Dolomite Flour: What It Is, Its Composition, How To Use It In The Fall And Spring In The Garden And In Gardening. What Is Better To Add To The Soil - Lime Or Dolomite Flour?

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 05:33

Dolomite flour is a fertilizer in the form of powder or granules, which is used in construction, poultry farming and horticulture when growing various crops. The main function of such an additive is to stabilize the acidity of the soil and enrich the upper soil layers with minerals.

Properties and composition

Dolomite is a mineral from the carbonate class. Its chemical composition:

• CaO - 50%;
• MgO - 40%.

The mineral also consists of iron and manganese, sometimes zinc, nickel and cobalt are found in the composition in a small percentage. Dolomite is yellowish gray or light brown in color. Less common is a white mineral. Its density is 2.9 g / cm3, and its hardness ranges from 3.5 to 4.

Even in ancient times, people noticed that plants growing on lands rich in dolomite were actively developing and bearing fruit. Later, the mineral began to be mined and processed into flour, designed to enrich the soil with useful substances . This supplement contains a high percentage of calcium and magnesium. These minerals contribute to the active vegetation of crops and the receipt of abundant yields.

Limestone dolomite flour is made by grinding a mineral produced by nature. It does not need additional application of other fertilizers. Due to the moderate content of calcium and magnesium, these minerals do not accumulate in the soil. The additive dissolves perfectly and is evenly distributed over the upper soil layers.

Dolomite flour properties:

• enrichment and improvement of soil chemical parameters;
• creation of optimal conditions for the development of beneficial microflora;
• activation of the effectiveness of other mineral additives introduced into the soil;
• improving plant growth;
• protection and release of plant crops from free radicals;
• a destructive effect on harmful insects that damage the roots and foliage of garden crops (the mineral contributes to the destruction of the chitinous protective layer of pests).

Dolomite flour in the country or in the garden is needed to deoxidize the soil - to stabilize the acidic level of the soil.

Comparison with lime

Dolomite flour and lime are two mineral fertilizers for soil enrichment. Both of these additives are used by gardeners and gardeners to deoxidize the soil . However, there is a big difference between these fertilizers. Dolomite flour differs from lime in its calcium content. Dolomite contains 8% more of this component than lime.

Additionally, dolomite flour contains magnesium, which is not present in lime . This substance contributes to the active growth of plants and the prevention of fungal diseases. Dolomite flour, unlike lime, accelerates the development of the root system of horticultural crops. Magnesium included in its composition helps to improve photosynthesis. Lime does not contain Mg, and if you do not add this component additionally, the plants will soon wither, and their foliage will gradually fall off.

However, slaked lime also has additional benefits. For example, it restores the acidic level of the soil about 1.5 times faster, but at the same time it is more difficult for plants to absorb fast-acting fertilizer.

Appointment

Dolomite flour has a positive effect on soil structure . It is used not only as a soil deoxidizer, it is also recommended for neutral-alkaline soils. Fertilizer helps to increase the level of calcium, hydrogen ions, helps to restore the supply of nutrients in the soil.

Dolomite top dressing is often used in the garden against moss on the lawn. The mineral additive is also used for fruit and vegetable crops, flowers, conifers and trees that "prefer" moderate, slightly acidic and alkaline soil types. It is used to:

• orchids, violets, hyacinths;
• cherries;
• apple trees;
• pears;
• carrots;
• bell and hot peppers;
• eggplants and other plants.

To increase the duration and abundance of flowering, it is recommended to pour it under strawberries and under raspberries in late summer and early autumn. Top dressing is best applied after harvest.

Special attention is required when adding additives for tomatoes, potatoes and cucumbers. In this case, it is worth observing the strict dosage rates of mineral supplements.

For potatoes

This garden culture prefers slightly acidic soil with a pH level of 5, 2 to 5, 7. In order not to harm the plant, do not strongly alkalize the soil. Dolomite flour dosage:

• for acidic soil, you will need half a kilogram of top dressing per 1 m2;
• for soil with medium acidity - no more than 0.4 kg per 1 m2;
• for slightly acidic soils - no more than 0.3 kg per 1m2.

If the land at the summer cottage is heavy, it is recommended to cultivate it every year. For light soil, it is enough to apply top dressing once every 3 years. Dolomite flour treatment increases the starch content in tubers and prevents scab disease of potatoes. In addition, dolomite scattered over the tops actively fights Colorado beetles and their larvae.

For cucumbers

In this case, 2 methods of introducing a mineral additive are used - when planting seeds or while digging the soil to deoxidize it. During sowing, grooves should be made into which dolomite flour mixed with soil should be poured . Direct contact of seeds with dolomite is unacceptable. During the spring digging, the dolomite additive should be scattered over the area where the cucumbers are planned to be planted.

For tomatoes

It is advisable to introduce dolomite top dressing for tomatoes only in acidified soils. To stabilize the pH level, mix flour with boric acid (100 and 40 grams, respectively) . For sandy soil, you need to take at least 100 grams of the product per 1 m2, for clayey - about 200 g.

It is recommended to apply fertilizer before planting seedlings . Otherwise, the additive can be “washed out” by rains into deep soil layers - in this case, the composition will not have a beneficial effect on the development of the root system of tomatoes.

How is it produced?

Dolomite flour is produced from the corresponding mineral. Its large deposits are located in the USA, Mexico, Italy and Switzerland. Dolomite is mined in Ukraine, Belarus and some Baltic countries. In Russia, mineral deposits have been found in the Urals and Buryatia . It is also found in Kazakhstan. Dolomite is crushed using specialized equipment - rotary crushers.

In this case, the fertilizer can be either fine-grained or crushed into powder. The additive is packaged in waterproof bags of various capacities.

Whitewashing trees

This is an important treatment for adults and young garden trees. It is recommended to whitewash trees at least 2 times a year. The first treatment is carried out in the fall (October-November), the second - in the spring (from early to mid-March). In fruit trees, you need to whitewash the trunk, starting from the root collar and up to the skeletal branch located on the lower tier.

Whitewashing has a protective function . It helps to significantly reduce the risk of bark burns from bright spring rays, protects against cracking during sudden temperature changes. In addition, lime compounds help rid trees of insects that lay their larvae in the bark of the tree.

It is recommended to use a special solution, not pure lime flour, for treating trunks. To prepare it you need to take:

• 1 kg of chalk;
• 1.5 kg of dolomite flour;
• 10 liters of water;
• 10 tablespoons flour paste (you can use soap or clay instead).

To prepare a working solution, you need to mix all the components until a homogeneous mass is obtained (visually, in consistency, it should resemble sour cream). Do not use too liquid or thick composition. In the first case, it will drain from the trunks. The thick slurry will be deposited on the trunk in a thick layer, which will lead to its rapid exfoliation. The optimum thickness of the whitewash layer is 2-3 mm, no more.

Application to the soil: terms and rates of consumption

Dolomite flour should be added to the soil according to the instructions. The additive will be useful only if the soil is acidic. To determine the pH level, you need to use indicator litmus papers or a special device. If neither one nor the other is at hand, you can resort to folk methods.

To find out if the soil is acidic or not, you need to scatter its samples on a flat surface and pour vinegar . The appearance of a violent reaction will indicate an alkaline environment. In the absence of "hiss" or with a weak chemical reaction, conclusions can be drawn about the acidity of the soil.

Application rates per one hundred square meters for deoxidation of the upper fertile layers:

• for soil with a pH of 3 to 4, it is necessary to take at least 55 kg (approximately 600 g of dry dressing per 1 sq. m);
• for slightly acidic soil with a pH of 4, 4-5, 3 - no more than 50 kg of dolomite flour;
• for slightly acidic soils with a pH of 5-6, 25-30 kg is enough.

It is recommended to deoxidize with dolomite flour no more than 1 time in 5 years. And also there are certain rules for introducing a mineral additive into the ground in an open area and in a greenhouse.

In open ground

Dolomite powder is allowed to be used as an additional top dressing, regardless of the season. In summer, "milk" is made from flour by mixing the dressing with water in a ratio of 1:10, respectively. This solution is intended for watering plants . The frequency of processing is once every 5-6 weeks. Dolomite flour is recommended to be used in autumn for feeding fruit and berry crops. The additive is sprinkled after harvest - at the beginning, middle or end of September. After that, the soil must be loosened.

For deoxidation, dolomite flour is best applied in the spring for digging . In this case, the additive must be evenly scattered over the entire area of the site and leveled with a rake. After that, you should dig up the soil to the depth of the bayonet shovel.

Indoor

Dolomite flour is not only intended for use in open areas. It is also used in greenhouses, hotbeds, flower greenhouses. For indoor use, the dosage of the additive should be reduced. In greenhouses, it is recommended to take no more than 100 grams of powder per 1 m2. Since the land is protected from precipitation and gusty winds, top dressing can not be embedded in the ground, but left on the surface . Due to the formed thin layer, moisture in greenhouses and greenhouses will evaporate more slowly.

Analogs

Many gardeners and gardeners are interested in how dolomite flour can be replaced. The analogs include ash from burnt wood. It is worth considering that for deoxidizing the soil, ash will be needed 3 times more. Slaked lime is also referred to as analogues. To exclude the risk of burns in plants, lime compositions should be applied only in the autumn . This substance is fast-acting.

After its introduction, plant crops absorb phosphorus poorly, therefore, it is best to introduce lime after harvesting into the ground for digging. Chalk can be used instead of dolomite powder . This substance is rich in calcium. It is recommended to grind the chalk before adding it, then sprinkle it on the soil and loosen it.

It should be noted that chalk clogs the soil and increases the salt level in the soil.

Compatibility with other fertilizers

Dolomite flour is combined with many types of dressings for horticultural crops. Together with it, it is allowed to use Bordeaux liquid, ferrous sulfate and compost . These components are able to neutralize the deficiencies of the mineral supplement. Plants will respond with active growth, vegetation and yield to feeding with dolomite flour in combination with peat, mullein or boric acid.

There are several types of fertilizers that cannot be used at the same time as mineral flour. These include urea, superphosphate, ammonium sulfate . The introduction of these fertilizing components is allowed only after 2 weeks after feeding with dolomite powder.

Precautionary measures

With the frequent introduction of dolomite flour, it is possible to reduce the yield. You need to feed the plants correctly, without violating the instructions and dosage rates . For each crop, the right amount of feeding should be applied. If these factors are not taken into account, then the plants can get sick. When using several fertilizers, you need to find out about their compatibility.

It should be remembered that the shelf life of dolomite flour is 2 years. An expired composition loses a number of unique properties, which may make it useless for plants.