U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Application Technology Research: Wooster, OH
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                                    Software
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    Departments
                        Agricultural Engineering
                                    Entomology
                                    Horticulture
                                    Plant Pathology
                                    IR-4 programSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Midwest Area Wooster, Ohio Application Technology Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Altland, James
  Submitted to: The Buckeye
                                    Publication Type: Trade Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 9/17/2014
                                    Publication  Date: 9/28/2014
                                    Citation: Altland, J.E. 2014. A new lime material for container substrates. The Buckeye. 25(8):28-31.Interpretive Summary:
                                Technical Abstract: The primary component in greenhouse potting substrates is sphagnum peatmoss.  Substrate solution pH of non-amended peatmoss ranges from 4.0 to 4.5.  Ideal pH for most greenhouse floriculture crops ranges from 5.8 to 6.2.  Dolomitic lime is most often used to elevate substrate pH in peatmoss-based media.  Steel slag is a byproduct of the steel industry, recently introduced as a liming agent for agricultural purposes and has potential for use in greenhouse substrates.  This article describes research  to quantify and model the impact of steel slag on pH of a peatmoss-based greenhouse substrates, and compare it to the industry standard dolomitic lime.  The ability to raise substrate pH was much greater for steel slag than dolomitic lime.  This might have some application for greenhouse or nursery producers where very high pH is desired or there is some need to counteract a very acidic or pH-lowering amendment.  Most crops are grown at pH between 5.8 and 6.2, levels that are attainable with dolomitic lime.  Furthermore, over-application of steel slag could result in exceedingly high pH whereas even a gross over-application of dolomitic lime would, based on the results of these experiments, result in pH no higher than 6.6.  While steel slag offers more immediate and effective liming power when high pH (>7) is desired, dolomitic lime offers an ideal Ca : Mg ratio, more moderate pH increases, and less risk of high pH with accidental over-application.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov