What is Dolomite and clubroot?Peggy from Organic Growing Pains left me a comment on my last post asking about Dolomite and it's relation to Club root in Brassicas.
So I thought I'd make a post about it and do the best I can to answer.
I might try point form and see how that works.
Dolomite
- Dolomite is not a fertilizer.
- Dolomite is a form of lime
- Dolomite is Calcium magnesium carbonate.
- It raises pH and supplies calcium and magnesium
- Dolomite is a soil unlocker and will even help improve clay soils.
- Use Dolomite only if you have acid and you need to sweeten it.
- It is slow acting and won't react with any old manures or organic matter.
- Clubroot affects Brassicas, including radish, seakale, swede and turnip.
- Clubroot is a fungal disease
- Clubroot is a soil borne slime mould, Plasmodiophora brassicae
- Clubroot is usually introduced to the garden in soil that adheres to boots, tools, and wheelbarrows, in garden compost or manure, and directly on infected plants.
- It is most common in soil that is acid and waterlogged.
- Swollen roots and a distorted root system not to be confused with symptons of root knot nematode attack, which are smaller lumps more evenly distributed along the roots
- Plants affected grow very slowly and wilt quickly on hot days.
- They may eventually collapse altogether
- Improve drainage and add lime/dolomite at recommended rates.
- Raise your own plants or use resistant plant varieties.
- Maintain good weed control as some weeds can carry clubroot
- Practice good crop rotation.
Hope that helps Peggy.
This is by no means a definitive work, if anyone has anything to add then please leave a comment.
