Soil Acidity

In today’s economics, farmers need to get the most out of each crop and use the most economical fertilisers to achieve these results. To get the best out of a crop you need to make sure that all the necessary nutrients for the crops healthy growth will be available. This means the soil must be at the correct pH for that crop.

If soil acidity is left unchecked for too long the subsoil will become acidic. This is a major problem as normal farming practices are not affective at this depth, therefore it becomes very expensive to rectify the problem. As soil acidity increases, the variety of crops available reduce dramatically, eventually the soil can not support any sort of crop leaving the land next to useless.

Dolomite and lime are the only natural products that will decrease your soils acidity thereby rectifying the problem.  Dolomite is valued for its magnesium content and it is this, which distinguishes it from limestone. Dolomite and limestone both neutralise soil acidity but only dolomite can correct magnesium deficiencies in the soil.  Magnesium, like calcium is a plant nutrient. 

Over time the acidity of soil tends to increase. This is due to such varied sources as rainwater (containing dissolved carbon dioxide), pollution containing oxides, sulphur and nitrogen, using fertilizers rich in ammonia, plant roots exuding nitrogen ions, and the natural decomposition of organic matter. Substantial research has been done on the optimal pH range for various crops. Dolomite has long been used to lower the acidity and raise the pH of farmlands and grass lawns.

Each time a field is farmed, whether it is for crop or pasture, the soil naturally increases in acidity. (pH 5.5 -strongly acidic - <4.5 extremely acidic). This acidity stops plants from absorbing the minerals required for growth and reduces the availability of naturally occurring nutrients to the crop. High rainfall areas have naturally acidic soils; however in some areas soil acidification can be a slow process resulting in a gradual and often unnoticed drop in production. Farmers should aim to feed the soil, not the plant, to create a soil that is balanced in nutrients, has good structure, high biological activity and high levels of organic matter. The soil pH should be constantly monitored and treated regularly with Dolomite

The Introduction of Humus (mature compost) and Dolomite into the soil assists the decay of organic matter providing a more suitable environment for microbiological activity, this contributes to good soil health there by enhancing plant growth. The result is an effective and less costly tillage, a permeable root bed and a more drought resistant crop.

With the correct application of dolomite, not only do you get a reduction in the soil acidity but you also get the added benefit of the naturally occurring magnesium in the dolomite, (one of the commonly known causes of yellowing leaves on plants is a magnesium deficiency,) as well as silicon, aluminium and iron trace elements found in this natural product.

So if you wish to leave a legacy for your children, don’t make it a legacy of acid soil and poor crop growth. Now is the time to neutralise the soil acidity problem, NATURALLY with "FLINDER’S DOLOMITE", natures own remedy.