How to make lime in the soil

Than harmful soil acidity

Soil acidity is characterized by pH value (pH value). Neutral indicator soil pH 7. This is the most favorable ratio of acidity for optimal plant development, should aspire to the gardener. The fact that in acidic soil plants are poorly absorbed nutrients, there are no useful minerals, increasing soil fertility, and those that exist are inaccessible to plants form.

To understand that the soil is acidic, you can go to a special laboratory where the acidity is determined using litmus or special equipment. You can guess that the pH level is lowered if the area grow cornflower, Heather, Buttercup, horsetail, plantain, sedge, sorrel, the mother-and-stepmother. As a rule, are acidic soils in low inundated places, where for a long time in the abundance of stagnant water. The only way to fix it is to limed soil.

How to make lime?

Liming is best done in the fall, before deep digging the soil. You need to study the characteristics and preferences of those crops that will be planted in the garden as some plants prefer slightly acidic soils, others prefer alkaline soil.

Lime need to make in powder form to evenly mix it with the earth and to achieve rapid dissolution. It is better to use hydrated lime: hydrated lime that has been subjected to freezing. This lime is easily entered and quickly dissolves in the soil. It is possible to use lime instead of ground limestone, dolomite flour, chalk or tufa. In the case when you have to make quicklime, you must first fill it with water (10 kg of lime 4-5 liters of water), went to a chemical reaction, after which the lime will be fit for use.

Norms of liming

The application rate of lime for different soils and different plants, there are special regulations that should be explored in detail, but to improve slightly acidic soil rate of liming is 300-400 g/sq m, with further digging. When planting shrubs, trees and plants, lime is introduced into the planting hole, with subsequent incorporation.

With the active use of mineral fertilizers application rate of lime should be increased; if you make organic fertilizer, the need for liming decreases. Excessive lime in the soil is also harmful, to alkaline soils plants suffer from chlorosis – in this disease, they are also unable to obtain a sufficient amount of mineral elements and die. Therefore, liming should be carried out only as needed, trying not to hurt the plants.