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Old 16-01-2012, 11:13 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Ragnar Ragnar is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Apr 2009
Posts: 168
Default How we get ripped off by these blasted garden centres.


"harry" wrote in message
...
Get your lime from the builders merchant for a tenth of the price.

Get fertilser from the farmers merchant for about a thirdof the price.
(20-10-10 is excellent general fertiser).
Get pesticides/herbicides from the same place.

Make your own compost or get it from the recycle centre.
It just needs riddling forseed/cutting purposes.

Get seed from pound stretcher for half price or save your own

Get garden tools from the car boot sale.


Garden lime is calcium carbonate. Builder's lime or 'slaked lime' is calcium
hydroxide which is quite different. It is strongly alkaline and moderately
toxic so needs careful handling. It will probably kill off pests and moulds
but would also burn the roots of your plants. However it may be useful for
raising the pH of acid soils being prepared for a new garden. Being more
soluble than garden lime it will leach out of the soil quickly, but will in
fact turn into calcium carbonate on exposure to the air (because of the
carbon dioxide) but I don't know how long this process would take.
I have no problems with your other suggestions.
Good gardening!
R.