When to utilize Dolomite to Plant Tomatoes
A freshly picked, vine-ripened tomato is hard to rival in the home garden. Rumors grow well and produce wholesome fruit in bigger amounts when grown in slightly acidic soil that’s full of organic matter and contains adequate amounts of calcium and magnesium. Employing dolomite, also called dolomitic lime, can help to adjust soil pH to the desirable range for growing tomatoes. Dolomite also provides and facilitates the availability of soil nutrients to plant roots.
Dolomitic Lime
Dolomite consists mainly of calcium and magnesium, two small nutrients necessary for healthy tomatoes. It is generally obtained from pulverizing limestone. It is useful in the home garden as a soil pH adjuster when applied correctly. Tomato plants absorb the most nutrients in the soil when its pH falls within the desirable range. Dolomite also raises magnesium levels in the soil. In regions with a known magnesium deficiency, this is crucial for growing healthy tomatoes.
Soil Testing
Prior to putting a tomato garden, analyze your soil using a commercial kit or a service in the community area. Acidic soils benefit from prying of dolomite as early as possible before planting. Your soil test results will probably recommend lime amendments at a particular rate to increase soil alkalinity, if necessary. Tomatoes prefer a soil pH of 6.5 to 6.8 for best growth and fruit production. Treating untested dirt with dolomite is dangerous, especially if you garden in an area where soils are proven to be somewhat alkaline.
Soil Partner
Clay and silt soils are generally acidic. They’re also considered “tight” because they are often poor in organic content, leading to compaction and poor origin oxygenation. Conversely, sandy soils may dry too fast. Using dolomite alone may be inadequate to prepare those soils for growing tomatoes. Amending the soil by working in a 3- to 4-inch layer of organic matter like compost or manure to a thickness of 12 inches, together with dolomite, facilitates vigorous tomato root processes, healthier plants and raised fruit production.
Blossom-End Rot
Blossom-end rot is a frequent issue that frustrates many tomato growers. It typically occurs when the dirt is calcium deficient or doesn’t encourage calcium transfer. This occurs most often in soils that are too acidic, especially those with a pH lower than 6. In some instances, calcium presence could be adequate but tomato roots cannot absorb it in case the environment is too acidic. In this case, dolomitic lime is often recommended as the best corrective measure.