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thoughts on lime?
what do folk think about lime?
my gardening book has a section on the importance of liming, releases nutrients, counteracts acidity etc; apparently it's all things wonderful but local garden shops don't stock it, and the one that does isn't getting any more once it's gone. He eyes my grey beard and says it's only used by old people and nobody else bothers cheers |
Oxymel of Squill wrote:
what do folk think about lime? my gardening book has a section on the importance of liming, releases nutrients, counteracts acidity etc; apparently it's all things wonderful but local garden shops don't stock it, and the one that does isn't getting any more once it's gone. He eyes my grey beard and says it's only used by old people and nobody else bothers "Nobody else" can all take a long walk off a short pier, then! Try the nearest farmers' supplier if B&Q haven't got it. If _they_ haven't got any, I suppose it means your local soil is already alkaline. It's easy to overdo it, of course (don't they say "Lime makes father rich and son poor"?); and some soils never want it, while many others won't need it for years. Mike. |
I like a wedge of lime in my gin and tonic!!!!
Its an excellent source of vitamin C!!!!! "Oxymel of Squill" wrote in message ... what do folk think about lime? my gardening book has a section on the importance of liming, releases nutrients, counteracts acidity etc; apparently it's all things wonderful but local garden shops don't stock it, and the one that does isn't getting any more once it's gone. He eyes my grey beard and says it's only used by old people and nobody else bothers cheers |
"Oxymel of Squill" wrote ... what do folk think about lime? my gardening book has a section on the importance of liming, releases nutrients, counteracts acidity etc; apparently it's all things wonderful but local garden shops don't stock it, and the one that does isn't getting any more once it's gone. He eyes my grey beard and says it's only used by old people and nobody else bothers Yes, we use it on the allotments, good for our silt/clay soil, helps break it up too. On the garden I do use some lime as I throw some Growmore about and understand that includes lime. -- Regards Bob In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London |
Oxymel of Squill wrote:
what do folk think about lime? my gardening book has a section on the importance of liming, releases nutrients, counteracts acidity etc; apparently it's all things wonderful but local garden shops don't stock it, and the one that does isn't getting any more once it's gone. He eyes my grey beard and says it's only used by old people and nobody else bothers cheers Why don't you buy a soil testing kit and check the the ph of your soil in several different places? If you act on the results bearing in mind the type of plants youwish to grow in these places that should take out all the guesswork and old wives tales. Cheers Tony Bull www.caterpillarfountain.co.uk |
"Nobody else" can all take a long walk off a short pier, then! Try the nearest farmers' supplier if B&Q haven't got it. If _they_ haven't got any, I suppose it means your local soil is already alkaline. :-) my B&Q garden centre kept me waiting 20 minutes while they decided they'd never heard of lime |
Why don't you buy a soil testing kit and check the the ph of your soil
in several different places? If you act on the results bearing in mind the type of plants youwish to grow in these places that should take out all the guesswork and old wives tales. good thought, I should do that. But Much of my garden is under next door's overhanging pine tree which I'm told makes the soil acid with its needles, plus I get lots of moss which also likes acid conditions thanks all for comments (excpet the prat with the gin & lime of course; there's always one saddo with nothing to say who says it anyway) Jon |
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 15:36:23 -0000, "Oxymel of Squill"
wrote: what do folk think about lime? my gardening book has a section on the importance of liming, releases nutrients, counteracts acidity etc; apparently it's all things wonderful but local garden shops don't stock it, and the one that does isn't getting any more once it's gone. He eyes my grey beard and says it's only used by old people and nobody else bothers cheers Lime as I know it is hydrated calcium oxide, chemically Ca(OH)2. It's quite strongly alkaline, and it wouldn't surprise me if, in this litigious age, garden centres don't stock it for fear of being sued by someone who got it in their eyes, or for health and safety reasons in respect of their own staff. In my local Wyvale, I found that small bags of 'lime' looked suspiciously like ground limestone, calcium carbonate, CaCO3. While this would eventually do much the same as lime, it's a lot slower acting. If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one who sells lime mortars. -- Chris E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net |
Oxymel of Squill wrote:
Why don't you buy a soil testing kit and check the the ph of your soil in several different places? If you act on the results bearing in mind the type of plants youwish to grow in these places that should take out all the guesswork and old wives tales. good thought, I should do that. But Much of my garden is under next door's overhanging pine tree which I'm told makes the soil acid with its needles, plus I get lots of moss which also likes acid conditions It takes a lot of decayed leaves to turn a soil acid; and conifers' needles don't decay all that quickly. There are mosses which flourish on pure limestone, too. But I don't mean your soil _isn't_ acid: it could be. Most gardens do end up slightly acid, I think. Does any particular kind of plant not grow well for you, even with the right aspect etc? Cabbages? Wallflowers? Do summer-flowering heathers and camellias do well? Are hydrangeas pink (alkaline) or blue (acid)? I ask because soil-testing kits don't work for everybody; and in any case if your garden performs right for you, then there's nothing wrong with the soil: you may only need to lime the vegetable patch, and that not very often. Mike. |
Chris Hogg wrote:
On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 15:36:23 -0000, "Oxymel of Squill" wrote: what do folk think about lime? my gardening book has a section on the importance of liming, releases nutrients, counteracts acidity etc; apparently it's all things wonderful but local garden shops don't stock it, and the one that does isn't getting any more once it's gone. He eyes my grey beard and says it's only used by old people and nobody else bothers cheers Lime as I know it is hydrated calcium oxide, chemically Ca(OH)2. It's quite strongly alkaline, and it wouldn't surprise me if, in this litigious age, garden centres don't stock it for fear of being sued by someone who got it in their eyes, or for health and safety reasons in respect of their own staff. In my local Wyvale, I found that small bags of 'lime' looked suspiciously like ground limestone, calcium carbonate, CaCO3. While this would eventually do much the same as lime, it's a lot slower acting. If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one who sells lime mortars. Hydrated lime, slaked quicklime, as you say, is nasty; and there's ordinarily no horticultural point. Garden lime in the form of ground chalk or limestone is the one to go for: it works better for most purposes because it's slower-acting and washes out less. Some gardens benefit from "magnesium limestone". Mike. |
I use lime on my vegetable plots and allotment as many vegetables prefer an
alkaline soil. My area (the Vale of Belvoir) has ironstone as its bedrock and this tends to make the soil acid - when I tested one of my small veg plots (created from a lawn which was really just old pasture as it was seemingly simply fenced when the house was built, and mown from then on as a lawn) it recorded a Ph of 5, which is VERY acid in soil terms! I have no difficulty getting lime (I use the ground limestone variety as I think it's safer) but then again the area is very agricultural. The local garden centres and 'country store' type of shop all sell it. It isn't needed in many gardens, but where it is, it makes a real difference especially to vegetables. Neil Visit my Peak District walking website - www.peakwalking.co.uk "Oxymel of Squill" wrote in message ... what do folk think about lime? my gardening book has a section on the importance of liming, releases nutrients, counteracts acidity etc; apparently it's all things wonderful but local garden shops don't stock it, and the one that does isn't getting any more once it's gone. He eyes my grey beard and says it's only used by old people and nobody else bothers cheers |
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message ... "Oxymel of Squill" wrote ... what do folk think about lime? my gardening book has a section on the importance of liming, releases nutrients, counteracts acidity etc; apparently it's all things wonderful but local garden shops don't stock it, and the one that does isn't getting any more once it's gone. He eyes my grey beard and says it's only used by old people and nobody else bothers Yes, we use it on the allotments, good for our silt/clay soil, helps break it up too. On the garden I do use some lime as I throw some Growmore about and understand that includes lime. Lime is not declared on the packaging. I have never heard of Growmore containing lime. I have spent a substantial time using Google to find if Growmore contains lime, and drew a complete blank. As an aside, I found stuff called "Organic Growmore" which appears to have similar application rates as Ordinary Growmore. I wonder which organic processes can yield such concentrated chemicals. Franz |
Franz Heymann wrote:
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message ... "Oxymel of Squill" wrote ... [...] On the garden I do use some lime as I throw some Growmore about and understand that includes lime. Lime is not declared on the packaging. I have never heard of Growmore containing lime. I have spent a substantial time using Google to find if Growmore contains lime, and drew a complete blank. Glad you did that: I raised an eyebrow when I read the original message. Growmore is a standard NPK fertiliser, and certainly shouldn't contain lime: it would throw one's calculations out. (Not that I calculate!) As an aside, I found stuff called "Organic Growmore" which appears to have similar application rates as Ordinary Growmore. I wonder which organic processes can yield such concentrated chemicals. I suppose they make and then evaporate aqueous solutions, which seems an expensive procedure. I imagine guano is involved. I think naturally-occurring nitrates would be allowed under organic rules, so Chile nitre could be used too. Mike. |
"Mike Lyle" wrote in message ... Franz Heymann wrote: "Bob Hobden" wrote in message ... "Oxymel of Squill" wrote ... [...] On the garden I do use some lime as I throw some Growmore about and understand that includes lime. Lime is not declared on the packaging. I have never heard of Growmore containing lime. I have spent a substantial time using Google to find if Growmore contains lime, and drew a complete blank. Glad you did that: I raised an eyebrow when I read the original message. Growmore is a standard NPK fertiliser, and certainly shouldn't contain lime: it would throw one's calculations out. (Not that I calculate!) As a footnote: I have found a statement to the effect that the pH of a sample of Growmore has been measured to be 7.1. That is about as neutral as one can get. As an aside, I found stuff called "Organic Growmore" which appears to have similar application rates as Ordinary Growmore. I wonder which organic processes can yield such concentrated chemicals. I suppose they make and then evaporate aqueous solutions, which seems an expensive procedure. I imagine guano is involved. I think naturally-occurring nitrates would be allowed under organic rules, so Chile nitre could be used too. Would your argument hold for phosphates as well as for nitrates? My brother was manager of an opencast Calcium Superphosphate mine in South Africa. The mineral was certainly as "naturally occurring" as Chile Nitre. Does that make Superphosphate an organic fertiliser? {:-)) I would have thought that by the time one has treated and mixed enough of a variety of organic manures to make the equivalent of a well balanced 7-7-7 Growmore, with comparable concentrations, the stuff would be unmarketably expensive. I think it is much more likely that someone is profiting by a bit of ripping off. Franz |
: : If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one who : sells lime mortars. 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. |
"Robert" wrote in message ... : : If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one who : sells lime mortars. Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive on the garden. That is quite incorrect. Builders' lime is Calcium Hydroxide, known as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very frequently used to treat acid soil. [snip] Franz |
"Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... : : "Robert" wrote in message : ... : : : : : : If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one : who : : sells lime mortars. : : Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive on : the : garden. : : That is quite incorrect. Builders' lime is Calcium Hydroxide, known : as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very frequently : used to treat acid soil. No you're wrong Franz, builder's lime is no use to the garden whatsoever |
"Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... : : "Robert" wrote in message : ... : : : : : : If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one : who : : sells lime mortars. : : Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive on : the : garden. : : That is quite incorrect. Builders' lime is Calcium Hydroxide, known : as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very frequently : used to treat acid soil. : : [snip] : : Franz ps Slaked lime is not builder's lime, slaked lime is gardeners' lime. Builders' lime is hydrated lime. So we are as one even though we didn't know it lol. Merry Christmas Franz : : |
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 13:41:30 -0000, "Robert"
wrote: : : If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one who : sells lime mortars. 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. What are you talking about? Try this from the horses mouth. http://www.rmc.co.uk/crossproductpdf...atedlime_r.pdf Also any number of other lime producers, Castle Cement, Buxton Lime Industries etc................ We just use whatever hydrated lime our local builders' merchants stock. Crushed limestone is fine if you can get small quantities but acts more slowly and lasts longer. ================================================= Rod Weed my email address to reply. http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html |
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 13:41:30 -0000, "Robert"
wrote: It is also useful to put in the planting hole to help prevent club root although the experts as usual dispel this notion. Which experts? When our local Hort College was growing brassicas commercially they kept the pH of their brassica field around 9 for that reason. ================================================= Rod Weed my email address to reply. http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html |
Robert wrote:
"Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... "Robert" wrote in message ... If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one who sells lime mortars. Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive on the garden. That is quite incorrect. Builders' lime is Calcium Hydroxide, known as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very frequently used to treat acid soil. [snip] Franz ps Slaked lime is not builder's lime, slaked lime is gardeners' lime. Builders' lime is hydrated lime. So we are as one even though we didn't know it lol. Merry Christmas Franz Surely this can't be right? Calcium hydroxide is calcium hydroxide, whether you call it hydrated lime or slaked lime. You can't use gardeners' lime to make mortar, but I thought that was just because the builder's version was "sharper", by virtue of being fresher and so not as thoroughly slaked. But you can certainly use builders' lime in the garden, though it washes out, and isn't safe for the skin by any means (it kills slugs): I'd use ground chalk or limestone. Have I been labouring under a serious misapprehension? Mike. |
On 11/12/04 15:44, in article , "Franz
Heymann" wrote: "Robert" wrote in message ... : : If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one who : sells lime mortars. Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive on the garden. That is quite incorrect. Builders' lime is Calcium Hydroxide, known as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very frequently used to treat acid soil. And it won't decompose the bodies........ -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove the weeds to email me) |
Mike Lyle wrote:
:: Robert wrote: ::: "Franz Heymann" wrote in ::: message ... :::: :::: "Robert" wrote in message :::: ... ::::: ::::: :::::: :::::: If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially :::::: one who sells lime mortars. ::::: ::::: Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive ::::: on the garden. :::: :::: That is quite incorrect. Builders' lime is Calcium Hydroxide, :::: known as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very :::: frequently used to treat acid soil. :::: :::: [snip] :::: :::: Franz ::: ::: ps Slaked lime is not builder's lime, slaked lime is gardeners' ::: lime. Builders' lime is hydrated lime. So we are as one even ::: though we didn't know it lol. Merry Christmas Franz :: :: Surely this can't be right? Calcium hydroxide is calcium hydroxide, :: whether you call it hydrated lime or slaked lime. You can't use :: gardeners' lime to make mortar, but I thought that was just because :: the builder's version was "sharper", by virtue of being fresher and :: so not as thoroughly slaked. But you can certainly use builders' :: lime in the garden, though it washes out, and isn't safe for the :: skin by any means (it kills slugs): I'd use ground chalk or :: limestone. You can use gardeners lime to make mortar. They are both the same basic compound, except for gardens it has been slaked and then dried, builders (who still use it) slake their own, IE: drop it into a dustbin full of cold water, wait until it stops boiling, then use as normal...slaked means it has been added to water to take the fire out of it, after this process it can be dried and doesn't need to be slaked again before use, this is what you buy as gardeners lime. If you find a plasterer and ask him to save all the old plaster rmoved from old houses (not cement) it is a mixture of sand and lime (and horsehair)...it breaks up the soil nicely and raises the alkalinity too. HTH |
The message
from Chris Hogg contains these words: Lime as I know it is hydrated calcium oxide, chemically Ca(OH)2. It's quite strongly alkaline, and it wouldn't surprise me if, in this litigious age, garden centres don't stock it for fear of being sued by someone who got it in their eyes, or for health and safety reasons in respect of their own staff. It's slaked lime, and is not strongly alkaline. In my local Wyvale, I found that small bags of 'lime' looked suspiciously like ground limestone, calcium carbonate, CaCO3. While this would eventually do much the same as lime, it's a lot slower acting. That depends on the acidity of the soil, but yes, it does tend to reduce acidity less and more slowly. If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one who sells lime mortars. No, *DON'T!* That will be quicklime, or calcium oxide, and is not recommended at all. It is quite caustic and generates quite a lot of heat when it comes into contact with water. Fine stuff (mixed with sand, and matured) for sticking bricks together thobut. -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains these words: Hydrated lime, slaked quicklime, as you say, is nasty; and there's ordinarily no horticultural point. Garden lime in the form of ground chalk or limestone is the one to go for: it works better for most purposes because it's slower-acting and washes out less. Some gardens benefit from "magnesium limestone". Quicklime's the nasty one. Hydrated lime is slaked lime, and while it will damage your skin if it has prolonged contact with it, (turns the fats in it to soap) I have taken no harm by working-up lime mortar with my bare hands - but as I said - not for a prolonged period. -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
The message
from "Neil Tonks" contains these words: It isn't needed in many gardens, but where it is, it makes a real difference especially to vegetables. And grass. Have you noticed that old tennis courts are much lusher where the lines have been? -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these words: I wonder which organic processes can yield such concentrated chemicals. Rendering of seaweed, I'd guess. -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains these words: I suppose they make and then evaporate aqueous solutions, which seems an expensive procedure. I imagine guano is involved. I think naturally-occurring nitrates would be allowed under organic rules, so Chile nitre could be used too. Hmmm. Pee on the bonfire heap and you'll get all the nitre you need... -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
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. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
The message
from "Robert" contains these words: No you're wrong Franz, builder's lime is no use to the garden whatsoever You're both wrong innit. The builder's lime I used to use was calcium oxide, and when that is hydrated it becomes slaked lime, or calcium hydroxide, and is plenty of use on the garden. Assuming you want to raise the pH, of course. -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
The message
from "Robert" contains these words: ps Slaked lime is not builder's lime, slaked lime is gardeners' lime. Builders' lime is hydrated lime. So we are as one even though we didn't know it lol. Merry Christmas Franz Hydrated lime *IS* slaked lime. -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains these words: Have I been labouring under a serious misapprehension? No. Not very serious ones, anyway. Builder's lime is (or should be) completely unhydrated. (And is bad news for the skin.) It was always presumed that because of its caustic nature it would destroy bodies, and several murderers have come to grief because it in fact tends to preserve the body. Executed murderers were (unless this is UL) buried in a bed of quicklime until it was discovered that it didn't have the intended effect. It is still widely believed to get rid of bodies... -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
The message k
from "Phil L" contains these words: You can use gardeners lime to make mortar. They are both the same basic compound, except for gardens it has been slaked and then dried, builders (who still use it) slake their own, IE: drop it into a dustbin full of cold water, wait until it stops boiling, then use as normal...slaked means it has been added to water to take the fire out of it, after this process it can be dried and doesn't need to be slaked again before use, this is what you buy as gardeners lime. If you find a plasterer and ask him to save all the old plaster rmoved from old houses (not cement) it is a mixture of sand and lime (and horsehair)...it breaks up the soil nicely and raises the alkalinity too. HURRAH! -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
"Robert" wrote in message ... "Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... : : "Robert" wrote in message : ... : : : : : : If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one : who : : sells lime mortars. : : Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive on : the : garden. : : That is quite incorrect. Builders' lime is Calcium Hydroxide, known : as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very frequently : used to treat acid soil. No you're wrong Franz, builder's lime is no use to the garden whatsoever No, an elementary knowledge of chemistry, aided by a few hundred references in Google says I am right. Biulders' Lime really is Calcium Hydroxide, known as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very frequently used to treat acid soil. Franz |
"Robert" wrote in message ... "Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... : : "Robert" wrote in message : ... : : : : : : If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one : who : : sells lime mortars. : : Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive on : the : garden. : : That is quite incorrect. Builders' lime is Calcium Hydroxide, known : as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very frequently : used to treat acid soil. : : [snip] : : Franz ps Slaked lime is not builder's lime, slaked lime is gardeners' lime. Builders' lime is hydrated lime You have your knickers in a twist. {:-(( The process of slaking quicklime is the process by which it is hydrated. Quicklime is calcium oxide. Hydrating it converts it into calcium hydroxide. Slaked lime, hydrated lime or builders' lime are all synonyms for calcium hydroxide. It is used very frequently indeed for correcting acidity in soils, as is powdered limestone, which is calcium carbonate. So we are as one even though we didn't know it lol. Merry Christmas Franz No, we are not even. You are wrong, pure and simple. Merry Christmas. Franz : : |
"Sacha" wrote in message k... On 11/12/04 18:42, in article , "Mike Lyle" wrote: Robert wrote: "Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... "Robert" wrote in message ... If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one who sells lime mortars. Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive on the garden. That is quite incorrect. Builders' lime is Calcium Hydroxide, known as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very frequently used to treat acid soil. [snip] Franz ps Slaked lime is not builder's lime, slaked lime is gardeners' lime. Builders' lime is hydrated lime. So we are as one even though we didn't know it lol. Merry Christmas Franz Surely this can't be right? Calcium hydroxide is calcium hydroxide, whether you call it hydrated lime or slaked lime. You can't use gardeners' lime to make mortar, but I thought that was just because the builder's version was "sharper", by virtue of being fresher and so not as thoroughly slaked. But you can certainly use builders' lime in the garden, though it washes out, and isn't safe for the skin by any means (it kills slugs): I'd use ground chalk or limestone. Have I been labouring under a serious misapprehension? Mike. I found this: "Lime: A substance sometimes applied to potting soils in order to increase the pH or alkalinity. The most common source of horticultural lime is calcium carbonate and dolomite. Lime is also used as a component of some fungicides such as Bordeaux Mix." http://www.optimara.com/optimaraglossary/leo-lit.html Dolomite is also a form of calcium carbonate. Both calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide are used to correct acidity in the soil. When calcium hydroxide is applied to the soil, it tends to convert into calcium carbonate, because of the presence of CO3-- ions in the soil. Franz |
"Phil L" wrote in message .uk... Mike Lyle wrote: :: Robert wrote: ::: "Franz Heymann" wrote in ::: message ... :::: :::: "Robert" wrote in message :::: ... ::::: ::::: :::::: :::::: If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially :::::: one who sells lime mortars. ::::: ::::: Builder's lime is a different thing altogether and is inactive ::::: on the garden. :::: :::: That is quite incorrect. Builders' lime is Calcium Hydroxide, :::: known as "slaked lime" It is an alkaline material which is very :::: frequently used to treat acid soil. :::: :::: [snip] :::: :::: Franz ::: ::: ps Slaked lime is not builder's lime, slaked lime is gardeners' ::: lime. Builders' lime is hydrated lime. So we are as one even ::: though we didn't know it lol. Merry Christmas Franz :: :: Surely this can't be right? Calcium hydroxide is calcium hydroxide, :: whether you call it hydrated lime or slaked lime. You can't use :: gardeners' lime to make mortar, but I thought that was just because :: the builder's version was "sharper", by virtue of being fresher and :: so not as thoroughly slaked. But you can certainly use builders' :: lime in the garden, though it washes out, and isn't safe for the :: skin by any means (it kills slugs): I'd use ground chalk or :: limestone. You can use gardeners lime to make mortar. They are both the same basic compound, except for gardens it has been slaked and then dried, builders (who still use it) slake their own, IE: drop it into a dustbin full of cold water, wait until it stops boiling, then use as normal...slaked means it has been added to water to take the fire out of it, after this process it can be dried and doesn't need to be slaked again before use, this is what you buy as gardeners lime. If you find a plasterer and ask him to save all the old plaster rmoved from old houses (not cement) it is a mixture of sand and lime (and horsehair)...it breaks up the soil nicely and raises the alkalinity too. Nowadays indoor plaster is more likely to be based on calcium sulphate (gypsum) rather than calcium hydroxide or calcium carbonate. Franz |
"Robert" wrote in message ... : : If you want real lime, try a builder's merchant, especially one who : sells lime mortars. 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. Which experts? It is a well established experimental fact that brassicas are protected from clubfoot by being grownj in soils with pH in excess of about 8.5 Franz |
On 11/12/04 22:27, in article
, "Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote: The message from "Robert" contains these words: ps Slaked lime is not builder's lime, slaked lime is gardeners' lime. Builders' lime is hydrated lime. So we are as one even though we didn't know it lol. Merry Christmas Franz Hydrated lime *IS* slaked lime. Because water has been added to it. Hydra, water. Slake your thirst? -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove the weeds to email me) |
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