Dolomite Lime: Did I buy the right stuff?

[elduderito]

I've seen dolomite lime in various organic soil mixes since the overgrow days... most people would say that soil need to have lime added every two cycles...

 

[Mrb53]

Stop with the slurry test. Get SOIL TEST KIT...There is no reason to add lime to FFOF...unless you are recycling it for future grow. If you need calcium, get cal/mag

 

[BillFarthing]

FFOF is perfectly fine soil without amending. They already did the homework for you.

Messing with something that already works is going to be nothing but headaches for you.

 

[Oldchucky]

Yep! I Would already have a headache after paying 30 bucks a bag! Ouch!

 

[Oldchucky]

At those prices, I’d keep reusing it until they planted me in it! Good luck, gurtgurt!

 

[Galvatron]

A 25 lb. bag was less that $10.00 at a local gardening store.

 

[Oldchucky]

Gurt Said ffof 30 bucks a bag. Evidently it depends on what part of the world you live in.

 

[mancorn]

There’s a million online articles about adding lime to your soil - all with better advice then you’ll get from a weed forum. Almost universally the advice is to have a soil test done (not just testing your pH) before you even think about adding lime to your garden or lawn. But really, paying $60 to test a $30 bag of dirt is silly. Especially since it will take months for lime to adjust your pH, which is why most people lime in the Fall so it will be available for the next growing season. Lime should to be fully incorporated into the soil, not used as a top dressing, which is another reason it’s most often applied after a harvest.

Using Limestone for Gardens | How Much Lime to Add to Soil

Learn how lime helps your gardens reach their full potential, how much lime to add to soil, when to apply lime and more! Discover our lime products today!

www.bakerlime.com

 

[Oldchucky]

I agree. But when you’re two or three years into the same dirt a test will help to give you a solid baseline to work from. A dumb ass like me needs to Eliminate as much guesswork as possible. There will still be plenty of guessing games left to play! Don’t have the experience to just start chucking things in.But have to admit I do it anyway! Can’t help it!

 

[Mrb53]

Harris seed co test kit...click on line below
medium test kit

I got free express ship with coupon DONTGO

 

[mancorn]

I agree. But when you’re two or three years into the same dirt a test will help to give you a solid baseline to work from. A dumb ass like me needs to Eliminate as much guesswork as possible. There will still be plenty of guessing games left to play! Don’t have the experience to just start chucking things in.But have to admit I do it anyway! Can’t help it!

Oh for sure. If you’re outdoors in beds or the ground it makes sense. My impression from OP was they had a bag (“1.5 cu ft soil”) of new FFOF.

 

[Oldchucky]

You’re right. That’s the impression they gave. Said the run off with five with new FFOF. Shouldn’t have to Mess with new soil.So something is wrong with Whatever is being put into the soil or bunk Readings from instruments.op Was looking for advice on pens so that could be the problem. OP needs to elaborate.

 

[chillkoots1]

I use this and epson salts:

Miller Calcium Chelate prevents and cures blossom end rot on tomoates!

Miller Calcium Chelate FOR TREATMENT OF SOILS AND CROPS WHERE CALCIUM DEFICIENCY IS DIAGNOSED OR SUSPECTED. Black spots on your tomatoes is an indication of calcium deficiency.

www.berryhilldrip.com

 

[Gurtgurt]

Unfortunately, due to my impatience, the damage is already done. Meaning: the lime I bought is already mixed into the new soil. I transplanted the plants yesterday.

It seems I made a poor choice. Given that, can someone tell me maybe what problems I might expect and perhaps a remedy? Is this irreversible damage?

 

[Oldchucky]

According to Italian kind, they’ll probably be OK. Kick back and watch.

 

[BillFarthing]

I use this and epson salts:

Miller Calcium Chelate prevents and cures blossom end rot on tomoates!

Miller Calcium Chelate FOR TREATMENT OF SOILS AND CROPS WHERE CALCIUM DEFICIENCY IS DIAGNOSED OR SUSPECTED. Black spots on your tomatoes is an indication of calcium deficiency.

www.berryhilldrip.com

Miller Chemical is a good company and makes one of my favorite kelp extracts. However, EDTA in your calcium supplement is not natural or "organic".

I would suggest calcium acetate like KNF Cal Phos or from bulksupplements.com and a high quality fulvic acid like Mr. Fulvic for the equivalent non-chemical product.

 

[TheItalianKind]

gutgurt-

First of all…….25% perlite is getting excessive for Ocean Forest ime. It’s all personal preference and 25% is not gonna hurt. Next time 10% or 15% is outstanding ime.

Please post pics of your ladies, I can diagnose a calcium toxicity easily. Forget all this talk with respect about soul testing! All you need to worry about right now is properly watering your plants, your environment and investing in a great ph meter and

I’ve used Oakton religiously for the past 18 years for PH. All of the big companies make great meters that unfortunately are all made in China . If your a patriot like me good luck getting a USA made meter that doesn’t cost a fortune.
I’d highly recommend the Oakton PH Testr 30. It’s what I’ve used for 18 months now to replace previous Oaktons that still work beautifully.
Get the model with the 3 vertical buttons and aggressively shop online to get a new one for under $100.00. check eBay and buy the calibration kit on eBay that comes with 3m KCL solution and two bottles of PH calibration solution(7 & 4) for $30 bucks. The 3m KCL solution will increase the sensitivity/accuracy of your electrode and the life. Even if you use AN Ph perfect nutes you need a good ph tester for serious growing.

For an ec/ppm meter you have allot of choices that are acceptable without spending any real money. Just make sure it has a 4 digit screen so you can accurately read over 999ppm. Unless you go got the high end EC probes you shouldn’t spend more than $30.

Good luck man. Your first successful harvest is almost as great as the first time yooz get laid.

 

[mysticepipedon]

Unfortunately, due to my impatience, the damage is already done. Meaning: the lime I bought is already mixed into the new soil. I transplanted the plants yesterday.

It seems I made a poor choice. Given that, can someone tell me maybe what problems I might expect and perhaps a remedy? Is this irreversible damage?

Don't sweat it. You might see some high pH issues and Ca also can block other nutrients. Just keep an eye on things.

High pH can look similar to low pH — what happens is immobile nutrients become less available and you may have lighter colored growing points or growing points with "striped" leaves (interveinal chlorosis).

Check the Mulder chart to learn about potential interactions from too much Ca or Mg:

Fig. 6.2 Mulder's chart shows some of the interactions between plant...

Download scientific diagram | 2 Mulder's chart shows some of the interactions between plant nutrients. Interaction: A decrease in availability to the plant of a nutrient by the action of another nutrient (see direction of arrow). Stimulation: An increase in the need for a nutrient by the plant...

www.researchgate.net

For the future, the main ingredient of limestone is CaCO3. The main ingredients of dolomite (dolomitic limestone) is CaCO3 and MgCO3, with roughly 85% CaCO3 and 15% MgCO3. This is fortunate, because those are the relative levels of Ca and Mg most plants want.

These carbonates are slowly soluble, so they can last through a grow and serve as buffers for both pH, Ca and Mg. When acidity increases, more lime or dolomite will dissolve and increase the pH again. When plants take up Ca and Mg from the soil, the solid dolomite will release a little more.

CaO and MgO are "quick limes." They dissolve quickly in water and are can cause chemical burns to skin. When in soil, they dissolve first and provide Ca and Mg to plants quickly. They can change pH fast — a little too fast, sometimes.

 

[TheItalianKind]

Hey Mysticep. - With all due respect that isn’t true about ideal ratios, definitely not my experience over the past decades. Cannabis in general likes the opposite ratio of calcium and magnesium in flower that Dolomite lime has!
Around 3:1 calcium:magnesium is more optimum for cannabis. This is why big soil companies like FoxFarm add Dolomite and Oyster shell.

 

[Gurtgurt]

Since you asked so nicely, here are pictures. Beginning 4th week after sprout. Transplanted 4 days ago. Definitely see some coloring at tips and not growing super fast.

Yes, the FFOF was 30 bucks at the garden store, and I've already added the poison lime the the whole thing, along with perlite. Woops.