Limescale can act as a fresh cell cure for the soil in the garden. This is especially true if he is a little too angry at home. However, it also supplies plants with the important nutrient calcium and makes it easier for them to absorb these nutrients in general. The lawn in particular is usually very grateful if it is whitewashed once a year.
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garden lime
Lime is basically a chemical compound. However, not all garden lime is created equal. Rather, a whole range of variants can be distinguished, which, however, are not all suitable for the garden. You can basically use the following types of lime:
- calcium carbonate
- Calcium oxide
- Mixture of calcium carbonate and calcium oxide
- Lime plus
By far the most widespread variant for the garden is calcium carbonate. It is not for nothing that it is also called lawn lime. In principle, lime plus is also calcium carbonate. However, other additives were added to the compound, which makes it a very effective and high-quality fertilizer. However, it also costs up to ten times more than conventional calcium carbonate.
mode of action
Soils often develop an environment that is too acidic. Such soil is not ideal for most plants to really grow and thrive. Garden lime now causes the pH value of the soil to rise. It is therefore of great importance to determine the pH value before liming. This is not a problem with a test set from a specialist retailer and is relatively quick. As a rule of thumb, lime should be added if the pH of the soil is below 5.3. This is especially true for the lawn. Lime also supplies plants with calcium, which in turn increases their resistance to diseases. Finally, lime also makes it easier to absorb nutrients. In addition, the soil warms up faster in spring and moisture is stored better.
Instructions for liming
Calcium carbonate or lime plus is particularly recommended for liming a garden. You really can’t go wrong with either of these two options. They can be deployed all year round. If the lawn in the garden is scarified, the lime should be applied immediately after scarifying. Lime should not be used when it rains or is forecast to rain. It is therefore advisable to use a dry period. You should know that garden lime clumps when wet and therefore no longer works optimally. How to proceed with liming:
- Scatter lime very evenly over the surface
- either use a small shovel or your hand (wear gloves)
- always pay attention to a very fine distribution
- If possible, work the lime into the soil with a rake
- act very cautiously and cautiously
The dosage is of particular importance when liming. This depends primarily on the pH value of the soil. A precise check of this value is therefore mandatory in advance. The following dosages have proven to be useful:
- pH below 5.3: 150 to 200 g per square meter
- pH 5.3 to 5.7: 120 to 180 g per square meter
- pH below 5.7: 300 to 400 g per square meter
- pH below 6.3: 400 g per square meter
Ideally, you should first determine the total area of the floor to be limed. The required amount of lime is then weighed to match the pH value and then distributed extremely evenly over the entire surface. The quantity does not have to be exactly right for every single square meter. Certain deviations are not a problem and cannot be avoided.
safety instructions
As good as garden lime may be for the soil and ultimately also for the plants, it is not entirely harmless. He looks more or less corrosive. You should therefore always wear protective gloves when liming. Safety goggles are also highly recommended to protect your eyes from fine limescale dust. After liming, small children and pets in particular should be kept away from the affected areas for some time. The danger is over at the latest when the lime itself is no longer visible. It is also important to keep a safe distance from certain plants. Conifers and ericaceous plants in particular are sometimes very sensitive to lime. In any case, a buffer of about two meters should be planned for here. Under no circumstances should this buffer be whitewashed.
