Stores often sell useful fertilizer, which few gardeners know how to use correctly. Let's figure out why dolomite flour is good, what it is and how to use it for the benefit of the site.
This is a natural substance that is used in gardening as a soil improver. Flour is produced from a solid mineral - dolomite, the deposits of which are in the Urals, Buryatia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. It is ground on stone crushing machines and in powder form it goes on sale under the name “Dolomite flour”.
Application to the soil:
Many gardeners have noticed that after adding fertilizer to the beds, the yield of most plants increases.
From chemical formula CaMg(CO2) shows that the fertilizer contains two elements necessary for any plant: calcium and magnesium. But the main beneficial property of dolomite flour is its ability to influence soil pH.
Ground dolomite:
The pH value depends on the presence of hydrogen ions in the soil. Calcium binds hydrogen particles and the earth becomes more alkaline. Most plants grow and bear fruit poorly on overly acidic soil. cultivated plants, therefore, alkalization once every 3-4 years has a positive effect on yield.
Substrates rich in calcium have a “regular” structure - they are finely lumpy or granular. These are chernozems - ideal soils for agriculture. In chernozems, the roots breathe well. The structure of calcium-rich soils makes it possible to maintain an optimal water/air ratio for plants in the root layer.
If the soil on the site “floats”, becomes crusty after each watering, does not allow water to pass through well, or the soil is too loose and becomes dry again within a few minutes after watering, then this means that the soil does not have the correct mechanical structure and needs to be added with dolomite.
Ground dolomite is suitable for acidic soils. Substrates with a pH below 5 are considered acidic. Dolomite flour will be useful if the soil on the site is:
To determine the acidity of the soil, reagent kits sold in garden stores are used. You need to work with them according to the instructions. Typically, stores offer indicator paper that changes color. If the soil is acidic, the paper placed in a glass of soil solution will turn yellow or pink. A change in paper color to green or blue indicates an alkaline reaction.
Experienced gardeners determine soil acidity by looking at weeds. It’s great if there are a lot of nettles, clover and chamomile on the site - this indicates a slightly acidic reaction that is optimal for most garden plants. The abundance of plantain, moss, horsetail, mint and sorrel indicates acidification.
Ground dolomite can be used everywhere: in open ground, temporary structures and permanent greenhouses.
There are 2 ways to enter DM:
When scattered over the surface without embedding into the soil, results can be expected no earlier than in a year. In order for the additive to act faster, dolomite must be mixed evenly with the root layer. To do this, it is scattered over the garden bed and then dug up.
You cannot add a deacidification additive and manure – humus at the same time. If the bed needs to be fertilized with organic matter and deoxidized, then keep in mind that the interval between adding humus and dolomite should be at least 3 days.
No matter how good dolomite flour is, slaked lime – fluff – is often used to deoxidize the soil. The reason is that lime is easier to buy because it is less expensive and is more commonly found on sale.
Unlike lime, dolomite flour does not burn plants, does not leave white streaks on them and does not spoil appearance plantings, so it can be scattered over the surface of the lawn or flower bed. Decorative white clover, which is used as a ground cover plant and a component of a Moorish lawn, responds well to the application of ground dolomite.
Dolomite application rates depending on soil acidity:
| Ph of soil solution | Flour per hundred square meters in kg |
| 4, 5 and less | 50 |
| 4,5-5,2 | 45 |
| 5,2-5,7 | 35 |
Different crops respond differently to fertilizer. Some plants cannot tolerate it. The tolerance of the fertilizer depends on the plants' requirements for soil acidity.
Dolomite is a rock that is 95% composed of the mineral dolomite. The main features of such rocks were first described by the French geological engineer Dolomier, from whose surname the mineral got its name. At specialized enterprises, large rock stones are ground into flour, dried, and stored packaged in bags and sacks. Gardeners interested in improving the soil use dolomite flour as a fertilizer and a means to reduce soil acidity in their gardens.
Chemical reactions occurring in the soil can negatively affect the ability of plants to absorb nutrients beneficial for their growth and development. As a result of such reactions, free hydrogen ions accumulate in the soil, which block the access of necessary substances to the root system of the plant. Acidity is determined by the amount of hydrogen compounds in the soil (pH). This value can be determined in special laboratories.
Vegetables and fruit crops prefer soils with a neutral or alkaline pH. A pH value of 7.0 is considered neutral, a figure below this value indicates increased acidity soil, if it is above this mark, then the soil is alkaline.
Attention! Even within one summer cottage this indicator may differ significantly; soil samples for laboratory determination of pH must be taken from several small areas.
If it is determined that the soil composition has a pH value below 7.0, it should be neutralized using dolomite flour. The video explains in detail how to do this correctly, in addition, you can see with your own eyes the whole process of adding dolomite flour to the soil.
Apply the substance depending on the acidity of the soil
Dolomite flour rocks has many beneficial properties that have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of vegetables and fruits, fruit trees and shrubs:
Advice. If it is impossible to determine the acidity of the soil in the laboratory, you can use folk remedies: vinegar or grape juice, after all high accuracy The pH of small summer cottages is not required.
The timing of adding flour is not regulated: in spring, summer or autumn you can use it in garden plots and vegetable gardens:
Flour should be added only to acidified areas of soil; it is not recommended to do this in neutral and alkaline soils. Such uncontrolled use can negatively affect plant growth and bed productivity due to excess calcium.
Flour can be used in greenhouses, adding only 100 g per 1 square meter. There is no need to dig up the earth after this, since flour retards the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the earth, which for plants planted in indoors very important.
All kinds of plants are grown in vegetable gardens and orchards, all of them prefer different composition soil: acidic, neutral or alkaline, so you need to have a specific approach to each crop. If necessary, apply dolomite only to areas where it is required.
The use of dolomite flour helps to increase productivity and excellent plant growth, be patient and use it constantly. In 2-3 years, after the quality of the soil has improved, you will notice this, and you will not regret the labor and time spent; your pets will only delight you with their fertility.
Most summer residents use slaked lime to deoxidize the soil and saturate it with calcium. But to avoid negative consequences for plants, it has to be applied in the fall and wait, otherwise the crops will not absorb phosphorus, which means a lack of harvest and sick plants.
There are more good decision– lime dolomite flour for use in gardening. This is a natural substance that is extracted from a natural mineral. Its effect on the soil and plants is milder and therefore safer.
To understand the principle of action of the fertilizer, you first need to understand what dolomite flour is, why it is needed in the garden, what beneficial features transmits to the soil.
Lime flour is used to deoxidize the soil so that nutrients found in an acidic environment can enter plant tissue. First of all, it is phosphorus.
If the acidity level exceeds acceptable standards, the root system is not able to absorb phosphates and develop. Consequently, the plant does not receive most of the minerals through its roots that are necessary for growth and fruiting.
Dolomite flour contains calcium and magnesium oxides. Due to carbonates in the soil, an acid neutralization reaction occurs. Calcium helps strengthen the walls of the tubules through which nutrients flow and the plant actively grows.
The macroelement also affects the taste and nutritional characteristics of fruits and promotes uniform ripening.
Fruits that have received carbonates in sufficient quantities withstand storage well.
On light soils - sandstones and sandy loams - magnesium and calcium behave mobilely. Every year, up to 8 g of magnesium is washed out with rain. To maintain redox reactions in light soil, these substances must be added additionally.
On heavy soils, where water movement is difficult, calcium and magnesium are retained, so the deficiency is less felt.
Therefore, how to use dolomite flour in the garden, when to add it to the soil - in autumn or spring - must be decided based on the characteristics of the soil itself. Check it for acidity first.
When carbonates enter very acidic soil, they raise its pH to slightly acidic. If you accidentally add it to neutral soil, the soil will be alkaline - not all garden crops will like this. For example, even with neutral soil you can’t expect a cucumber harvest, not to mention alkaline soil.
You can test the soil for acidity in three ways:
Most affordable option- test with vinegar. Acid does not interact with acid, so if you pour vinegar on a handful of soil, it will simply be absorbed. This means that the soil is acidified and measures need to be taken.
If there are carbonates in the soil, a reaction will occur, releasing carbon dioxide, which will be accompanied by hissing. This means that you can wait until the soil is deoxidized with dolomite flour.
Nutrients in the form of carbonates are also contained in other fertilizers that are applied to the soil for deoxidation:
It is often not recommended to use chalk as a fertilizer, because it is poorly soluble in water, so it clogs the soil rather than benefits it. After lime, some time must pass before plants can be grown in the garden bed. If you overdo it, the soil will not be suitable for planting for another 2–3 years.
Eggshells and wood ash – natural materials, but a lot of them are needed to carry out high-quality cultivation of the land. Deoxidizing the soil with ash is a questionable undertaking, since the calcium content depends on what is burned.
It’s not always possible to find hardwood, and it’s a shame to waste it. Although ash contains a lot of different microelements, it is better to use it for feeding. eggshell you also need a lot, in addition, it takes a long time to dissolve, so you definitely won’t be able to completely reduce the acidity with eggs.
Cement dust has alkaline reaction and deoxidizes the soil, in addition it contains about 8% potassium. Some summer residents are afraid to use it in their garden beds, since cement production is one of the most harmful, and the consequences for the body can be unpredictable in terms of oncology.
Interesting! The green manure plant phacelia is planted as a deoxidizer. But this method is acceptable when the soil has a slightly acidic reaction. If there is a large amount of acid, green manure needs to be sown for several years in a row.
What remains is dolomite. It is the safest and cheapest - if you compare what is better in price - dolomite flour or lime, then it is definitely the first. And not just for the price.
Use of dolomite flour for garden plot does not have any time limits. It is even applied in the snow - dissolving in water, the minerals enter the soil.
The only limitation that dolomite has is that it cannot be applied at the same time as manure.
If dolomite flour, the use of which in the fall at the dacha is strictly necessary, is added with manure, then this must be done in different time: first flour, after 2 weeks manure. You can't mix them.
Instructions for using dolomite flour are strictly prohibits the use of this fertilizer with:
These are acidic chemical fertilizers; if mixed with alkaline dolomite, a reaction occurs and hard-to-reach substances are formed that plants cannot absorb. As a result, all fertilizing will be neutralized.
Video: Dolomite flour for a rich harvest
Regarding superphosphate, whether it can be mixed with dolomite, controversy arises. This can and even should be done. Superphosphate mixed with urea, as described above, is solid, but to avoid hardening of the fertilizers, add chalk, lime or dolomite flour to the mixture in a ratio of 20% by weight of phosphates.
How to add dolomite flour to the soil is indicated in the instructions, but just in case there are a few more tips and methods.
When to deposit dolomite flour into the soil:
In spring, the powder is scattered evenly throughout the garden and dug up on the bayonet of a shovel.
After it dissolves in water, the soil is ready for planting. In the fall, everything happens about the same, but after liming, organic matter is added two weeks later. Since both one fertilizer and the second are used once every three years, you can use dolomite in the first year, and add organic matter in the second.
Adding dolomite flour in the fall helps attract earthworms to the site, which loosen the soil, and also helps get rid of pest beetles. The fact is that dolomite destroys the chitinous cover of insects, causing burns of soft tissues, from which they die.
Before you start using dolomite flour in the garden in the spring, you need to determine the type of soil and calculate how much powder is needed per square meter.
There are standards for applying dolomite flour:
Take into account the type of soil - in heavy loams and clayey soils add 15% more powder.
The following fruits do not bear fruit in acidic soil: beets, cabbage, and alfalfa. A weak acid reaction is needed for cucumbers, onions, legumes, corn, and potatoes. Carrots, radishes and tomatoes are not afraid of acid, but it is better when it is normal.
Important! Blueberries, blackberries and cranberries, as well as gooseberries and sorrel, are afraid of liming. They prefer to grow in acidic soils
Stone fruit trees respond positively to liming and produce good harvests year after year. The greatest effect should be expected in the second year after the soil alkalization procedure.
In order to defeat scab and cabbage clubroot, make the following mixture: add 8 g per 1 kg of dolomite powder boric acid. Then they add according to the norms. This mixture is sometimes added copper sulfate in the amount of half a teaspoon per kilogram.
A liquid fertilizer is made from dolomite lime so that the plants receive magnesium. For this take a liter jar of powder for a bucket of water and dissolve it. The resulting milk is watered at the roots of the plants. The solution is also used in the greenhouse.
Before planting potatoes, you can pre-spray the powder and dig it up during the planting process. It is advisable to reduce the dosage by half with this method.
Video: Adding dolomite flour
When asked what kind of dolomite lime is needed to deoxidize the soil: only finely ground, because this way it dissolves faster in water and goes into root system. To combat pests, such fine dust is dusted on the leaves to kill flies, butterflies and beetles.
Dolomite is mixed with ash to simultaneously feed the plants with microelements and reduce the acidity of the soil. Carry out the procedure better in autumn so that the ash has time to decompose by soil microorganisms. In this case, take 20% less powder than indicated in the dosages for this type of soil. This 20% is compensated by the ash additive.
Did you like the article? Share with your friends:
Hello, dear readers! I am the creator of the Fertilizers.NET project. I am glad to see each of you on its pages. I hope the information from the article was useful. Always open to communication - comments, suggestions, what else you want to see on the site, and even criticism, you can write to me on VKontakte, Instagram or Facebook (round icons below). Peace and happiness to everyone! 🙂
Fertilizers are used for normal growth and maturation of various crops. It is not uncommon to hear from experienced specialists and agricultural enthusiasts about dolomite flour as a lime fertilizer. We will tell our readers what dolomite flour is, its composition, how it is used and what crops it is suitable for.
Lime fertilizer made from dolomite flour is an ideal bait for crops such as beets, carrots, and onions. buckwheat, alfalfa, potatoes, flax, clover, etc.
Dolomite flour consists of a fine powder of light gray, brown or white. Bait composition: limestone + boric acid. The composition of boric acid from different manufacturers may vary from 5 to 10 g per 1 kg of limestone. Since the composition includes boric acid, dolomite flour is often used to disinfect and protect plants from insect pests. The limestone included in the composition is an excellent bait for various crops. They began to use it more than 50 years ago, first on large agricultural lands, then on any private plot. The fertilizer is inexpensive, but brings a lot of benefits.
Dolomite flour can be added to any type of soil open beds or in greenhouses. Use is especially effective for sandy or sandy loam soil. Since when used, the soil is enriched with magnesium. There is no point in using it on neutral ground.
It is necessary to add dolomite flour once every 3-4 years, since the effect is long-term. After using dolomite flour, the soil acquires a number of positive qualities:
The benefits of dolomite lime are undeniable. But for correct processing it is necessary to apply fertilizer correctly.
It is necessary to apply lime fertilizer in accordance with the type of soil. It is necessary to take into account the acidity of the soil. Read more about the rates of lime application depending on the type of soil in the table:
When applying, it is important to take into account not only the acidity, but also the lightness of the soil. So, if the soil is light, then the dosage must be reduced by 1.5 times; for heavy clay soil, 10-15% of the total norm is added. In order for the effect to be the same, you must try to cultivate the land evenly. If you add the required proportions of ash, the effectiveness can last up to 5 years, and on dense soil up to 8 years.
To obtain greater efficiency, copper sulfate and boric acid are added to the soil along with dolomite flour. Microfertilizers will enhance the effects of dolomite.
More details on how to apply bait can be seen in the video:
All crops for which dolomite flour is applied, according to their reaction to fertilizers, are conventionally divided into several groups:
Before applying fertilizer, you need to analyze the soil in your area:
During liming, it is important to evenly apply fertilizer to the soil and incorporate it into upper layer. To do this, after application, the soil of the top layer is mixed to a depth of 15-20 cm. If the incorporation is not carried out, the result will not occur earlier than in a year. For greater efficiency and to reduce acidity, you can add dolomite along with manure, but you cannot mix them. lime flour is added first, then manure and everything is dug up. Application: Dolomite - 200-500 g/m2, manure - 4-5 kg/m2.
Dolomite flour does not damage or burn the stems and leaves of crops, so it can be used on lawns and in grazing areas. Fertilizer can be applied in any season, but it is easier to do it in the fall after harvesting. Apply every few years, but in acidic soil it is better every year.
Norms and methods of application for various crops are shown in the table:
You cannot apply dolomite lime to crops: cranberries, gooseberries, blueberries, sorrel.
As we have already said, lime fertilizer is good to use with nitrogenous and mineral fertilizers, but there are exceptions with which mixing is unacceptable: urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, granulated superphosphate, double superphosphate.
The benefits of using lime fertilizer will be noticeable after different periods of time. Depends on factors:
The higher the acidity of the soil, the greater the amount of flour per 1 m 2 of soil. Since they disperse slowly in the soil, the maximum effect occurs after 1-2 years.
Mineral and organic baits become more effective after adding lime flour, so you can add them after processing at half the usual rate. A greater effect appears after treatment with the addition of acidic ammonia and potassium compounds.
According to the Mittleider method, lime flour must be added with a mixture: limestone or dolomite flour 1 kg + 7-8 g of boric acid. It is necessary to apply before digging for each crop separately or when changing one type to another. Together with the dolomite mixture it is proposed to add mineral fertilizers. If the soil is clayey and heavy, peat bogs and wetlands, then the application rates for a bed up to 1 m wide are 200 g per 1 m2, for light soil 100 g. If the soil is saline or alkaline, then you can use simple gypsum according to the same standards
Many greenhouses and agricultural complexes operate using the Mitlider method. They began to use it in private households relatively recently. Effectiveness occurs 1-2 years after application.
Before you buy the composition, you need to look at the shelf life of dolomite flour. the thing is that when correct storage the period is 2 years. But it is necessary to store bait in a dry room with a temperature not lower than +5 0 C. Unscrupulous sellers keep products in unheated warehouses in winter, where they lose a number of their qualities. It is difficult to determine this by eye before purchasing, so it is better to buy products that are fresh from the year of manufacture.
Dolomite flour is sold in large and small specialized stores, on the agricultural market or via the Internet. It is better to purchase from specialized centers. having previously asked the seller for a copy of the quality certificate for the product.
You can buy dolomite flour from the manufacturer, but the batch size must be at least 1 ton. The price will be lower. Dolomite flour is sold in packaged cellophane or paper bags weighing 1, 5, 10, 15 kg. 50-100 g and bulk in bags. For the convenience of readers, the price is presented in the table:
| Packing size | price, rub. |
| 50 g | From 20 |
| 100 g | From 35 |
| 1 kg | From 340 |
| 5 kg | From 1600 |
Dolomite lime in bulk in bags is cheaper (price from 135 rubles/kg), but it is more difficult for the seller to store it, and it is impossible for the buyer to determine the shelf life. It is safer to buy in original packaging in bags of 1 and 5 kg.
Dolomite flour, in addition to providing nutrients for plants, helps change the acidity of the soil, bringing it into line with the needs of the plants. Previously, lime flour was used for this purpose, but dolomite, unlike lime, contains much more nutrients and is often used as an addition to balanced fertilizers.
Dolomite is a mineral containing calcium and magnesium. Dolomite flour is produced by grinding dolomite to a powder consistency. Hence the name of the fertilizer. The best dolomite mixtures contain 8 to 12 percent magnesium and 18 to 22 percent calcium. These elements help deoxidize the soil and provide valuable nutrients for plants. Dolomite may contain sodium, but it should only be 0.2 percent or less. A large number of sodium can change the salinity of the soil, which will negatively affect plants.
Dolomite flour is used to increase soil pH (reduce acidity), in agriculture and gardening. By neutralizing acidity, plants can easily absorb nutrients. Dolomite also improves soil texture and helps convert other nutrients into convenient forms for absorption by the following vegetables:
Dolomite is best to use to reduce soil acidity. For example, heavy rains can lower pH levels, so applying this fertilizer is important aspect maintenance of a garden or summer cottage.
Most plants do best with an pH value between 6.0 and 7.4. If the soil registers a pH of 5.9 or lower, dolomite can help raise the pH to make the soil more suitable for plants. Some plants prefer acidic soils, so you need to check the needs of specific plants before adding dolomite. Some plants, especially vegetables with big amount seeds inside, such as tomatoes, need extra calcium as they grow, and dolomite is a great way to provide this nutrient.
When pH levels are too low, essential nutrients that most plants need remain unavailable to the plant.
The instructions for using dolomite flour state that it can be sprinkle on the ground at any time of the year, when there is no frost, but it is better to apply in spring or autumn. To do this, choose a day when no rain is forecast.
To deoxidize the soil, it is necessary to correctly determine the dolomite rate. For example, if the soil has a pH of 5.5 and needs to be raised closer to 6.5, add 5 kilograms of dolomite per 30 square meters space.
How much fertilizer you need to add depends on the pH level. If you don't have soil test results, it's usually safe to apply 250ml (1 cup) for every 15 square meters of area.
Before adding flour, you need to prepare the soil. Remove weeds and other unwanted vegetation, as well as rocks and fallen branches.
Wear protective gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and a mask. Scatter the dolomite over the surface of the ground using a rake to ensure even distribution.
Use a shovel to work the dolomite into the top 6 inches of soil. After application, wait at least two weeks before planting seeds or seedlings.
Things you will need:
The powdery and caustic nature of dolomite flour makes it a potential skin and lung irritant. When laying material, wear a mask, gloves, gown and trousers.
Research the soil needs of the plants you plan to grow in your garden. Some plants, including azaleas and blueberries, prefer high acidity.
Dolomite works as an antacid, buffering the soil and raising its pH level while providing magnesium and calcium.
How to use dolomite flour in the garden? It can only be used when you have a soil test showing magnesium deficiency. The test is the main way to find out if you need this fertilizer. Adding fertilizers that are not based on pH results does not make any sense.
Flour is scattered over the area, usually intended for planting vegetables, after which the soil is intensively loosened with a rake and shovel. If you follow the norm, you can apply it once every 1-2 months.
The use of dolomite during planting is usually the most effective way use of the product, although the dosage depends on the existing pH of the soil type and the desired pH level. Gardeners can also use this fertilizer to prevent disease by sprinkling a light dust around fruit tree annually in spring or autumn.
Gardeners often wonder: dolomite flour or lime, which is better? Moreover, lime is cheaper and is an alternative to dolomite, having the same properties to reduce acidity.
Yes, the effect of lime on acidity is stronger than that of dolomite, but lime after adding initial stage interferes with the absorption of nutrients by plants, especially phosphorus and nitrogen. Therefore, after adding lime, the soil should remain fallow for some time, that is, remain unsown. Dolomite can be replaced with limestone flour, but it should only be used in the off-season.
Attention, TODAY only!
