Thanks PSA and Dave for the tip and pic!

Great tip!

I'm going to try that this year when I plant my tomato plants into containers!

Is dolomite lime the same as garden lime?

Dolomitic limestone is limestone that has had dolomite added.

It's a common mineral sold in bulk in a few feed stores. You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D...

Going to check out a couple feed stores in my area for the dolomite limestone. Thanks Dave, going to add to tomato plant soil. Maybe I'll get a decent crop.

Good tip, especially for container-grown tomatoes. And if you can't find dolomitic lime then just regular garden lime (or agricultural lime) will do.

Lawn grass lime is often dolomitic in my area but it'll depend on your location in the States if it is the same where you are. Lime is needed because tomatoes need the extra calcium that lime gives. Unlike garden lime/lawn grass lime/agricultural lime which strictly offers calcium, dolomitic lime (or dolomite) offers both calcium and magnesium making tomato plants happy campers!

If your area is lacking in magnesium in your soil go with dolomitic in your gardens; if not just use "lime". Back to container gardening of tomatoes, like PSA mentioned above most potting soils/mixes don't offer any form of calcium so the addition of lime is necessary, especially to stave off BER (blossom end rot).

Shoe

I didn't mention my thanks to psa about dolimate. Horseshoe thanks for your info too. I think my soil is lacking in everything.

Ah...adding anything with lime around here would be just silly. Very alkaline, this area.

THANK YOU for that tip. I've never heard of it and when my tomatoes are happy, I am happy!

I guess I will have to go with lime as Horseshoe suggested as neither feed stores in my area handle dolomite limestone. One did say they had lime for the garden so guess that is what I will have to go with, I need happy tomatoes too.

Weather has been so warm, in the 80's, it seems like I should be doing some gardening right now.

Well, lots of box stores, garden centers, etc have no idea if dolomite is in the lime they sell. Also, if your area is abundant in magnesium most likely dolomite is not something that would be stocked in your area.

Sometimes it's best to look at a bag of garden lime and read the ingredients, it may list dolomite there but not on the front of the bag.

No worries. For container tomatoes a bit of "regular" lime will suffice, offering the needed calcium.

Shoe

TY shoe, next time I'm out I will get some lime.

Last year I had more horn worms then I could handle. I had plants loaded with green tomato that never rippend, and had been eaten on by those horn worm. Got a tip to keep these tamato reepers at bay?

Ellen,

Shoe might have more and better ideas than me, but I'd recommend that you consider growing dill and other "Trap plants" some distance from your tomatoes. The hornworms will go to those other plants and potentially leave your tomatoes alone.

I grow datura about a hundred feet from my garden and the hornworms occasional go to the daturas.

Do you think "oyster shell grit" would substitute? Twice I ordered granite grit, but received "oyster shell grit".

I figure that it is coarser than most limestone products, but probably more soluble (like a "fast-release lime").

I should probably just turn that into my raised beds, and take fewer chances with tomatoes in buckets.

I totally misread this tip.. I was gonna say no no no, it's that you add the lime to your coconut & drink it all up...

sorry, I'm being stupid.. tired & woowoo here... LOLLLLLLLLLLL

I say, Doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?

And my favorite version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

psa said:I say, Doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?

And my favorite version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

OMG, that's my favorite version too!!