolomitic means it is derived from.

Dolomite lime is a fine chemical powder and applied sparingly.

Dolomitic (lime derrived from something) is applied at the labelled rate because it has to disolve or break down something to make it usable by the plant. Therefore it is slow acting because it is released as something breaks down.

Basically same thing - dolomitic lime can be anything from limestone to pure calcium carbonate. Follow label and you should be OK, but it's slow acting - don't expect results overnight.

We always look for Garden Dolomite Lime, with a calcium AND magnesium percentage as close to 50% of each as you can get. The rest may be unwanted additives depending on how you're using it,as is usually the case with agricultural lime.

Your label looks fine for both calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate.

A little more background:
Farmers can have unstable liming results despite following recommended application rates and procedures. Limestone's properties differ considerably, and these differences influence the limestone's ability to neutralize soil acidity. Effectiveness depends on the purity of the liming material and how finely it is ground.

The purity of lime is rated by a laboratory's measurement of a Calcium Carbonate Equivalent (CCE), which is expressed as a weight percentage of the material. CCE also reflects the chemicals present in the limestone (calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, etc.). Lower CCE values indicate more lime is needed to neutralize the soil's acidity.

Lime is not soluble in water, so particles must be finely ground to neutralize soil acidity in an agronomically reasonable period of time. Time required for dissolving individual particles increases dramatically with relatively small increases in the diameter of the particle.

Crushing limestone for the agricultural market is expensive. Some quarries specialize in limestone rock sizes that produce small by-products that are more coarse than the normal agricultural limestone size. These materials may be easier to handle and have better storage properties than the finely ground agricultural liming materials. Handling or storage properties, however, are not indicators of the quality of liming material and have no functions in soil chemistry and fertility.

Lime particles larger than a 10-mesh size do not change the soil pH and have no function in soils. Half the limestone particles that pass a 10-mesh sieve, but not through a 60-mesh sieve, will dissolve and neutralize soil acidity in a reasonable period of time. Particles finer than 60 mesh neutralize soil acidity in relatively short time periods.

So we get the finest and purest powder we can to speed the process.

[NOKUY]

Lime particles larger than a 10-mesh size do not change the soil pH and have no function in soils. Half the limestone particles that pass a 10-mesh sieve, but not through a 60-mesh sieve, will dissolve and neutralize soil acidity in a reasonable period of time. Particles finer than 60 mesh neutralize soil acidity in relatively short time periods.

So we get the finest and purest powder we can to speed the process.


here is what the bag says in relation to that:

http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/14504lime3-thumb.JPG (http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/14504lime3.JPG)

I'm guessing I can use this just like "dolomite lime" am I right?

would crushing it down further on my own be beneficial?

sorry if I'm bein nit-piky, I just wanna be sure to do things right?

[Guest]

:wave: The finer the particles the faster it will work. Ideally you want all the particles the same size so you don't have a "time release" effect that you can't control, that's why garden lime is used rather than agricultural lime. Finer powder for containers and pots, agricultural lime for lawns and formal garden landscaping.

Your product passes at least 60% at 60 mesh, you should be good to go.

[Pops]

The particle size on that,Yukon, is fine just the way it is.

[NOKUY]

good deal and thanks guys!!..I do feel better now.

[inflorescence]

http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/8277lime_mesh_effect_on_ph-thumb.jpg (http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/8277lime_mesh_effect_on_ph.jpg )

For 3-5 month plants like MJ go for the finest powder avail. Yes, you can buy silk screens and sift whatever size you need. Greatest advantage to this is for seedlings in order to achieve the proper soil pH initially.

For perennials, the mixture of small and large particles is good for a timed release because you need to buffer the soils pH for a longer period of time as well as buffer it initially.

[inflorescence]

Samples of different promixes with and without added dolomite.
All samples are sealed in tupperware containers.
This is without the addition of nutes.

My tap is ~8 pH.
On the chart I started with 1/16 tsp dolomite added to my 4 tbsps of promix, then after 7 days I added another 1/16 tsp to get it to 1/8 tsp total thats why the graph has some gaps in it.

I calculated that 1/16 tsp of dolomite to 4 Tbsps of soil(les) medium approximated 1 tbsp dolomite to 1 gallon soil(les) medium. It's a close approximation because 1/16 tsp =0.3 ml and .23 ml dolomite to 4 TBS soil(les) medium would equal 1 TBS dolomite/1 gallon soil(les) medium.

Work in progress.
http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/8277dolomite-thumb.gif (http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/8277dolomite.gif)

[Guest]

:yes: :headbange :listen2: