Dolomite flour - how to use in the garden

Dolomite flour - how to use in the garden

In stores, a useful fertilizer is often sold, which few gardeners know how to properly use. Let's understand what good dolomite flour is, what it is and how to use it with benefit for the site.

Why do we need

This is a natural substance that is used in horticulture as a soil improver. The flour is produced from a solid mineral - dolomite, whose deposits 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".

Grounding:

• reduces acidity;
• improves physical properties;
• accelerates the decomposition of peat, which is important in marshy areas;
• enriches the soil with magnesium and calcium.

Many gardeners noticed that after adding fertilizer to the beds, the yield of most plants increases.

Properties of dolomite flour

From the chemical formula CaMg (CO2), it can be seen that the composition of the fertilizer includes two elements necessary for any plant: calcium and magnesium. But the main useful property of dolomite flour is the ability to influence the pH of the soil.

Ground dolomite :

• accelerates the development of colonies of microorganisms that convert plant residues into humus necessary for plants;
• increases the digestibility of other mineral fertilizers;
• reduces the content of radionuclides.

The pH value depends on the presence of hydrogen ions in the soil. Calcium binds hydrogen particles, and the earth becomes more alkaline. On an excessively acidic soil, the majority of cultivated plants grow poorly and bear fruit, so once every 3-4 years alkalinization positively affects the yield.

Substrates rich in calcium have a "correct" structure - they are fine-grained or granular. Such are chernozems, ideal soils for agriculture. In chernozem, the roots breathe well. The structure of soils rich in calcium makes it possible to maintain the optimum water / air ratio in the root layer.

If the land on the site "swims", after each watering is covered with a crust, poorly passes the water, or the ground is too loose and after a few minutes after irrigation it becomes dry again, this means that the soil does not have the correct mechanical structure and requires the introduction of dolomite.

For what soil is suitable

Ground dolomite is suitable for soils with acid reaction. Acids are considered substrates, the pH of which is below 5. Dolomite flour will be useful if the soil on the site refers to:

• sod-podzolic;
• krasnozem;
• gray forest;
• peat;
• Marsh - except for marshes of a neutral or alkaline group.

No need for fertilization of chernozems and chestnut soils.

Calcium balances the ratio of elements of the soil solution. The introduction of calcium-containing minerals into podzolic soil eliminates the harmful effect of aluminum contained in the podzols in excess. It is useful to make calcium on light soils, where it is naturally small.

On sites where superphosphate is annually added, there is no shortage of calcium, because it is a part of superphosphate in the form of gypsum. However, the abundant use of urea or ammonium nitrate can lead to acidification. If you annually make nitrogen in the fat, make sure that the calcium in the soil is enough - buy dolomite flour in bags or loose and sprinkle holes and grooves.

To determine the acidity of the soil, reagent kits are used that are sold in garden stores. Work with them to follow the instructions. Usually in the stores you will find an indicator paper that changes color. If the soil is acidic, the paper, dropped into a glass with soil solution, turns yellow or pink. Changing the paper color to green or blue signals an alkaline reaction.

Experienced gardeners determine the acidity of the soil by weeds. Well, if there are a lot of nettle, clover and chamomile on the site, this indicates a weakly acid reaction that is optimal for most garden and vegetable plants. The acidification is indicated by the abundance of plantain, moss, horsetail, mint and sorrel.

How to use dolomite flour correctly

Ground dolomite can be used everywhere: in the open field, temporary structures and capital greenhouses.

There are 2 ways of applying DM:

• scatter on the surface of the beds;
• mixed with the ground.

When spreading over the surface without embedding in the soil, the result can be expected not earlier than a year later. In order for the additive to act quickly, dolomite should be mixed evenly with the root layer. To do this, it is sprinkled over the bed, and then dig through.

Do not apply at the same time additive for deoxidation and manure - humus. If the beds need to be fertilized with organic matter and deoxidized, then consider that the interval between the application of humus and dolomite should be at least 3 days.

Which is better: lime or flour

No matter how good the dolomite flour, still, for deoxidizing the soil, slaked lime-puschka-is used more often. The reason is that lime is easier to buy, as the price for it is smaller and it is more often found on sale.

Lime strongly reduces acidity, since calcium is contained in it in a mobile form. In addition, calcium in the pussy is larger in percentage. In the ground, dolomite calcium about 30%, and lime is almost all composed of this mineral.

Due to the large amount of mobile calcium, lime acts faster and more actively, but the speed is not always favorable for plants. In the first days after liming, the plants stop absorbing phosphorus and nitrogen, they do not grow, they get sick, so the pussy can not be brought under already vegetative plantings. The best time for its application is early spring or late autumn. Dolomite can be added to the soil at any time.