So I typed up a very long reply to you but of course my computer crashed before I could send it! I will try and sum it all up. First, thank you for the link. I actually found another post by the author discussing dolomitic lime and verifying what I learned. Here it is: RE: Fertilizer Program for Containerized Plants II clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings � Posted by tapla z5b-6a MI (My Page) on Wed, May 27, 09 at 23:26 Well, you would think that because garden lime (dolomitic lime) has a solubility of about 1/3 oz/100 oz of water and is comprised of both CaCO3 and MgCO3 (calcium and magnesium carbonate) that they should become available in the same ratio as the dolomite dissolves. The fact of the matter is that the CaCO3 fraction of the lime has a solubility of about .0015, while the MgCO3 fraction is soluble at a rate of about .175, or roughly about 125X more soluble than the Ca fraction. With dolomite being about 20% Ca and 10% Mg, you would also think that they would be released in about a 2:1 ratio, but what actually occurs is: at first, during the first few months, the release rate is about 1:1 or a little greater, then slowly shifting to around a 2:1 release at some point in the soil/planting's life, and then after 9 months to a year to 2:.05 or even less. This issue can be very acute for plants grown in the same soil for more than a single growth cycle. Al I couldn't figure out an easier way to insert this other than cut and paste. Is there another way? How does one message the author as I would like to ask some questions directly? As I stated I grow using organic amendments and am trying to replicate the outdoor environment in a container. I do understand there are many soluble cal/mag fertilizers available but I don't like to use synthetics (personal preference). Anyhow the reason I was suggesting adding more calcium carbonate to dolomitic lime was to increase the cal/mag ratio. This was directly due to the fact of the magnesium being more soluble (in the soil solution as you asked). Also due to the role calcium plays in buffering the pH of a soil. This is where the CEC and base saturation rate come into play. Now dolomitic lime can certainly be used and I'm not trying to say there is anything wrong with it, just suggesting this as another way. Greentiger suggested that the high CEC of container media would handle the buffering capacity but it is my understanding that calcium is the key cation in this situation. Therefore having more of it in the soil would be beneficial (within reason). Even if one is not trying to hit a certain base saturation rate it seems that it is suggested to have more calcium than magnesium and more magnesium than potassium in soil (please correct me if I am wrong). Now here is where I once again get confused! I see in many plant tissue analyses that potassium is present in a much higher rate than calcium. Probably why potassium is considered a primary and calcium a secondary nutrient. So why is it that much more calcium is suggested to be in soil? Is this because of the role it plays in buffering the pH? Or do the molecular weights have something to do with this difference? Or am I misunderstanding this all? I'm not trying to challenge the tried and true just simply trying to learn as much as I can. Thanks

I also have found coco coir to be excellent for seed germination. Coir is going to be superior peat for this for the same reason a paper towel is. It actually allows the seed to stay consistently moist. Peat dries out faster and doesn't have a reliable pH. You also don't have to worry about a bunch of sticks with coco. No nutes necessary for germination. The seed has its own food. Problem is, you have to transplant pretty soon or use liquid fertilizer if you use a medium without nutrients. I make soil blocks with a coco coir/vermicast/sifted compost mix so I don't have to worry about a quick transplant. Coco also won't mold or grow moss and algae on it like peat moss does. At least not until you put nutrients on it. It's just you adding the nutes instead of a pump. There is a very good reason peat isn't used for hydroponics but coco is. Coco is more stable, nearly all brands desalinate as they know the hydro industry is their number 1 customer - so normally no worries concerning salt, and it it's great for aeration because it doesn't break down as fast as peat moss. In fact, I sterilize, desalinate, and reuse the coco for my hydro plants. It lasts at least 3 growing cycles of tomatoes and many more for lettuce (shorter cycles is why). For anyone thinking, "But I don't do hydro," keep in mind that potted plants that require liquid fertilizer is hydro. It's just you adding the nutes instead of a pump. I hold no illusion that coco is more environmentally friendly. I did, because I fell for the media hype. But the reality is otherwise and I now definitely recognize this.

>>> I made a really big batch of 5 parts fur bark, 1 part crushed granite, 1 part Turface mvp, and 1 part peat moss. Although not a disaster, I am wondering if you've mixed up the ingredients between making the two types recommended by Al in the container forum: the "gritty mix" and the 5-1-1 mix. Gritty is 1-1-1 bark fines, granite, turface and particle size of the components in paramount (thus sifting and searching for sizes). The 511 is bark fines(partially composted), peat, perlite and as long as you use the smallest bark you can find, should be fine. You correctly added Gypsum, avoid the lime for both the berries and citrus. >>> Your blueberries can be fertilized with the citrus fertilizer, too. Depending on your pH of your water, I would probably still add some Vinegar to feed the blueberries. Even with help of MG Miracid, you are fighting the constant natural pH rise every time you water with municipal water that is usually above 7.2+ Even with using bark+peat mixes with Soil Sulfur, using Miracid, and watering with heavy vinegar water about half the time, the pH started about 7.0 this Spring -- darn.

Yes, the speed with which lime works to buffer the pH in a container soil is much faster than if lime is used in the ground. And this is primarily due to the fineness of the lime powder and that it gets completely incorporated into the sol mix. At best, garden applied lime may get incorporated only a few inches into the soil profile. btw, even some of the lime used in an outdoor garden setting will have an immediate impact. And almost all of it will be reactive within 6 months. And if you don't mind me saying, I think you are overworking/overthinking this process to an excessive degree. Don't try and fine tune the mix for every different plant - it is just not necessary. And don't try and extrapolate growing in garden soil to container soil or vice versa. They are very different situations and the rules that govern one DO NOT apply to the other.