Does AG Lime = Bone Meal?

General Gardening
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Bone meal is $$, AG lime is cheap.

Does AG Lime = Bone Meal?

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People use bone meal as a source for phosphorous not to sweeten the soil. Most soils contain adequate P for fruit trees but many in humid regions are excessively acidic. AG lime is fine ground limestone. Not good with a spreader.

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Pelletized lime isn’t as cheap as ag lime but it goes through a spreader quite well.

No form of lime is equal/equivalent to bone meal

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4

Lime = calcium and magnesium (usually used to raise pH)

Bonemeal = Nitrogen and phosphorus

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Most that is used in agriculture is not dolomitc (lime plus mag) and would be recommended only if there was insufficient mag in the soil, I believe. Around here, most lawn lime is peletized and dolomitic, however It is manufactures primarily to spread on lawns. The ag guys usually want the quick release of powder.

Year Limestone Dolomite Dolomite share of lime in ag use
2022 13.5 MMT 1.5 MMT 10.0%
2021 9.3 MMT 1.6 MMT 14.7%
2020 11.6 MMT 1.6 MMT 12.1%
2019 8.9 MMT 1.2 MMT 11.9%
2018 9.4 MMT 0.9 MMT 8.7%
2005 18.1 MMT 1.9 MMT 9.5%
1990 19.0 MMT 2.4 MMT 11.2%
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Thanks. I thought both were for PH adjusting.

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Both will increase pH but bone meal only has 12% calcium whereas lime dolomite is 22% quicklime is 40%. So lime release calcium quicker too. So bone meal is not effective to quickly raise pH. Breakdown is slow with bone meal. I never use it as raccoons are attracted to it. Put some with a bulb and they will dig it up.

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8

I haven’t done a study or anything but I would think bone meal wouldn’t raise pH much (its not cost effective). Lime (both types) is a cheap way to raise pH and/or add calcium. Dolomite is a magnesium rich version of limestone. When I buy lime I buy dolomitic lime but some people already have too much magnesium so need to avoid it.

Quick lime is for mortar/cement it can be dangerous to work with as it reacts with water and gets hot, like really hot. After treating with water they call it slacked lime (calcium hydroxide).

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