Soil Liming — When, How Much, and Why It's Important

Liming — When Soil Needs Alkalizing

Polish soil tends to become acidic — due to acid rain, decomposition of organic matter, and ammonium fertilizers. Without intervention, pH gradually drops.

Problem: at pH below 5.5, plants cannot absorb calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus even if they're present in the soil in large quantities. You fertilize and nothing — nutrients are unavailable.

When to lime:

• When pH test shows values below 6 for vegetables
• When tomatoes or peppers show blossom end rot (calcium deficiency)
• Preventively every 3–4 years on intensively cultivated beds

  What to use:

• Dolomitic lime CaMg — contains magnesium, safer choice, gradual action
• Ground limestone CaCO3 — faster action
• Garden chalk — similar to dolomite, good for regular use

  When: Best in autumn — lime has time to work before the season. In spring, minimum 4–6 weeks before sowing.

  How much: ~150–200 g/m² of dolomitic lime for average soil at pH 5.5. Without a pH test, don't lime intuitively — overly alkaline soil is just as big a problem.

  Important: Never simultaneously with nitrogen fertilizers — they react with each other and you lose fertilizer.

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