I said that I stated facts about the use of dolomitic lime, and for the record, there isn't one that you refuted. I didn't say there are not courses alternative to the use of lime, only that what I stated was fact. See quotes below. The article you linked to mentions the two words 'container gardening' as an application for the use of dolomitic lime, which doesn't support your position at all, and it goes into NO detail whatsoever. So it's sort of a smokescreen. If we're going to focus on container soils, we probably shouldn't be expanding the conversation to include dietary supplements that have no bearing on the subject; after all, we don't water with stomach acid. ;o) All soils, ores, and other things taken from the earth's crust contain lead, arsenic, and other myriad contaminants. That some forms of limestone mined from an area known to be rich in lead should contain some lead is not much of a surprise. It's normal for mineral products to be contaminated with elements and compounds other than what they're mined for. It's highly doubtful that limestone from those areas are packaged for garden/lawn use. No one I've ever met has used "laboratory-synthesized" garden lime, either. "I should have no need to go on because you should realize that, no matter how much you like to think it's fact, the use of lime in container soils is & will always remain a matter of opinion." What I said was, "... limestone is pretty much accepted across the board as the very best way to raise pH while supplying necessary Ca and Mg in peat/bark soils". I also said "... container soils benefit from the addition of lime to bring the pH to a more favorable level than peat or bark soils usually come in at - pre-limed. In addition to raising pH, lime also has the fortunate attribute of being able to supply Ca and Mg in a favorable ratio. It's difficult to imagine how you could improve on that." I'm not sure what there is to argue with in those comments, the crux of my posts. It's all true, but there is room for you to expand if you like - if you have a definitive way to improve on the use of lime to raise pH and supply Ca/Mg in peat/bark-based container soils - please share. Al

Hello afbq, More information is needed. Is the plant in a pot (how big and what growing medium?) a raised bed or in the ground? What variety is it? (Some dwarf varieties only get to be about a foot tall.) If it was planted out, how long ago was that and did it have the flower/fruit on it when transplanted? Did you prune it? It is hard to say if it will start to grow again, but most likely it will. Betsy

The only way to know what the levels of NPK in soils are is with a good reliable soil test and a Google search for soil testing in Uruguay resulted in nothing of use, so it is difficult to know if there is anyplace in Uruguay that does soil testing. Soil pH affects nutrient availability and if too high or too low can keep plants from being able to use the nutrients from soil. Too much raw organic matter in soils can cause Nitrogen to not be available to plants since the soil microbes will use the available N to digest that raw organic matter. Perhaps these simple soil tests might be of some help. 1) Soil test for organic material. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains’ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell, to a point. Too much organic matter can be bad as well. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. You do need to know where you are to begin the journey to where you want to be. kimmq is kimmsr

yellowing usually only means two things.. time for fertilizer (nitrogen) or over watering. based on the use of the miracle starter i'll say it's the former. the mix is only good for the first 2-3 weeks of growth, they are past due for some fertilizer. i would fertilize them and transplant them a week later. the ones on the left seem to be almost due for transplanting into something bigger.. verify by letting the medium dry out a bit then gently popping one out the cube. if the cube starts to fall apart then there more room for growth, if it the root ball stays together than it's time to transplant.