![]() These tomatoes are suffering from blossom end rot, due to a lack of calcium. A lack of calcium in the soil is one possible reason that blossom end rot may occur. Tomatoes (and also other plants, such as peppers) will suffer from a condition called blossom end rot (BER) if they do not get enough calcium. Calcium is a necessary nutrient for plant growth, including tomatoes. Provides CalciumĪnother benefit of lime (calcium carbonate) is that it adds calcium to your soil. So before you go adding extra nutrients to your soil, check the pH with a soil test, and adjust the pH as necessary! This just might solve any problem you have. This is because the plant will not be able to absorb the nutrients through its roots.īy adding lime to keep the soil pH within the range of 6.0 to 6.5, you can prevent nutrient deficiencies in your plants. Tomatoes grow best in a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5.Īs soil pH drops below 6.0, magnesium and phosphorus start to become less available to plants, as you can see in this chart from Research Gate.Įven if there is plenty of a given nutrient in the soil, it will not be available to plants if the soil is too acidic (low pH). Having the proper soil pH is important to ensure that tomatoes can absorb enough nutrients for growth. Nitrogen fertilizers, such as ammonium nitrate, will lower soil pH over time, making it more acidic. This is helpful to counter the effects of nitrogen fertilizers, which often make soil more acidic (reduce pH) over time. ![]() When you add lime to soil, it raises the pH. We’ll start with one of the biggest benefits: raising soil pH, since proper soil pH also helps to avoid nutrient deficiencies in plants. Lime has many benefits for tomato plants when applied correctly and in the proper dosage. You can learn more about how to do a soil test in my article here. Without a soil test, you might be trying to solve a problem you don’t even have! This will tell you the soil pH and nutrient levels, which help to determine what is lacking in your soil.Ī soil test provides information to help you make the right choices when it comes to soil amendments for your garden. No matter what supplements you decide to use in your garden, always do a soil test first. According to the North Caroline State University Extension, quick lime is not recommended for lawns & gardens. Quick lime (calcium oxide, also called burnt lime) has a very high pH, due to the carbon dioxide being burned off in a kiln. Dolomite lime (calcium magnesium carbonate) raises soil pH (just like lime), but it also adds magnesium to your soil. You can also use dolomite lime on tomato plants. Remember that the amount to use will vary depending on the current soil pH and the desired soil pH. In these cases, lime (calcium carbonate) is fine if applied correctly according to the instructions on the package. If the soil is too acidic (pH too low), adding lime will raise the pH. It is used to raise soil pH, and also adds calcium to soil.įor example, tomatoes grow best in soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. ![]() Lime (calcium carbonate) is also called garden lime or agricultural lime.
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