Soil limingis an important agrotechnical procedure that allows to increase the pH of a soil that is too acidic, and to supplement the deficiencies of calcium available for plants in the soil. See whenliming the soilis necessary, and when it is better to abandon this treatment.How and with what to lime the soilto get the maximum benefits for the cultivated plants?Which calcium fertilizersare best and which are better avoided. Learn all the secrets aboutliming the soil on the plot !
Liming the soil
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When is the soil limed?
The indication forliming the soil on the plotis excessive soil acidification, i.e. its low pH. This reaction can be measured with an acid meter (or pH-meter) or by submitting soil samples for laboratory analysis. Remember to always measure the pH of the garden soil or take soil samples for analysis in several different places in the garden, due to possible differences in measurements.
Acid soil is considered to be soil with a pH of 6.5 or lower, while soils with a pH lower than 4.5 are defined as very acidic soils, soils with a pH of 4.6-5.5 - as acidic soils, and soils with a pH of 5.6 - 6.5 - as slightly acidic.
Good to knowLight soils acidify most quickly, exposed to leaching of minerals to the deeper layers of the soil. In the case of heavy soils, the acidification process is slower and these soils require liming less frequently.
Of course, plant requirements for soil acidity are different and the pH value of the soil should be brought to the value required for the group of plants to be cultivated. If, for example, we have acidic soil in the garden with a pH of about 5.0, then in the case of cultivating acidophilic plants, such as garden azaleas or blueberries,liming the soilis not necessary. If, on the other hand, we want to sow a lawn or grow vegetables on such soil, it would need to be limed to raise the pH.
There is still an answer to the question of what is the bestdate for liming soilin the garden. Well, the most advantageous isliming the soil in the fall , when we have already harvested the plot and the plants are dormant. Due to poverty, liming the soil can be carried out in spring, but remember that the period from liming to sowing or planting new plants should be as long as possible.
Soil liming
How to lime soil?
Lime fertilizers should be spread evenly and mixed with the topsoil where most plants develop their roots. We use them in dry weather. Liming to wet soil must not be allowed.
Note!Soil liming must not be combined with the use of phosphorus, sulphate and potassium fertilizers, including urea, because calcium fertilizers cause large losses of nitrogen and decrease in phosphorus digestibility. For the same reason, soil freshly fertilized with manure must not be limed. Between liming and applying other fertilizers, there should be an interval of at least 2-3 weeks.
What is the soil liming?
Soil limingcan be done with calcium carbonate or oxide fertilizers.calcium carbonate fertilizers , such as ground limestone, post-soda chalk, limestone flour or granulated chalk lime are safer, because they act slower and pose a lower risk of over-fertilization.Therefore, they can be used in higher doses and are suitable for all types of soil, including light soil. We can safely use them in home and allotment gardens.
It works even slowerdolomite lime , especially eagerly used by amateur gardeners due to the additional magnesium content. The effect of soil deacidification with dolomite lime is visible only 2-3 years afterliming the soilbut it lasts quite a long time and the treatment does not need to be repeated for many years. At the same time, the risk of over-fertilization with dolomite lime is very low, which makes this product very safe to use. To increase the efficiency and speed of dolomitic lime action, choose ground dolomite, not crushed.
Good to knowOn magnesium-poor soil, it is worth using calcium-magnesium fertilizers, such as Dolomite, because the magnesium contained in these fertilizers is several times cheaper than in other fertilizers available on the market.
Oxide calcium fertilizers , such as, for example, agricultural quicklime, work very quickly and should only be used in medium and heavy soils, less prone to a rapid change in pH. At the same time, the dosage of these fertilizers should be very precise, because their overdosing has a very negative effect on the emergence of plants, disrupts the natural microbiological processes taking place in the soil and leads to the degradation of valuable humus. Moreover, calcium oxide fertilizers are very dusty, which makes their application even more difficult. Therefore, for amateur use on plots and in home gardens, I strongly advise against them.
Regardless of whether we have oxide or carbonate lime in front of us, itscomposition must be specified on the packaging by specifying the content of calcium oxide,which allows us to easily compare individual fertilizers and calculate the required amount. A single dose of calcium oxide per 10 m2 of bed should not exceed 1.5 kg for light soils, 2 kg for medium soils and 2.5 kg for heavy soils.
What instead of liming the soil?
Liming the soil increases its pH, i.e. it deacidifies the soilAt the same time, however, the calcium content in the soil increases, which may not always be beneficial. Many gardenersare unable to choose the right lime for the garden or have trouble choosing the right doses
Therefore, if our goal is only to raise the pH of the substrate, and not to increase the calcium content,a better choice instead of limingmay be the use of a deacidifier pH + substrate. It is a nitrogen-potassium fertilizer that deacidifies the soil. Its use and dosage is very simple. It can also be used for plants that are already growing, e.g. under trees and shrubs, during the growing season.
