GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Chas Hurst · 08-08-2006, 06:25 PM posted to alt.home.lawn.garden

"Mike" wrote in message
...

"Steveo" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Jim Ledford wrote:
trader4 wrote:

Steveo wrote:
Stubby wrote:
Steveo wrote:
JoeM wrote:
Best type to use on a newly seeded lawn,granular or
ground,and
why

The pellets are much easier to spread since it doesn't clog
the
spreader as bad as the pulverized variety. They are basically
the same product otherwise.

That's incorrect. The pelletized "lime" sold in big box stores
is actually limestone (calcium carbonate).

No, it is correct actually.

He's speaking of agricultural lime and the difference between the
pelletized and pulverized variety's, in which case there is no
difference besides a bonding agent to hold the pellets together.

I agree. The lime products associated with cement are not found at
garden shops. What you buy at the garden shop is suitable for
lawns,
regardless of the form. And I agree that the pelitized form is much
easier and less messy to apply, though more expensive.

ok, now that ya'll got the lime all identified, I'll share a lawn
care tip. it's been noted already how pulverized lime clogs the
spreader and is no fun to work with. but pulverized lime will go
into the soil faster than pelletized. you need to speed up the
obtaining of the desired result from your lime application.
[impatient customer] mix 60/40 pelletized/pulverized in the
spreader hopper. MIX well with stir stick and then apply. this
trick has only been field tested in a broadcast type spreader,
therefore at this time there is no data available for the use of
one of those crappy drop type spreaders.

I don't doubt that this could work and be a lower cost solution, but do
you really think it works any faster? Doesn't the pelletized form
just effectively become the pulverized after the first rain or water
application?

Sure does, and I imagine one would need a fairly calm (no wind) day to
apply pulverized limestone with a broadcast spreader unless you don't
mind
looking like casper the ghost when you're finished. :-)
Its not limestone!!! Lime is actually brown in colour!

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed chiefly of calcium carbonate, which
in its' pure form is white. Limestone varies widely in color due to other
material that accreted in the sediment.
The lime associated with building is not calcium carbonate but calcium
hydroxide which is quite caustic.