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Yates Thrive Natural Dolomite Lime - Calcium & Magnesium - 2.5kgs

$11.99 NZD

*Important: Heavy limits apply for this product. Please note limit maximum 2 bags per order due to shipping weight*


*This is a 'heavy item' which has a limit of 2 bags per order if there's nothing else marked heavy in your order, as although the bag is small, lime is heavy! You can add other items to your order as usual. Limits only apply to items marked heavy.

Bag too big? Have a look at Bio Leaf CalSi+ Dolomite Lime 500mls instead >

Calcium is essential - yet it's rare to find fertiliser with calcium included, let alone enough to meet the demands of indoor plants (especially calcium lovers like Peperomia). That's because calcium is NOT a mobile nutrient. You know when an old leaf goes yellow? When there's a nutrient deficiency, yellowing leaves are your plant shifting mobile nutrients from old leaves. Sacrificing old leaves to support new leaves, until you (hopefully) correct what they're deficient in. But our plants can't do that with calcium. Once there's a calcium deficiency, it's a deficiency for life for that root, leaf, stem or bud that formed without enough, because Calcium is not a mobile nutrient.

 

What are the signs of a calcium deficiency?


Unlike many other deficiencies - which tend to impact old growth first - when it comes to calcium, the signs will appear on new and younger growth first. Common symptoms are smaller leaves, deformed  or misshapen growth, and crinkled, split or torn leaves & leaf edges. New buds may fall off before flowering, and buds may turn out to be rotted inside. What you won't often see however is the impact not enough calcium has on the growth of root tips


What plants need calcium?


Calcium is an essential nutrient. That means all plants need calcium. However some are known as 'calcium lovers' because they show the signs of a deficiency more than others, need more than others, or need lime added to keep substrates like bark from rotting over time. These include Orchids, African Violets, Hoya, Peperomia, Kalanchoe, Spider Plants, Ivy, Tomatoes, Apples, Lemons and more. 


What about using other calcium sources like milk or eggshells?


Milk or 'milk water' is not recommended for indoor plants. It can attract fungus gnats (who love rotting organic material), as well as fungus and mould.  Eggshells are also often suggested to increase calcium, however used indoors they break down slower than outdoors, if at all. In compost and outdoor gardens, eggshells take around 3 to 5 years to break down. More about eggshells here


How do you use dolomite lime for indoor house plants?


As dolomite lime is more often used outdoors, to prevent or correct calcium and magnesium deficiencies in fruits and fruiting trees (like Tomatoes and Apple Trees), you'll see the directions on the bag are based on square metres of soil. Directions are not given for indoor plants on the bag, however ask and the internet provides...

How much dolomite lime to add to potting mix:


Add about one tablespoon of lime per 5 litres of dry potting mix. Mix in thoroughly before potting up. Dolomite lime is slow release over 2 to 3 months, so reapply about quarterly, three to four times a year, if needed. Potting mixes high in bark benefit from lime to keep from rotting over time.


How much dolomite lime to add to an established plant:


If already dealing with a calcium or magnesium deficiency, you can add dolomite lime to a plant without repotting. For seedlings and baby plants: mix lime in with the potting mix (see above). For smaller pots around 11cms to 14cms: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of lime evenly over the surface of dry potting mix. Use a fork to mix in well, into the top layer of the potting mix. Water as usual. Reapply every 2 to 3 months if still seeing signs of a deficiency or need to adjust soil pH. For medium to larger pots, around 15cm to 20cm, follow the same directions as smaller pots, however increase to around 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of dolomite lime. 


How often should you add dolomite lime to houseplants?


Dolomite lime is a slow-release source of calcium and magnesium, gently increasing levels available to the plant while adjusting soil pH to a healthy range. You can reapply dolomitic lime every 3 months or so depending on watering. The more often you water, the faster the lime will be washed out and used up. It's advised to test your soil before each application to check pH level. If needed, apply about two monthly in higher-watering times of year or frequently watered plants, otherwise every three months.


How big is the bag?


Yates Dolomite Lime comes in a 2.5kg bag (the smallest size available), which measures about 14cm x 19cm x 7cm. One bag will be plenty for the majority of house plant hobbyists. The bag is resealable. Being essentially rock, it doesn't 'expire' but should be kept sealed in a cool, dry place indoors. A little goes a long way! 


Safety precautions


Dolomitic lime is not as harsh as other forms of lime, but should still be handled with care. Wear gloves, a dust mask and safety glasses as the powder is quite fine. Mix in well with soil for best results. Avoid breathing in dolomite lime. Avoid contact with eyes and skin. Wash hands after use. 


More details about dolomite mine as well as directions for use > 

Customer Reviews

Based on 2 reviews
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J
Jasmin H
Give it a try!

It works! I recently tested the soil of a beloved potted plant and was shocked to see it had very acid soil (around pH 3.5), so thought I would give this a try (as the plant is enormous with multiple stems, I didn’t want to repot especially over winter).
While it is a product that you only need a little of, and it takes a while to work - the pH level is now at 4.5 and with the next application due in a fortnight, I expect it to increase further. Anna’s guidelines about how much to use for potted plants are super helpful as these are not noted on the packaging.

A
Amy Fairley
Excellent pH increase

... and natural to boot!

Shipping and Delivery FAQ's


SHIPPING RATES


Shipping
 is FREE for all orders $99+. Orders under $99: Auckland Standard $5, signature required $7, or rural $9. Rest of the North Island and the South Island: Standard $8, signature required $10, or rural $12. Plants, fragile and overweight/oversize parcels have separate rates. 


IN STOCK IN NZ


Stock levels are live. Everything showing in stock online, is in stock right here, right now, in Auckland New Zealand, ready to ship. No drop shipping from other countries. No delays.

 

SHIPPING EVERY DAY


Orders ship every week-day. Orders placed before 7pm Mon to Thurs leave the next morning. Zoom zoom! Fri morning orders usually ship Fri afternoon, and Sat & Sun orders up to 4pm Sun leave Mon (or the next working day after public holidays).

 

FAST DELIVERY


Normal delivery is 1 to 3 working days. Rural and some regions can take a day or two longer, depending on where you're based (orders ship from Auckland). 

More about shipping and delivery > 

 

HAPPY CUSTOMERS


"I can’t recommend love that leaf highly enough. I’ve bought a couple of times so far and on both occasions Anna has been more helpful than I could possibly wish for. 5 stars! Don’t hesitate to order from Love That Leaf. Excellent service and super fast delivery." Rob Gordon

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YOU'RE SUPPORTING LOCAL

When you buy from me you're supporting a small, local, family business. Love That Leaf is a registered NZ business, based in Auckland. 


IN STOCK NOW + NEXT DAY DISPATCH 

You'll get your planty goodies super fast. Everything showing in stock on the website is right here in NZ, in stock, ready to ship. I ship daily, Monday to Friday. Orders normally leave the courier the same or next working day. Zoom zoom!


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I stand by everything I sell and will always help put right anything that goes wrong. When you choose to buy from a registered NZ business (like me), you're also covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act, unlike overseas purchases or private sales, where you can end up stuck with no rights if anything arrives damaged or stops working.


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I won't go AWOL on you. I'm here for support and advice anytime, even if you haven't bought from me yet. A lot of lovely people helped me along my plant journey, and I want to pay it forward. Please don't hesitate to ask for help. No obligation at all to purchase. 


HAPPY CUSTOMERS


"Super impressed with this business. Something that is lost nowadays, is customer service. This however is not the case with Anna from Love that Leaf. Very happy with my purchase, very happy with the product information provided and very happy with the quick shipping and great packaging. Thanks!" Melayna Anderson

FREE shipping for orders $99+
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100% NZ In stock in NZ ready to ship
Fast delivery 1 to 3 days for most of NZ
FREE Shipping For all orders $99+ shipping NZ wide
Pay later Afterpay and ZIP available
100% NZ NZ owned. All in stock locally.
Guaranteed :) Anything wrong I'll put it right