Calcitic Lime

[Keegan]

Where can I buy calcitic lime? I went to my local Lesco dealer who didn't know what I meant.

[hmartin]

lowes, home depot, most anywhere that sell lime. Some people call is Hi-Cal or calcium lime.

[timturf]

Where can I buy calcitic lime? I went to my local Lesco dealer who didn't know what I meant.

If your local lesco dealer doesn't know what it is, it say's alot about his education and background! That would be the last time I visited that dealer as long as he work their!

[muddstopper]

Tim, I can do one better than that. Yesterday I bought some calcitic pellitized lime from a fertilizer dealer who had never heard of Dolomitic lime. Dolomitic lime is the norm in my area and what everybody else sells and this dealer has never heard of it?????

[jdminnc]

Remember, Hi cal lime doesnt necessarily mean you get more calcium. This is a big movement in lawn care industry. There are still insulubility properties with dolomite as well as calcitic. Both require a release period, could be up to a year or more.:usflag:

jdminnc

[jdminnc]

Remember, Hi cal lime doesnt necessarily mean you get more calcium. This is a big movement in lawn care industry. There are still insulubility properties with dolomite as well as calcitic. Both require a release period, could be up to a year or more.:usflag:

jdminnc Mark Twain said: When I was 16, I thought my father was the dumbest person on earth. When I was 26 I realized he was right about everything. My he sure did get smart in 10 years!

[timturf]

more calcium in calicitic lime than dolomitic lime

[Prolawnservice]

I usually look at calcitic lime as having less magnesium than dolomitic has, they both have a good amount of calcium.

[timturf]

I usually look at calcitic lime as having less magnesium than dolomitic has, they both have a good amount of calcium.

true, but I believe calicitic lime is 30% ca, while dolomitic is 20% ca

[muddstopper]

The dolomite I buy is 21% calcium and 17% magnesium. I believe the calcicitc was 28% calcium. A lot depends on the source the material is mined at. I think Dolomite has to have at least 6%-7% magnesium to be called dolomite. Not 100% sure on that tho.

[dallen]

I think your'e in the ball park with those figures, Muddstopper. No hard and fast rules there. Kinda like the organic thing: no hard and fast rules. I've always been under the impression that a limestone particle will experience no more dissolution after about four years in the soil. The calcium undergoes an interaction with iron and dissolution ceases. Generally, anything courser than about 60 mesh will never fully dissolve.

[upidstay]

Most people out there don't know what calcitic lime is. Most people out there don't know that lawns require calcium, almost as much as they do n-p-k. I have gone to high end garden centers and had the sales people scratch their heads when I asked for it, so don't knock your Lesco guy to much. Lesco does carry it. I just applied some yesterday, and that's where I bought mine. A guy I worked for had been in the business going on 30 years. Widely respected in the field. Looked at me like I had 3 heads when I told him a particular property would benefit from calcitic lime. He bought dolomite, because that's what he's always used.

[dallen]

I got a better one for you. About 20+ some years ago I attended the International Hardware Show in Chicago. I asked the guy at the Scotts booth what they recommended when a soil test calls for limestone. With a straight face and dead serious, he replied "use more fertilizer".

[muddstopper]

Dallen, I have no doubt he was being serious. Calcium is necessary for the uptake of other essential nutrients, whenever calcium levels are low, it will always take more fertilizer to realize the same results. Problems are, that high applications of nitrogen will also speed up the rate that calcium is leached or removed from the soil. This means the more fertilizer you use, the more fertilizer you need. Its a win-win for the fertilizer companies, but lime is much cheaper.

[FINN]

I'd have to confess I recently learned(THANKS DUSTY) the difference between calcitic and dolomitic lime. The biggest being the amount of calcium between the two and that Dol. has magnesium. I did know that a high magnesium content in the soil can be a contributing factor to compaction. Therefore dolomitic limestone is not a good choice in my area. A lot of my soil test results support this.

[lilmarvin4064]

I'd have to confess I recently learned(THANKS DUSTY) the difference between calcitic and dolomitic lime. The biggest being the amount of calcium between the two and that Dol. has magnesium. I did know that a high magnesium content in the soil can be a contributing factor to compaction. Therefore dolomitic limestone is not a good choice in my area. A lot of my soil test results support this.

You are one of the few that know this. This is typical for most soils on the east coast. A good 80% of the soil tests I see require calcitic lime.

[muddstopper]

You are one of the few that know this. This is typical for most soils on the east coast. A good 80% of the soil tests I see require calcitic lime.

Interesting statement Mav. I have a huge stack of test reports on my desk and a full 100% of them need the dolomite. All but one are way low in magnesium as well as calcium. The one exception came from a cow pasture that hadnot recieved any lime in at least 30 years that I know of, probably longer. This sample had 14% magnesium, but only 34% calcium. Even with the high magnesium saturation, dolomite would still be required simply because as you raise the Ca saturation, you lower the Mg saturation. At some point, ( I havent done the math yet), I will also have to add calcitic lime. If I simply start adding calcitic lime, by the time I get the ca saturation to 68-70%, my magnesium saturation levels would be almost not exsistent. The dolomite I buy is 21% ca. and 17% mg. Just adding dolomite will raise my Ca. levels without letting my mg levels drop too fast.

[NattyLawn]

Most of our tests are low magnesium, low sulphur in this area.

[muddstopper]

sulfur is decent in my area, a little low and easy to take care of. Another interesting thing is the micro nutrients, even in deep subsoil the micro levels are always pretty good. P is terrible, around 9-12 lbs per acre and K is so-so. Ph runs around 5 on new ground, but no telling what you run into on established lawns.