Advice on dolomite lime

[Webster10]

Hello everyone, I need some advice on the use of lime as a pH buffer. I am going to be using a mix of 70% FFOF 30% Perlite. I have heard some discouraging things about FFOF recently such as the pH has been very low in some bags. I live on the east coast BTW.
Could and should I add some "Pennington's fast acting lime." And if so, I'm thinking about adding ~7tbs of lime to 5 gallons of my soil mix. Thank you everyone for taking the time to answer, it really is appreciated.

 

[BurnOne]

No! Don't use fast acting (hydrated) lime.
I've used powdered dolomite lime for years with no ill effects, but not for pH adjustment. I use it for calcium and magnesium. If you have a diverse, living grow medium with lots of humates and a thriving microherd you'll never have to use the p word again.
If this is your first time growing organic, I made a sticky thread in the top of this forum just for you. Check it out and let us know if you have any more questions.
Better to have a plan before you plant.
Burn1

 

[SG1]

Well said!
OLS FTW

 

[Webster10]

Thanks for the advice, Burn One. I have read through your organics for beginners sticky many times. However, unfortunately, do not have the time nor resources to make my own grow medium. Would epsoma garden lime be a viable option? Thanks again, Burn One.

 

[BurnOne]

Would epsoma garden lime be a viable option?

No. It's pellet dolomite.
Every time I'm in Lowes or Home Depot I can find powdered dolomite lime. Every single time.
Burn1

 

[Webster10]

Thanks for the info man. It is much appreciated and I'll let you guys know how it goes.

 

[Scrappy4]

Dolomite lime is for adding magnesium to soils in the farm world. Most soils do not need extra magnesium, and too much causes problems. I haven't used dolomite lime in years. Lots of grower problems are caused by too much magnesium IMHO. Then adding cal mag, the normal hydro store fix, just takes you quickly to no wheresville.

Instead there are plenty of alternatives. Calcium is a very abundant element and is in a lot of botanicals. Look at comfrey, kelp, alfalfa and you will see lots of calcium. It's also in gypsum, and oyster shells, two sources that are easy to find in feed stores. Oyster shells are also chicken feed, and have numerous trace elements from the ocean. Gypsum is calcium sulfate and found wherever lime is found. And don't let the sulfate scare you, it's needed by plants and contributes to the various aromas in our special herb.

My main point is calcium is available from multiple sources, and multiple sources provides diversity another important point to consider. Diverse sources will have diverse trace minerals, diverse break down times and so on.

 

[Webster10]

Thanks for the advice. I have heard excess magnesium can cause a manganese lockout. I have already experienced a pretty sever manganese deficiency a month or so ago. I'm thinking i'm going to skip the lime actually and just buy some botanicare cal-mag +

 

[SpaaaceCowboy]

No. It's pellet dolomite.
Every time I'm in Lowes or Home Depot I can find powdered dolomite lime. Every single time.
Burn1

Awww nuts....I just mixed up my latest soil mix, and I think I tossed this in.....I know the bag said garden lime...I'll have to double check.

 

[Luther Burbank]

Pelleted will just take longer to dissolve and breakdown. Check the percentages, some garden lime isn't dolomitic. Hydrated should be avoided because of how quickly it releases.

 

[SpaaaceCowboy]

Pelleted will just take longer to dissolve and breakdown. Check the percentages, some garden lime isn't dolomitic. Hydrated should be avoided because of how quickly it releases.

I took these pics of the lime I got....Thoughts ?

 

[ssq.talker]

Use chalk to set your pH.

 

[VerdantGreen]

wouldn't fox farms be already limed if it was a ready made soil?

 

[Scrappy4]

wouldn't fox farms be already limed if it was a ready made soil?

I believe your correct. I know pro mix has lime in it.

I also believe adding lime is the biggest cause of problems in organic soil growing.

I have 8 plants in flower, there in 15 gallon pots of soil mixed 4 years ago. I checked soil ph with a soil probe type meter and found readings from 5 to 6.2. The plants are thriving despite being watered with ph 8.5 water. But there are rock dusts, crab meal, gypsum, and there have been tons of botanical ingredients that contain calcium. The soil did have a light lime dose at the start ( I wouldn't bother now) but no lime since. Because it's not needed in a diverse organic soil. While calcium is important, it's not hard to find in nutrients commonly available to most gardeners.

Organic soil growers need to ignore hydro type chemical growing and trust the microbial life in the soil to do what nature intended.

If you have good diverse nutrients available, a microbe rich and friendly soil most grows are pretty much on auto.

 

[BurnOne]

I also believe adding lime is the biggest cause of problems in organic soil growing.

I've never had a problem with it.
Burn1

 

[RB56]

Pelleted will just take longer to dissolve and breakdown. Check the percentages, some garden lime isn't dolomitic. Hydrated should be avoided because of how quickly it releases.

I use the same brand of dolomite lime all the time. It is very loosely "pelletized". I disolve it in water, but even mixed in dry it will break down into tiny particles the first time it gets wet.

 

[Scrappy4]

I've never had a problem with it.
Burn1

I noticed a lot of my mystery problems disappeared when I replace lime with other calcium sources. I don't think it's the lime so much as the magnesium. A diverse mix has plenty of magnesium, and I think those mystery problems that have growers scratching their heads and looking at more and more bizarre deficiencies/toxicities trying to find a cure for having too much magnesium, and then end up pouring on cal/mag, lol.

Try this to see. Grow using your normal routine with lime. Then reamend with dolomite lime for another consecutive grow in that pot with that soil. And see what kind of mystery problems might sprout their heads. See if they might look familiar.

And do another grow without adding more lime to the soil. If the plant did well in cycle one, cycle two should go even better.

 

[DemonTrich]

I use FFOF amended with 30% large perlite and 1 cup powdered dolomite lime (12.00 for a 50lb bag at my local hydro shop) per bag of OF. been using it this way for 2 years and never any issues.

 

[Scrappy4]

I use FFOF amended with 30% large perlite and 1 cup powdered dolomite lime (12.00 for a 50lb bag at my local hydro shop) per bag of OF. been using it this way for 2 years and never any issues.

Are you reusing your soil? If yes, do you re amend?

 

[JediMasterVon]

I used dolomite lime for years and yes things went OK BUT when I started using other source of calcium carbonate and relied on just my EWC for my magnesium needs the results were stellar. You just have to get time under your belt and things will play out for you.

V