Earthbox Side Dressing

[ginger2778]

Linda, maybe you know the answer to my question. Now that I have been adding the dolomite every time, this year before replenishing I put a pH meter in the aggregate, and it mostly read pH around 7, which is already too high by a little. After the first year, the pH was around 3.5, so I was fine adding more dolomite. Shouldn't I back off to 1 cup now to counterbalance the new percent of potting mix, because the leftover I am adding the new to is already so high pH? I put a tsp of calcinit in mine about every 10 days. Supposed to be once/week, but I'm too lazy.

[Imthechuck]

Impressive Results so far! I am comparing earth box to 25 gallon. I even used Fox Farm soil in the 25 gallon with 2-3 tablespoons of 5-10-10 every 10 days or so and a lil calcium nitrate a couple of times.

Black Krim differences are staggering!

[Sun City Linda]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Linda, maybe you know the answer to my question. Now that I have been adding the dolomite every time, this year before replenishing I put a pH meter in the aggregate, and it mostly read pH around 7, which is already too high by a little. After the first year, the pH was around 3.5, so I was fine adding more dolomite. Shouldn't I back off to 1 cup now to counterbalance the new percent of potting mix, because the leftover I am adding the new to is already so high pH? I put a tsp of calcinit in mine about every 10 days. Supposed to be once/week, but I'm too lazy.

Just saw this Ginger. My answer is I don't know I have read in several different posts that the PH measurers are not very reliable unless you spend a lot for them. I think plenty of folks only add 1 cup anyway, especially since we add calcinit too. In my case, I have very hard tap water here and almost no rain so I don't think my peat mix would be as likely to go acidic. I think I am going with one cup this year at least on some to see if I notice any difference.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

Just saw this Ginger. My answer is I don't know I have read in several different posts that the PH measurers are not very reliable unless you spend a lot for them. I think plenty of folks only add 1 cup anyway, especially since we add calcinit too. In my case, I have very hard tap water here and almost no rain so I don't think my peat mix would be as likely to go acidic. I think I am going with one cup this year at least on some to see if I notice any difference.

That's what I did in most of mine, added 1 cup. Really, so far so good. The fruit themselves seem to be much stronger, last year about 1/4 had wet rot( not BER) and they were turned to liquid in 24 hrs. It was gross. This year, I have a teemendously large harvest, largest ever, and only 3 have rotted on the vine. I also had 6 fruits with BER out of a total 87 plants that are loaded. Bottom line, 1 cup of Dolomite Lime seems to be doing the trick.

[Imthechuck]

@ marsha we didn't get a lot of rain the last two months

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Imthechuck

@ marsha we didn't get a lot of rain the last two months

I'm sure that was part of it. We got rain here to make up for it yhe last 3 days. Gotta do some serious leaf clearing and fungal spraying.