The message
from "Robert" contains these words:

Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive on the
garden. I am surprised that so many people do not use lime. It is essential
where I garden in Plymouth as the soil will get 'sour' after too long
without it as we are acid anyway. It is also useful to put in the planting
hole to help prevent club root although the experts as usual dispel this
notion.

Ahem! Builder's lime is calcium oxide and is far *TOO* active on the
garden, and will scorch the plant matter it comes into contact with.

Having reacted with water it becomes slaked lime, which is also far from
inactive - but a lot more beneficial on acid soils.

Powdered chalk or limestone has the advantage that it doesn't neutralise
acids so quickly, and especially in the case of limestone, may contain
valuable trace elements. (Ground volcanic rock such as basalt will
rejuvenate even the most exhausted soil, but doesn't tend to regulate
the pH.)

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
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