How to use dolomite flour in the garden in summer. Dolomite flour

Exist universal fertilizers, which are of natural origin. With them, the harvest in the garden will always be good and environmentally friendly. One of these fertilizers is dolomite flour, which is made from rock. How to properly use dolomite flour?

What is dolomite flour

Dolomite (limestone) flour is crushed dolomite, which belongs to the group of carbonate rocks. It is produced in accordance with GOST 14050–93, according to which the particles do not exceed 2.5 mm; The presence of fractions up to 5 mm is allowed, but not more than 7%. Limestone flour is widely used in garden plots to deoxidize soils and control chitinous insects. The product is safe for other living organisms. Nevertheless, flour contains extremely small particles; work with it should be carried out in calm weather, protecting your eyes and respiratory tract if possible.

Photo gallery: the path of dolomite - from the mountain to the garden plot

Dolomite - rock Dolomite flour produced on an industrial scale Dolomite (limestone) flour can be white, gray and even orange color Dolomite flour is packaged in bags

Dolomite flour is sold in stores, packaged in 5 or 10 kg, has white or grey colour. During its production, no third-party chemical elements are mixed in, since dolomite itself is useful.

The smaller the particles of dolomite flour, the higher its quality.

Table: advantages and disadvantages of dolomite flour

Table: chemical composition of dolomite flour

The percentage of moisture in dolomite flour is allowed within 1.5%.

Recommendations for using fertilizer depending on soil type

The rates for adding dolomite flour depend on the chemical and biological composition soil in the country or personal plot. For one square meter required:

• for acidic soil (pH less than 4.5) - 600 g,
• with moderately acidic soil (pH 4.6–5) - 500 g,
• for slightly acidic soil (pH 5.1–5.6) - 350 g.

For maximum effect limestone flour is evenly distributed throughout the area and mixed with soil (approximately 15 cm from the top layer). You can simply scatter the product over the beds, in which case it will begin to act no earlier than in a year. Dolomite does not burn plant leaves. Its effect at the right doses is 8 years.

It is best to apply dolomite flour to the ridges in the fall

There are plants that grow on acidic soils and therefore can die from the presence of dolomite flour in the soil. Based on their responsiveness to the application of such fertilizer, crops are divided into four main groups:

1. They do not tolerate acidic soils, plants grow well on neutral and alkaline soils, and respond positively to the addition of dolomite even on slightly acidic soils. Such crops include: alfalfa, all types of beets and cabbage.
2. Sensitive to acidic soil. Plants of this group prefer neutral soils and respond positively to the addition of limestone flour even on slightly acidic soil. These are barley, wheat, corn, soybeans, beans, peas, beans, clover, cucumbers, onions, lettuce.
3. Weakly sensitive to changes in acidity. Such crops grow well in both acidic and alkaline soils. Nevertheless, they react positively to the application of dolomite flour at the recommended rates in acidic and slightly acidic soil. These are rye, oats, millet, buckwheat, timothy, radish, carrots, and tomato.
4. Plants that need liming only when the soil is highly acidic. Potatoes, for example, when adding dolomite flour without the recommended amount potash fertilizers may develop scab, the starch content in tubers decreases, and flax may develop calcium chlorosis.

Table: rules for adding dolomite flour

For other garden crops, dolomite is applied two weeks before planting in quantities depending on the acidity of the soil.

Dolomite flour in greenhouses is distributed over ridges in the amount of 200 g per 1 sq.m. Only, unlike open ground, the soil in this case is not dug up. Dolomite creates a film that retains moisture.

There are two most popular methods of soil liming. They are named after their developers-agronomists:

1. Mittleider's method. Instructions: for 1 kg of dolomite flour take 8 g of powder boric acid, distributed over ridges, dug up. A week later, mineral chemical fertilizers are applied and dug again. Suitable for open ground.
2. Makuni method. Mix 2 liters of soil from the ridge, 2 liters of a special substrate for a specific crop that is being prepared for planting, 2 liters of sphagnum moss, 1 liter of river sand, 4 liters of peat, then first add 30 g of dolomite flour, then the same amount double superphosphate and two glasses of crushed charcoal, mix everything thoroughly. Suitable for preparing soil mixtures indoor flowers or for growing crops in greenhouses and greenhouses.

Table: compatibility of dolomite flour with various fertilizers

Fertilizers incompatible with limestone flour should be used no earlier than 10 days after dolomite application.

Video: dolomite flour in agriculture

Garden tricks for using fertilizer

1. If the soil on the site is clayey, dolomite is added annually. In other cases, it is used once every three years.
2. It is better to apply fertilizer in the fall so that the soil can rest and be saturated with all useful elements.
3. In spring or early summer, plants can be watered with a mixture of water and dolomite flour (200 g per 10 liters of water).

Dolomite flour is applied to trees around the perimeter of the tree trunk circle

Analogues of the product for use in the garden

Dolomite flour is not the only product that can be used to deoxidize the soil; it can be replaced with other compounds.

It is also successfully used to reduce soil acidity. But here you need to take into account the type of wood from which the ash was made, calculate required amount it is very difficult for deoxidation, especially over large areas. In any case, its consumption is several times higher than that of dolomite, therefore, the procedure is more expensive.

Wood ash is a costly soil deoxidizer

Lime (fluff). It is very active, quickly neutralizes the soil, and prevents crops from sufficiently absorbing phosphorus and nitrogen, so it is better to apply lime in the fall before digging. Under no circumstances should it be sprinkled on the plant - the fluff causes burns to the leaves. AND Excess slaked lime leads to serious damage to the roots.

Lime causes burns on plant leaves and roots

Thanks to dolomite flour, you can get a safe, tasty, rich harvest. It's economical, but effective method enrich the soil of your garden plot with useful microelements, without having to worry about damaging the plants.

The main reason for the increase in soil acidity and, accordingly, the deterioration of its properties is the displacement of calcium by hydrogen ions. Therefore, acidic soils are fertilized with dolomite flour to balance the concentration of calcium and hydrogen ions. Dolomite flour helps protect roots from rotting and increase yield.

What is dolomite flour

Dolomite flour is a powder fertilizer produced from dolomite. This is a mineral from the carbonate class (CaCO3*MgCO3). Adding dolomite flour to the soil allows you to normalize acidity and improve the structure of the upper fertile layer. Along with fertilizer, important microelements such as magnesium and potassium enter the soil.

Dolomite flour can reduce weeds and stimulate activity annelids. In addition, fertilizer helps to activate the activity of microorganisms. Dolomite flour promotes soil deoxidation, which is most suitable for the growth of many plants.

Properties of dolomite flour:

• improvement of soil structures;
• at constant use fertilizers, it saturates the upper layers of the soil with easily digestible microelements (phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium);
• creating conditions for the development of microorganisms that heal the soil;
• dissolution of the chitinous shell of some insects, reducing their number;
• purification of plants from radionuclides;
• increasing the efficiency of other mineral fertilizers;
• replenishment of magnesium and calcium reserves.

The indisputable advantage of fertilizer is its availability. It is sold at a low price and in different containers, which makes it possible to practically use dolomite flour for small areas and large farms. The use of dolomite flour helps to increase productivity by 10-15%. The advantage of fertilizer is its gradual impact and retention of the effect for 2-3 years.

Since dolomite flour is of natural origin, it does not contain additional additives and is used in pure form. We can conclude that the fertilizer does not harm human health. Thanks to the carbonate form of calcium and magnesium in dolomite flour, the substances accumulate in fruits in minimal quantities.

Impact of dolomite flour on soil and plants

Dolomite is used to neutralize soil acidity in areas where vegetables, shrubs, fruit trees and flowers are grown. Calcium, which is contained in dolomite flour, stimulates the coagulation of soil colloids, which improves the structure of the soil. The earth clumps into lumps, between which air freely penetrates to the root system of the plant.

Improving the soil structure undoubtedly has a positive effect on plants, but fertilizer also strengthens the root cells. This prevents rot from penetrating into the tissue and increases the vitality of the roots, and with a healthy root system, the plant optimally consumes nutrients.

The effect of using dolomite flour is most pronounced when fertilizing heavy soils. Under conditions of increased acidity, clay becomes more viscous and dense, and when dried, it cakes. Dolomite flour creates favorable conditions for reproduction beneficial bacteria, which protect the rhizome from fungi.

Determination of soil acidity

Fertilizing the soil with calcium products is called liming. Before applying such fertilizers, you should determine the acidity level of the soil, since an excess of calcium can be more destructive than its lack.

To calculate the dosage of dolomite flour for a specific area, you need to determine the acidity of the soil. The easiest way is to analyze the weeds growing on the site. On slightly acidic soil you can find chamomile, dandelions, wheatgrass, coltsfoot and clover; on neutral soil, nettle and quinoa grow, and on acidic soil, buttercups, woodlice, and plantain.

You can also test for soil acidity using grape juice. You need to add soil to the bowl of juice. If the liquid changes color and begins to bubble, the soil is neutrally acidic.

Most in an exact way Determining the acidity of the soil is measured with a special device. For private use, you can use both digital and analog portable pH meters (German HI-9025 and HI-9024, Brazilian EPA-102 and EPA-103).

Dolomite, lime or ash

Ash has a similar effect. Lime (CaOH) is the most strong remedy from this category. In addition to calcium, the fertilizer includes the hydroxyl group OH. Thanks to this, the activity of lime is one and a half times higher than that of dolomite. This product is cheaper, but it is more aggressive.

Lime works faster and much more actively, but because of this, at first the substance does not allow useful substances like phosphorus and nitrogen to be absorbed. Since lime cannot be planted immediately after using it, it is applied in the off-season, in preparation for winter or in early spring. Dolomite flour can be added to the soil at any time.

Wood ash is 30-60% calcium salts, and the remaining components are ambiguous and will depend on the type of tree and where it grew. It is important from which part of the tree the ash is obtained. For this reason, the dosage wood ash cannot be calculated without analysis, and often a conditional amount of fertilizer is applied.

Typically, twice as much ash is used as dolomite flour required for the same area size. But it is difficult to obtain such an amount of ash, so it is often used to fertilize seedlings and indoor plants to enrich the soil with phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and other microelements.

Dolomite flour is currently the most popular fertilizer for reducing soil acidity. This type of fertilizing requires less than ash, and it can be used at any time of the year, unlike lime. Because of large quantity magnesium in dolomite flour, it is the best neutralizer of acidity in light soils where there is a deficiency of the element.

Although limestone and dolomite flour contain calcium, the second fertilizer is better suited for improving soil properties due to the additional magnesium content. Using dolomite flour is much easier than other fertilizers to normalize acidity. There is no need to resort to complex schemes; just add flour in the spring, before planting.

Features of fertilizing plants with dolomite flour

Since dolomite flour does not have a negative effect on plants and does not interfere with the absorption nutrients, it can be entered at any time. As a rule, fertilizers are applied before other fertilizing, because dolomite cannot interact with all substances.

What plants is it good for:

1. Cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplants, cucumbers.
2. Salads and greens.
3. Barley, legumes.
4. Winter crops (onions, garlic).
5. Stone fruit trees.

Dolomite is not suitable for fertilizing sorrel, cranberries, blueberries, and gooseberries. The product is not compatible with acidophilic plants that prefer highly acidic soil (blueberry, rhododendron).

In the area where vegetables are grown, dolomite flour is scattered several weeks before planting. In addition to fertilizing and improving soil structure, the substance promotes soil remediation. This is useful for many crops, especially potatoes, which are often susceptible to diseases. In this case, dolomite flour prevents the emergence and spread of harmful elements, including insects that attack potatoes. Dolomite flour can dissolve the chitinous shells of some insects, which helps destroy populations of mole crickets, Colorado potato beetles and other pests.

An excess of nutrients is no less destructive than a deficiency. At excessive quantities minerals are present in the soil Negative consequences for plant growth and productivity. In order not to harm the garden, you need to know the features of using dolomite flour.

Features of using dolomite for soil fertilization:

1. Before applying fertilizing, you need to assess the condition of the soil. This will help determine the need to fertilize the soil with potassium-magnesium compounds. When the acidity exceeds 6 units, it is better to refuse feeding with dolomite flour.
2. It is very important to calculate the dosage correctly. Incorrect proportions can destroy young plants in the spring months.
3. It is necessary to take into account the compatibility of dolomite flour with other types of fertilizers. It can be used in combination with some fertilizers, but dolomite does not interact with others.
4. Dolomite flour can be added to compost (plain or vermicompost). To ensure comfortable life of worms in humus, ground dolomite is added to the pile. This is necessary for the active reproduction of worms and their processing of organic matter.
5. Dolomite flour is not combined with ammonium nitrate, superphosphates and urea.
6. It is not recommended to mix dolomite and organic fertilizers such as manure. If this combination is used, you need to add the powder early in the fall and add organic matter later. After this, the soil is dug up and leveled.

Dosage of dolomite flour

Dolomite flour is added only after the acidity of the soil has been accurately determined. Without this, it is impossible to correctly measure the dosage, and you can seriously harm the plants.

If the soil acidity factor is less than 4.5 units, it is considered acidic. It is permissible to apply 50 kg of fertilizer per hundred square meters. With an acidity of 4.5-5.2 units, the soil has an average acidity level. The application rate of dolomite flour will be 45 kg per hundred square meters. Indicators of 5.2-5.7 units indicate weak soil acidity. You can add 35-40 kg of flour per hundred square meters of land.

The structure of the soil should also be taken into account. For fertilizer light soil the norm is reduced by 1.5 times. Heavy, loamy and aluminous areas require 10-15% more dolomite flour to normalize acidity.

Dolomite flour can be purchased at a specialty store or online. When choosing, you must take into account all the listed nuances in order to buy a pack of the right size. Fertilizer is distributed in bags, bags or in bulk.

When to add dolomite flour

In spring, dolomite flour is suitable for fertilizing plants closed ground. When using fertilizing in a greenhouse, fungal diseases, mold and rot do not spread, which allows you to preserve the harvest and improve the shelf life of fruits. On open ground flour is scattered over the beds 15-20 days before planting or the entire area is covered. This usually occurs in April-May.

In autumn, dolomite flour is often used to feed shrubs and trees. You can apply fertilizer after harvest, at the end of August and until the end of October. 1.5-2 kg of fertilizer is applied under the tree (along the border trunk circle, loosening and deepening into the soil). The norm for shrubs is calculated based on the size of the plants. Usually this is 0.5-1 kg according to a similar scheme.

In winter, it is better to apply dolomite flour from February to March. Fertilizer is scattered directly on the snow so that with the onset of warmth it is absorbed into the soil along with moisture. However, you need to understand that the effectiveness of such an event is possible only in certain areas. The ground should be level and the snow loose. If the snow layer exceeds 30 cm, there will be no benefit from complementary feeding. Also, do not scatter flour in a strong wind, because by spring the flour will blow away. To prevent the substance from freezing in the cold, it must be scattered dry.

In summer, dolomite flour can be added throughout the growing season. This is an excellent way to complementary feeding and combat various pests. It is permissible to treat plantings every 4-6 weeks, but only if the dosage is strictly observed. If we talk about the combined option, 2/3 of the fertilizer is applied to the soil when plowing in the fall, and the rest is added when plowing in the spring.

Potato

You can fertilize potatoes with dolomite flour only in areas with acidic or moderately acidic soil. Fertilizing helps protect plants from scab and prevent starch deficiency in tubers. Dolomite is often used to combat Colorado potato beetles. Dolomite flour is scattered over the area so that it mixes with the soil when plowing.

Strawberry

For strawberries, fertilizing is prepared from several fertilizers. Substances should be added in the fall so as not to harm young shoots. Norm per square meter: 2 tablespoons of nitrophoska, a glass of ash, 2 glasses of dolomite.

Fruit trees and shrubs

Plums and cherries need to be fed once a year, in the fall. 1-2 kg of fertilizer is applied per bush. Apple trees are fertilized with dolomite hand less frequently: once every 2-3 years with high soil acidity and once every 5-7 years with normal acidity.

To fertilize bushes, use 0.5-1 kg of powder per plant. Fertilizer is scattered along the border of the tree trunk circle.

Extensive soil fertilization

If dolomite flour is used to fertilize an area, you need to distribute the powder evenly over the surface, slightly loosening it and going 10 cm deeper. Mixing allows active substances act immediately. The procedure must be repeated every 6-9 years, taking into account the acidity of the soil and the intensity of precipitation.

If you do not loosen or dig up the soil, the effect of the fertilizer will appear only the next year. In this case, the substance will take longer to penetrate deeper into the soil, which occurs when precipitation enters and snow melts.

In the greenhouse

To fertilize the soil in a greenhouse, hotbed or conservatory, 100 g of flour per square meter is required. In closed conditions, do not dig up the soil, because dolomite creates a film on the surface that retains moisture. This prevents drying out upper layers land.

Dolomite flour is an ideal tool for normalizing soil acidity. In addition, fertilizer will help fight pests and increase the yield of most crops. Availability and low cost have made dolomite flour a very popular fertilizer.

What mineral fertilizer did you use?

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You can select multiple answers or enter your own.

Dolomite is a carbonate rock that is a complex of calcium and magnesium, and the so-called “dolomite flour” is crushed dolomite. This mineral is widely used in plant growing. Knowing what dolomite flour is, how to use this product in the garden and in what ways to apply it, you can significantly improve the condition of the soil and increase plant productivity.

Most Russian garden plots are located on acidic podzolic soils. Among garden crops It is difficult to find acidophilic plants that prefer to grow on such soils.

The acidic reaction of the environment negatively affects the development of plants:

• Nitrogen is poorly absorbed, plants exhibit symptoms of nitrogen starvation: chlorosis, growth retardation, shredding of leaves and fruits, death of buds;
• phosphorus turns into an indigestible form, plants experience symptoms of phosphorus starvation: general depression, dying of leaves, deterioration or cessation of flowering and fruiting;
• beneficial soil flora is suppressed, pathogen activity increases, plants are severely affected by root rot and fungal infections.

At high level soil acidity (pH less than 5.5 units), the use of a deoxidizing agent, which is dolomite flour, becomes mandatory.

When transferred into the soil solution, calcium and magnesium carbonates neutralize acids and make the soil more suitable for crop production. Speaking about why dolomite flour is needed in the garden, it is worth noting important role calcium in fertility. Analysis various types

soil shows that the less of this element the soil contains, the lower the fertility:

This dependence is explained by the fact that calcium ions help the formation of soil colloids, due to which porosity increases and the structure of the soil improves.

What plants is it good for?

Almost all garden crops will respond well to the addition of dolomite flour.

• Its use is especially useful when growing the following plants:
• all types of cabbage;
• radishes, turnips, daikon;
• beets and chard;
• green crops: dill, parsley, celery, cilantro, lettuce, mustard; onion crops: onion
• , leek, slime, batun, shallot, chives, garlic;
• carrot;
• potatoes and eggplants;
• pepper;
• garden strawberries;
• pumpkin crops: cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, squash;
• melons: watermelons and melons;

legumes: peas, beans, beans. Tomatoes are more tolerant of elevated pH levels, but the addition of dolomite flour will also have a positive effect on their yield. Under acidophilic fruit and ornamental crops

(blueberries, sorrel, cranberries, gooseberries, rhododendrons) the soil does not deoxidize.

How to use it correctly?

550 grams

If the soil pH is 6.0 or higher, the use of dolomite flour is not recommended.

Adding dolomite flour

• Dolomite flour can be added to the soil in four ways: Over the entire area of ​​the site.
• Based on the application rates, flour is scattered over the surface of the site, after which the soil is dug up. Along a bed or tree trunk circle.
• Based on the application rates, the flour is distributed over the prepared bed and incorporated into the soil with a rake. Embedding into the tree trunk circle is done with a flat cutter, after which the soil is mulched. When planting seedlings or when planting potatoes, add 5 tablespoons of dolomite powder to each hole, mix with soil and plant.

To increase the effectiveness of dolomite flour, it is useful to add it simultaneously with well-ripened compost, manure or leaf humus. It cannot be used simultaneously with mineral fertilizers. If this type of fertilizing is preferred, deoxidizer and fertilizers are applied at intervals of at least 1 week.

Terms of application of fertilizer

Most often, dolomite flour is used for autumn or spring training soil. In autumn this is done after harvesting, in spring - 2-3 weeks before sowing.

Dolomite powder can also be used in summer time. During this period it is more convenient to process perennial crops, embedding the product in the tree trunk circles.

The frequency of treatments depends on the properties of the soil. On heavy clays, dolomite flour is used every year. On medium and light soils – once every 3-5 years.

Effect of fertilizing

The effect of adding dolomite flour does not appear immediately. A shift in acidity occurs over several months, so on highly acidified soils it is more profitable to till the soil in the fall. Spring and summer applications are carried out on well-cultivated soils in order to maintain optimal acid-base balance.

Systematic and competent use of dolomite flour in the garden leads to the following results:

• noticeable improvement in the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil;
• increasing the activity of beneficial soil flora;
• reducing the incidence of plant fungal and bacterial infections;
• reducing the susceptibility of plants to soil pests;
• increasing the power of the root system of plants, the formation of healthy, even roots and tubers;
• general increase in crop yields.

The maximum effect develops 2-3 years after the addition of dolomite powder and the transfer of calcium and magnesium into the soil solution.

How to replace dolomite flour?

In addition to dolomite flour, the following means are used to deoxidize the soil:

Thus, dolomite flour can be replaced on strongly acidic soils with either fluff lime or agrochalk. In areas with a slightly acidic soil reaction, it is more profitable to use wood ash.

Pros and cons of using

Like any other product, dolomite flour has its advantages and disadvantages:

• Advantages– environmentally friendly and safe, positive effect on soil flora, high efficiency in deoxidizing and increasing soil fertility, possibility of use throughout the season.
• Flaw– gradual development of the effect.

Considering the fact that dolomite flour has noticeably more advantages than disadvantages, it can be considered practically the ideal remedy to improve the soil. When using dolomite powder according to the application standards, there are no negative side effects not visible.

Dolomite is a carbonate rock that is a complex of calcium and magnesium, and the so-called “dolomite flour” is crushed dolomite. This mineral is widely used in plant growing. Knowing what dolomite flour is, how to use this product in the garden and in what ways to apply it, you can significantly improve the condition of the soil and increase plant productivity.

Why is dolomite flour needed in the garden?

Most Russian garden plots are located on acidic podzolic soils. Among garden crops, it is difficult to find acidophilic plants that prefer to grow on such soils.

The acidic reaction of the environment negatively affects the development of plants:

• Nitrogen is poorly absorbed, plants exhibit symptoms of nitrogen starvation: chlorosis, growth retardation, shredding of leaves and fruits, death of buds;
• phosphorus turns into an indigestible form, plants experience symptoms of phosphorus starvation: general depression, dying of leaves, deterioration or cessation of flowering and fruiting;
• beneficial soil flora is suppressed, pathogen activity increases, plants are severely affected by root rot and fungal infections.

At a high level of soil acidity (pH less than 5.5 units), the use of a deoxidizing agent, which is dolomite flour, becomes mandatory.

When transferred into the soil solution, calcium and magnesium carbonates neutralize acids and make the soil more suitable for crop production.

soil shows that the less of this element the soil contains, the lower the fertility:

This dependence is explained by the fact that calcium ions help the formation of soil colloids, due to which porosity increases and the structure of the soil improves.

What plants is it good for?

Speaking about why dolomite flour is needed in the garden, it is worth noting the important role of calcium in fertility. Analysis of various types of soil shows that the less this element the soil contains, the lower the fertility:

• Its use is especially useful when growing the following plants:
• all types of cabbage;
• radishes, turnips, daikon;
• beets and chard;
• Its use is especially useful when growing the following plants:
• , leek, slime, batun, shallot, chives, garlic;
• carrot;
• potatoes and eggplants;
• pepper;
• garden strawberries;
• pumpkin crops: cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, squash;
• melons: watermelons and melons;

Tomatoes are more tolerant of elevated pH levels, but the addition of dolomite flour will also have a positive effect on their yield. Under acidophilic fruit and ornamental crops (blueberries, sorrel, cranberries, gooseberries, rhododendrons), the soil does not deoxidize.

(blueberries, sorrel, cranberries, gooseberries, rhododendrons) the soil does not deoxidize.

How to use it correctly?

550 grams

If the soil pH is 6.0 or higher, the use of dolomite flour is not recommended.

Dolomite flour can be added to the soil in four ways:

• Dolomite flour can be added to the soil in four ways: Over the entire area of ​​the site.
• Based on the application rates, flour is scattered over the surface of the site, after which the soil is dug up. Along a bed or tree trunk circle.
• Based on the application rates, the flour is distributed over the prepared bed and incorporated into the soil with a rake. Embedding into the tree trunk circle is done with a flat cutter, after which the soil is mulched. When planting seedlings or when planting potatoes, add 5 tablespoons of dolomite powder to each hole, mix with soil and plant.

To increase the effectiveness of dolomite flour, it is useful to add it simultaneously with well-ripened compost, manure or leaf humus. It cannot be used simultaneously with mineral fertilizers. If this type of fertilizing is preferred, deoxidizer and fertilizers are applied at intervals of at least 1 week.

Terms of application of fertilizer

Most often, dolomite flour is used for autumn or spring soil preparation. In autumn this is done after harvesting, in spring - 2-3 weeks before sowing.

Dolomite powder can also be used in the summer. During this period, it is more convenient to treat perennial crops by applying the product to the tree trunks.

The frequency of treatments depends on the properties of the soil. On heavy clays, dolomite flour is used every year. On medium and light soils – once every 3-5 years.

Effect of fertilizing

The effect of adding dolomite flour does not appear immediately. A shift in acidity occurs over several months, so on highly acidified soils it is more profitable to till the soil in the fall. Spring and summer applications are carried out on well-cultivated soils in order to maintain optimal acid-base balance.

Systematic and competent use of dolomite flour in the garden leads to the following results:

• noticeable improvement in the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil;
• increasing the activity of beneficial soil flora;
• reducing the incidence of plant fungal and bacterial infections;
• reducing the susceptibility of plants to soil pests;
• increasing the power of the root system of plants, the formation of healthy, even roots and tubers;
• general increase in crop yields.

The maximum effect develops 2-3 years after the addition of dolomite powder and the transfer of calcium and magnesium into the soil solution.

How to replace dolomite flour?

In addition to dolomite flour, the following means are used to deoxidize the soil:

Thus, dolomite flour can be replaced on strongly acidic soils with either fluff lime or agrochalk. In areas with a slightly acidic soil reaction, it is more profitable to use wood ash.

Pros and cons of using

Like any other product, dolomite flour has its advantages and disadvantages:

• Advantages– environmentally friendly and safe, positive effect on soil flora, high efficiency in deoxidizing and increasing soil fertility, possibility of use throughout the season.
• Flaw– gradual development of the effect.

Considering the fact that dolomite flour has significantly more advantages than disadvantages, it can be considered an almost ideal means for improving soil. When using dolomite powder according to application standards, no negative side effects are observed.

Every summer resident who cares about the harvest on his plot has at least once heard about dolomite flour. The advantages of this product are efficiency, environmental friendliness and accessibility. Today we will talk about the features of using dolomite flour, its unique properties and methods of use in the garden.

Dolomite flour: what is it and what is it for?

This substance is produced by grinding dolomite rock, a type of limestone (chemical formula CaCO3*MgCO3). It is calcium that is the leading component when dolomite flour acts on the soil. It is known that hydrogen ions displace this chemical element from the soil, causing its acidity to increase and its physical and chemical properties to decrease accordingly.

Dolomite flour is one of the cheapest and most effective fertilizers

If the soil at your summer cottage is acidic, you will have to artificially level it, and then adjust the balance of hydrogen and calcium. One of the best ways achieve in this matter good result- use of dolomite flour, often in combination with other products.

Composition and properties

Dolomite flour has the form of a powder consisting of very small crystals with glassy shine. It can be white, gray, reddish, and in some cases even Brown. Flour is produced on an industrial scale exclusively under production conditions.

This fertilizer is a limestone rock, dolomite, crushed into flour.

Dolomite flour contains 8% higher calcium content than lime. In addition, it contains 40% magnesium, which is very important for the growth and development of plants: it helps to resist many diseases (chlorosis, brown spotting).

Dolomite flour is successfully used not only on open ground, but also in greenhouses, greenhouses, and even when growing indoor flowers.

Effect on soil and plants

The effectiveness of dolomite ground into flour can hardly be overestimated. This tool performs a whole range of useful actions:

Instructions for use

Usually, experienced gardeners and gardeners know about the characteristics of the soil on their site. But if you are a beginner and are just about to develop a dacha, you need to find out the acidity level of the soil. You will need this data in order to apply the optimal amount of fertilizer.

Exist special devices and one-time tests that determine acidity; they can be purchased at any store focused on gardening and horticulture. But if this is not possible, you can easily measure the acidity of the soil yourself. It is expressed in pH and designated by the numbers 0–14.

There are 2 ways to determine soil acidity level.

1. Take some soil, place it on a flat surface and pour a small amount of table vinegar. A bubbling reaction with the release of foam indicates that the acidity is weak or neutral.

   Neutral and slightly acidic soil will react to table vinegar

   In highly acidic soil, vinegar will simply be absorbed without reacting.

   Highly acidic soil will not react to vinegar.

2. Place a small lump of soil in a glass with grape juice (natural). If the color of the juice changes and bubbles float to the surface, the soil is neutral or slightly acidic.

   Grape juice can be used as a catalyst for the reaction to soil acidity: on the right, the soil is neutral or slightly acidic

Video: how to independently determine soil acidity

When to apply fertilizer and how much dolomite flour is needed?

Having determined the acidity level and mechanical composition of the soil, you can easily calculate the amount of dolomite flour required for application.

Table: amount of fertilizer depending on acidity

For light sandy soils, the amount should be reduced by 1.5 times; for heavy clay soils, on the contrary, it should be increased by 10–15%.

Note! To increase the effectiveness of dolomite flour, distribute it as evenly as possible over the surface.

Dolomite flour can be added to the soil in any season. But we recommend that you carry out deacidification in the fall, after you have harvested the entire crop. In winter the earth will rest, and by spring it will be completely saturated useful substances. In a stationary greenhouse there is enough heat and air humidity is achieved much faster than in open ground, so dolomite flour can be added in the spring, when the soil is first dug.

Try to distribute dolomite flour evenly over the soil surface

If your site has heavy clay soil, it would be advisable to annually add dolomite flour. For soil of a different composition and type, it is enough to carry out deoxidation using this product once every 3–4 years.

When distributing dolomite flour over the surface of the soil, be sure to loosen it by 10–15 cm, mixing thoroughly. If the fertilizer is simply scattered, the effect of its action will appear only after a year, when everything will be washed away deep into the soil by precipitation. This rule especially applies to stationary greenhouses, in which watering is usually artificial.

Combination of dolomite flour with various types of plants (table)

Traditionally plant crops agricultural products are divided into 4 groups according to the reaction to the typical composition of the soil and the addition of dolomite flour to it.

Combination with individual plants

1. Feed cherry and plum trees with dolomite flour annually. After harvesting, apply 1-2 kg per tree (the amount depends on the size of the tree), and every season you will have large and juicy berries in large quantities.

   Dolomite flour helps increase the yield of cherry and plum trees

2. For the young black currant It is recommended to apply 500 g of this fertilizer to each bush once every 2 years. If the bushes are very large, increase the dose to 1 kg.
3. For cabbage and turnips, it is recommended to add dolomite flour right at the time of planting.
4. If you use dolomite flour when growing ornamental plants and flowers, add it immediately before planting, pour it into a pot (hole) and mix it thoroughly with the soil. Orchids, marigolds, hyacinths and violets will be especially grateful to you for this fertilizer.

   The acidity level of the soil is also important for flowers.

5. The use of this product under sorrel and gooseberries is strictly discouraged.
6. Make dolomite “milk” by diluting flour with water in a ratio of 1 kg per 10–15 liters. Water the plantings occasionally with this solution. vegetable crops V spring period. Once every 7-10 days will be enough.

What fertilizers can dolomite flour be used with (table)

A greater effect can be achieved if you use dolomite flour to dig up the soil on the site

The Mittleider method has become quite popular in soil deoxidation. Prepare a mixture in a ratio of 7–8 g of boric acid per 1 kg of dolomite flour. Apply simultaneously with mineral fertilizers for digging every time you change the crop to garden plot. For peat bogs and heavy soil you will need 200 g of this mixture per 1 linear meter narrow ridge, for light soil - 100 g, respectively.

Analogues of dolomite flour

Lime

Slaked lime (popularly called “fluff”). Chemical formula Ca(OH)2. The substance has the highest soil deoxidizing properties. The calcium content is supplemented by a hydroxyl group (OH), which gives lime a neutralizing ability that is one and a half times greater than that of crushed dolomite.

But the speed of action and high activity of fluff grass significantly reduce the absorption of phosphorus by plants. Therefore, it is recommended to apply lime only in the autumn, so that by spring a balance is established. chemical processes in the ground.

Ash

Wood ash is the most accessible remedy to reduce soil acidity. It contains from 30 to 60% calcium. The disadvantage of ash is that it is very difficult to determine its composition by eye. It may depend not only on the type of trees being burned, but also on the type of soil in which they grew, and even on what was burned - branches or trunk.

Therefore, the amount of ash required for application to the soil is given conditionally in the recommendations. However, in any case, it will be required 2 times more per unit area than dolomite flour. Will you always have so much material at hand? This is the reason that ash is often used as a component of plant soils used for seedlings and indoor plants.

Chalk or dry plaster

An accessible way. These substances contain the highest calcium content. Chalk or plaster can be applied in early spring, before planting, before plowing. The method is quite effective, but it will require 30% more material than dolomite flour.

Chalk has low solubility in water, which causes it to clog the soil and eventually lead to its salinization, which is easy to detect by a white coating on the surface.

Plaster or alabaster

These inexpensive means cope well with soil deoxidation. But, firstly, they will need 2 times more to achieve the effect, and secondly, gypsum is not useful for humans, and alabaster is completely harmful. These products should be used with caution.

Eggshell

This material has been found to be quite effective. Shredded eggshells added to the soil calcined in a frying pan or in the form of an infusion. But you will need quite a lot of it, and to collect required quantity It is very difficult to obtain material for the start of sowing. Therefore, eggshells are often used in small areas, individual beds or flower beds.

Photo gallery: what can replace dolomite flour?

Of course, liming the soil with dolomite flour will not give you visible instant results. The real effect is high yield you will see in the second or third year after regularly treating the area. But now you know how to properly deoxidize the soil in your garden, so that the work invested in growing garden and vegetable crops will bring good fruits. Share with us in the comments your experience of using dolomite flour in your summer cottage, or ask questions that you have after reading the article. Easy work for you and a good harvest!

Often sold in stores 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.

What is it for?

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:

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

Many gardeners have 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 is clear that the fertilizer contains two elements necessary for any plant: calcium and magnesium. But most importantly useful property dolomite flour - the ability to influence soil pH.

Ground dolomite:

• accelerates the development of colonies of microorganisms that convert plant residues into necessary for plants humus;
• 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. Most cultivated plants grow and bear fruit poorly on excessively acidic soil, so alkalization 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.

What soil is it suitable for?

Ground dolomite is suitable for acidic soils. Substrates are considered acidic if their pH is below 5. Dolomite flour will be useful if the soil on the site is:

• sod-podzolic;
• red soils;
• forest gray;
• peat;
• marshy - except for marshes of the neutral or alkaline group.

Chernozems and chestnut soils do not require fertilization.

Calcium balances the ratio of elements in the soil solution. The addition of calcium-containing minerals to podzolic soil eliminates the harmful effects of aluminum, which is contained in excess in podzols. It is useful to add calcium to light soils where it is naturally low.

In areas where superphosphate is applied annually, there is no shortage of calcium, because it is included in the superphosphate in the form of gypsum. But acidification can be caused by excessive use of urea or ammonium nitrate. If you annually apply nitrogen in fertilizers, make sure that there is enough calcium in the soil - purchase dolomite flour in bags or in bulk and sprinkle it on the holes and furrows.

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 optimal for most garden plants weakly acidic reaction. The abundance of plantain, moss, horsetail, mint and sorrel indicates acidification.

How to use dolomite flour correctly

Ground dolomite can be used everywhere: in open ground, temporary structures and permanent greenhouses.

There are 2 ways to enter DM:

• scatter over the surface of the beds;
• mix with soil.

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.

Which is better: lime or flour?

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.

Lime reduces acidity more strongly, since calcium is contained in it in a mobile form. In addition, the percentage of calcium in fluff is higher. Ground dolomite contains about 30% calcium, and lime almost all consists 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, plants stop absorbing phosphorus and nitrogen, do not grow, and get sick, so fluff grass cannot be applied to already vegetative plantings. Best time its application – early spring or late fall. Dolomite can be added to the soil at any time.

Unlike lime, dolomite flour does not burn plants, does not leave white streaks on them and does not spoil the appearance of plantings, so it can be scattered over the surface of a lawn or flower bed. Decorative plants respond well to the addition of ground dolomite. white clover, which is used as a ground cover plant and a component of the Moorish lawn.

Dolomite application rates depending on soil acidity:

Application for different crops

Different crops respond differently to fertilizer. Some plants cannot tolerate it. The tolerance of the fertilizer depends on the plants' requirements for soil acidity.

Beets, cabbage and stone fruits are very fond of alkaline soils and respond to the presence of dolomite in the garden. The same group includes corn, beans and legumes, cucumbers, onions and lettuce.

Radishes, carrots, tomatoes, black currants can grow in any soil, but the best option for them there will be a substrate with a slightly acidic reaction. It is likely that crops will increase yield after the application of DM, which is explained by improved nitrogen absorption.

Crops growing in acidic soils stand apart. These are potatoes, gooseberries, sorrel. There is no need to add dolomite to these crops. High doses of calcium negatively affect the quality of fruits and leaves. For example, on calcareous soils, potatoes suffer from scab and reduce their starch content.

Dolomite flour is a popular and convenient means for reducing soil acidity and improving structure. Unlike lime, flour can be used at any time of the year. This makes the gardener's life easier because it makes it possible to use simple circuits tillage. The additive can be applied before planting in the beds or while plowing the area.

Dolomite flour is a fertilizer in powder form, which is produced from the mineral dolomite, which belongs to the class of carbonates (formula - CaCO3 MgCO3), by grinding it to the smallest fractions. Adding this fertilizer to the soil not only normalizes its acidity, but also improves the structure of the upper fertile horizon, simultaneously enriching it with useful microelements, such as magnesium and potassium. Dolomite flour also helps to reduce the number of weeds on the site and enhance the activity of beneficial microorganisms and oligochaete (ringed) worms. Another advantage is its availability, since its price is low, and you can buy this mineral fertilizer of natural origin in containers of any size, based on your personal needs.

Since this mineral supplement is of natural origin, it is not additionally saturated with various additives and is used in its pure form. This allows us to classify it as a high environmental class of use, and to conclude that the use of dolomite flour does not harm human health. Calcium and magnesium are in its composition in carbonate form, which prevents their deposition and accumulation in finished fruit and vegetable products in too large quantities.

Properties

As mentioned above, dolomite flour, which includes calcium and magnesium, significantly affects the composition of the soil, changing its acidity.

But, in addition to the ability to deoxidize the soil - that is, to bring its composition to values ​​most suitable for growth various plants, dolomite flour has a number of other advantages. She:

• Improves soil structure;
• Promotes the development of colonies of microorganisms in it, which have a healing effect on the soil;
• If you constantly add dolomite flour, it saturates the upper layer of the earth with easily digestible nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium;
• Increases the return from applied mineral fertilizers;
• Increases the content of calcium and magnesium in the soil;
• Helps plants cleanse themselves of radionuclides;
• Destroys insects by dissolving their chitinous cover. Dolomite is completely safe for all other living beings.

Determination of soil acidity

In order not to make a mistake with the amount of dolomite flour added, Before applying fertilizer, it is necessary to determine the acidity of the soil. This can be done in many ways, here are the most accessible and popular of them:

Weeds

Weeds, like cultivated plants, will not grow in soil that is not suitable for their acidity. Therefore, they are a kind of indicator indicating the pH factor of the soil mixture on the site. For example, dandelions, wheatgrass, chamomile, clover and coltsfoot grow in slightly acidic soils. For sour ones - woodlice, plantain, buttercup, and for neutral ones - quinoa and nettle.

Vinegar

Using this table sauce is one of the simplest and quick ways to establish dolomite flour application rates. It is used like this: pour a few drops of vinegar on a handful of soil and watch the reaction. If the earth begins to swell and bubble, then its pH reaction is neutral or acidic.

Grape juice

This natural ingredient is used as follows: place a handful of soil in a container with juice, and if the juice changes color and bubbles appear on the surface of the liquid, the soil has a neutral reaction.

Special devices

From a fairly large number of specialized devices that are produced both foreign and domestic producers, we can recommend the following models of digital and analog portable pH meters for private use. These are non-volatile EPA-102 and EPA-103, produced in Brazil, and HI-9025 and HI-9024, digital portable devices made in Germany, providing high measurement accuracy. You can also use simple litmus paper.

Video: determining soil acidity using litmus paper

Dolomite or lime – what to choose?

To deoxidize the soil, in addition to dolomite flour, slaked lime (Ca(OH)), which is popularly called “fluff,” is very often used. It is more often found on sale and is cheaper than dolomite powder. But does it surpass it in consumer properties?

Limestone flour is considered the most powerful means for normalizing soil acidity. Calcium is included in its composition in the form of hydroxide (unlike dolomite, which contains Ca in the form of carbonate), which enhances its effect on soil acidity, increasing its ability to be neutralized by one and a half times.

Lime “works” faster and more actively, but this property also has negative sides. For example, in the first time after application, it interferes with the absorption of the most essential substances for plants, such as phosphorus and nitrogen. Therefore, immediately after adding it, you can’t plant anything; the soil must “rest.” Therefore, lime flour is usually applied in the off-season, when the beds are prepared for winter, or in early spring, to provide a good interval before planting seeds and seedlings.

Unlike lime, dolomite can be added at any time as soon as the need arises. Therefore, it has become one of the most popular fertilizers that normalizes acidic environment soil.

Application of dolomite flour

Dolomite flour is always used only after the acidity of the soil has been accurately determined, otherwise it can cause significant harm to plants, including their complete destruction. General instructions the use of dolomite flour is as follows:

• At a soil pH that is less than value 4.5, it is considered acidic. 50 kg of dolomite flour per 1 hectare is added to such soil.
• At a pH of 4.5-5.2, the soil is considered moderately acidic, and the rate of application of this mineral fertilizer- about 45 kg per 1 hundred square meters.
• Slightly acidic soils, with a pH reaction from 5.2 to 5.7 units, are fertilized dolomite powder at the rate of 35-40 kg per hundred square meters.

Also, the amount of fertilizer applied depends on the structure of the soil. On light soils, the use of dolomite flour is reduced by 1.5 times, and on heavy, loamy and aluminous soils, on the contrary, it is increased by 10-15% to normalize their structure.

When you are going to buy dolomite flour to fertilize your beds, garden or lawn, all these nuances must be taken into account when making your calculations. It can be purchased either in a store or ordered online. This fertilizer comes in different packaging; it is sold in bags, bags and in bulk. To fertilize all the land on a dacha plot of six acres, 300 kg is enough. Considering that the price of one bag weighing 50 kg, according to the price lists of leading suppliers for the spring of 2015, does not exceed 200 rubles, then you can completely fertilize the entire plot for 1,200 rubles. Taking into account the fact that dolomite flour is added no more often than once every three to four years, the price of the issue is more than acceptable, because all this time the soil will produce good harvests, and will not sour.

Dolomite flour is also added to compost, both in simple and in its biologically active form - vermicompost. Worms released into untreated humus cannot live in compost with an inappropriate pH reaction, therefore, for their comfortable existence, which causes their active reproduction, which in turn accelerates the processing of organic matter, it is necessary to add ground dolomite to the pile. She will provide required level acidity.

When to deposit?

As stated above, dolomite fertilizers can be used at any time of the year, since they do not have a negative effect on the absorption of other nutrients from the soil. But, usually they are applied before using other fertilizers, since dolomite flour cannot organically interact with all of them.

In an area intended for growing vegetables, it is scattered in advance in the spring, a couple of weeks before planting. It not only fertilizes and improves the structure of the soil, but also sanitizes it. This is very important for various crops, including potatoes, which are often affected various diseases, whose occurrence and spread dolomite is able to stop. It is also especially important for potatoes that this mineral destroys insects by dissolving their chitinous shells at the joints. This helps fight mole crickets, Colorado potato beetle and other potato pests.

Dolomite flour, the use of which has a sanitizing effect on the soil, is especially relevant in the spring, as a mineral fertilizer for plants in protected ground. When treating the soil with this mineral, various fungal diseases do not spread in the greenhouse, which has a positive effect on the harvest and on the subsequent safety of the resulting fruits and berries.

this fall mineral fertilizing used for processing and nutrition fruit trees and bushes. In this case, the following rates of application into the soil are recommended: under a tree - about 2 kg, along the edge of the trunk circle, deepening into the ground, for shrubs (depending on size) - 0.5-1 kg according to the same scheme.

Liming is a term often used to describe the fertilization of soil with rocks containing calcium. This is not always true, since different substances have different effects on plants. Therefore, before starting to improve the soil by normalizing its pH factor, it is necessary to carefully study the instructions for using the fertilizer intended for this purpose, since an excess of Ca and all its compounds is much more harmful than its deficiency.

Video: using dolomite flour in a summer cottage

For many gardeners, the real problem is the process of fertilizing the soil. Of course, some inexperienced owners fertilize their garden beds every year with the same material, but before embarking on such a process, you need to know the acidity of the soil. Precise and balanced addition of fertilizers can produce a good harvest.

One of the most popular materials that can be used to fertilize the soil is dolomite flour (limestone). But not everyone knows how to use dolomite flour in the garden?

Origin of fertilizer

The instructions for dolomite flour indicate that it is made by crushing the dolomite mineral. The fraction of this mineral is so fine that its consistency resembles flour. The origin of this fertilizer is natural; it does not contain additional chemicals, therefore it is completely environmentally friendly for both plants and people.

The mineral dolomite is in the group of carbonates, and this fact suggests that dolomite flour is used to normalize acidity and enrich the soil with microelements. This fertilizer also improves the structure of the top layer of soil, reduces the development of weeds, and increases the activity of annelids. All these factors make the soil rich in microelements and oxygen.

The composition of dolomite flour is rich in calcium and magnesium. These microelements promote plant growth and do not accumulate in fruits. This suggests that this fertilizer is completely safe for human health.

It should also be noted affordable price for dolomite flour. Every gardener can afford this fertilizer, since the average cost of a 50 kg bag is 200 rubles. The average price of dolomite flour per 1 kg package in retail markets fluctuates around 10 rubles.

Properties and purpose of the substance

One of the most important criteria The quality of fertile soil is its acidity. It is lime and dolomite flour that tend to deoxidize the soil. They normalize acidity levels, which has a positive effect on plant growth. But besides this property, limestone dolomite flour:

Improves soil structure,
. helps beneficial microorganisms multiply,
. when systematically applied to the soil, it forms useful nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium,
. increases the concentration of calcium and magnesium,
. neutralizes the effect of toxic elements in the soil,
. prevents the proliferation of harmful insects that like to dine in the ground.

What needs to be done before adding dolomite flour to the soil?

To know how to properly use dolomite flour, you need to know the acidity level of the soil where the fertilizer will be applied. To do this, you do not need to take the soil to a specialized laboratory and spend money on analysis. The entire procedure for determining acidity can be done at home.

There are four methods for determining soil acidity, namely:

• . with the help of weeds,
• . With using vinegar,
• . using grape juice
• . using pH meters.

The instructions for using dolomite flour indicate that it helps normalize soil acidity. But in order to know exactly how much fertilizer is needed and when to add lime flour, you need to conduct a soil analysis.

The first method for determining acidity is based on weeds. No matter how strange it may sound, weeds can help a gardener determine the level of acidity in his area. The whole secret is that dandelion, wheatgrass and chamomile sprout in slightly acidic areas. Acidic soils They are distinguished by woodlice, buttercups and plantain. Neutral soil is “populated” by quinoa and nettle.

The second method is based on the use of vinegar. Edible vinegar must be poured onto a small handful of soil; if a violent reaction begins with the release of bubbles, then this soil is slightly acidic or neutral. If no reaction occurs, then this outcome means that the soil is acidic.

The third method is to use grape juice. Place a handful of soil in a glass of grape juice. If the sap changes color and bubbles form on the surface, this reaction indicates that the soil is neutrally acidic.

In order to determine the acidity of the soil, pH meters are used. These are special devices that automatically determine the level of acids in the soil. In any case, dolomite flour is used in the garden to normalize acid processes.

Application

Dolomite flour fertilizer is considered one of the safest, but you also need to be careful with it. Oversupply of this material may have a detrimental effect on yields. Experts recommend adding dolomite flour in the spring, when the soil is just beginning to be prepared.

Scheme for adding dolomite flour for different soils:

• . acidic soils - one 50 kg bag of dolomite fertilizer per 1 hectare,
• . medium acid soils - 45 kg per 1 sq.m.,
• . slightly acidic - 30-40 kg of dolomite flour per 1 hundred square meters.

It is also necessary to take into account that the amount of this material may differ due to the structure of the soil. Light soils need to reduce the application of lime flour by 1.5 times, and heavy soils need to be increased by 15%. Dolomite flour for soil is a kind of “leaking agent” that helps enrich it with oxygen and microelements.

Often, 300 kg of fertilizer is used for six acres of land. But it is worth remembering that dolomite flour is added only once within 3-4 years.