Yellowing of leaves.
Dolomitic lime lowers the acidity of potting soil mixes, raising the pH. Commercial and home made potting soils often contain peat moss. Peat raises soil acidity and many house plants need a more neutral pH to flourish. One indicator that you may need to add dolomitic lime to your houseplant is yellowing of the leaves on new growth, indicating a pH imbalance.
What Is It?
Dolomitic lime comes from quarries.
Dolomitic lime is a mineral that must be ground or pelletized for houseplant use. Limestone comes in two forms, one mostly calcium while the other contains magnesium. "Dolomitic rock contains at least 6 percent Magnesium oxide," says David Goforth of the North Carolina State University Master Gardener Program.
Why Do I Need It?
Soil nutrients make healthy plants.
Dolomitic lime raises potting soil pH and makes necessary houseplant nutrients more available. Houseplant soil with too low a pH is too acidic. Plant nutrients are chemically bound in the soil and not available to your houseplant. Elements like fluorine or chlorine introduced by tap water become more toxic.
Many houseplant soil formulas include dolomitic lime. Ground dolomitic limestone does double duty for houseplants because the magnesium in it is an essential element. The International Plant Nutrition Institute says, "Its functions include phosphate metabolism, plant respiration, and activation of enzyme systems." Adding dolomitic limestone to raise acid in soils to a pH where houseplants thrive also adds a necessary soil nutrient.
How Much is Right for My Plant?
Houseplants need different pH ranges.
Different houseplants need different pH levels. Most plants like a range between 6.0 and 7.0. Plants like miniature azaleas need acid soil. Adding dolomitic lime would make the pH too high for these houseplants. Use dolomitic lime recommendations specific to your plant.
Checking Potting Soil pH
Check the ingredients on your potting soil bag.
One way to check your houseplant soil to see if you need to add dolomitic lime is to read the potting soil bag. Peat is acidic, so if peat is the main ingredient in your soil bag’s mix you may need dolomitic lime.
To determine the pH of your potting soil, use a test kit. There are many inexpensive kits available for testing potting soil pH. They can be bought at most garden centers.
Adding Dolomitic Lime
Container size determines dolomitic lime amount.
Lime is added according to the amount of potting mix you have. Experts at the University of Georgia Extension use "2 to 3 ounces (dry weight) of dolomitic limestone to 4 gallons (1/2 bushel) of mix" for most plants.
For bulk soil, Aggie Horticulture experts use this basic rule: "Add about 8 pounds of dolomite per cubic yard of potting mix to raise the pH by one unit." In other words if you have pH of 5.5, adding the dolomitic lime would raise the pH to 6.5. They warn that doubling the lime does not raise pH another unit, the pH scale does not work that way.
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