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lime query

wrinkly1wrinkly1 Posts: 50
in Fruit & veg

i have a chance of free builders lime. the type they use on building sites.is it o,k to use on my allotment for brassicas. as i am riddled with club root. i am worried it could kill my worm population.any help please.mick.

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Builders lime is also know as hydrated lime and can be used in place of garden lime (which is basically ground limestone.)  You have to be a bit more careful when spreading it as the dust is an irritant, so make sure you don't breath it in, keep it off skin and protect eyes.  Builders lime is about half as strong again as garden lime when it comes to its acid-neutralising properties, so you only need to use two thirds as much as you would if spreading garden lime.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • wrinkly1wrinkly1 Posts: 50

    thanks bob. i/d have been feeding too much.

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    No problem wrinkly1 - hope you manage to beat that clubroot.  One thing which helps against that is to raise the plants in 3.5" pots and grow them a bit bigger then normal before planting them out.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Oh dear Bob, I have just thrown a big big bag of builders lime away as someone told me it was just a soil improver and didn't alter the ph balance.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Never mind, Lyn. image They were probably thinking of gypsum, which can be used to improve clay soils without affecting pH.  The RHS has a pretty comprehensive section on the various types of lime:

    http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=144

     

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    Ah! thats what it was Bob. Gypsum, thank you, I dont feel so bad now.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • wrinkly1wrinkly1 Posts: 50

    bob. i/ve jjust read the RHS link you left. it makes it so clear.it pay/s to ask .many thanks. 

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