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Follansbee, Wv

I cannot find a local source for calcitic lime. Every place I call or visit has only Dolomitic lime. I called both Lesco's that are close to me and they only have dolomitic lime. Could either Brooks or Don let me know if they have a local supplier?

11/11/2004 2:47:26 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Yikes! I can't find dolomitic lime anywhere...been all over and I hate the thought of paying the shipping..

11/11/2004 3:15:34 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

was thinking of just adding some epsom salts to it??? is that okay?

11/11/2004 3:17:13 PM

Follansbee, Wv

Well, I just found some calcitic! Right after I posted I had a thought. There is a new feed store across the river, so I called them. They had 11 bags, I bought 10 of them! Is your Mg so low that you need dolomite? My Mg levels jumped from 122 lbs/acre to 820 lbs/acre with just one application! If you just need to raise your Mg a little I would use the Epsom Salts. I don't how much tho.

11/11/2004 4:15:33 PM

Ri

Found both calcitic and dolomitic pellatized at the Hmoe Depot 4 bucks a bag pete

11/15/2004 5:22:26 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

don't know why but my worm farm advises nothing pelletized...anyone know why?

11/15/2004 6:57:23 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

The binder in most pelletized lime (Calcitic, Dolomitic or Gypsum) is usually Molasses or surcrose based, so I really can't wait to hear this answer. Maybe it's because they don't SELL pelletized?

Chuck, please call them & ask them why.

11/15/2004 9:41:56 PM

Follansbee, Wv

Personally, I prefer a pulverized, non-pelletized, lime because it exposes more surface area of the lime to the soil, so the pH is raised faster. That's the only reason.

11/16/2004 12:04:19 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Monty, The opposite is true. The Pelletized material is ground much finer than pulverized. So fine it packs like Talc or flour & can no longer flow well enough to spread. So it get's turned in a rotating drum with a binder & a sidgen of controlled humidity. At the last minute a hot air blast is introduced to dry the pellets.

Thus when using pelletized we spread, lightly water, wait, then till.

Honest. Pelletized does work faster than pulverized. The State of CT did a study here some years ago on a public Golf Course. Farmers didn't believe it applied to them so the State duplicated the results of Lockwood Farm in Hamden.

Ironically the worst Lime they tested was a pulverized material made right here in CT. LOL 5 years & the pH never even moved. 7 years & it started to FALL. LOL

11/16/2004 7:21:00 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Trying to find an excerpt that I can post....www.worman.com of NJ ...definitely say don't use hydrated or pelletized lime for worms as it burns em....I don't know why..but did a search "lime worms" and it even shows up as a description as that but can't get it on line...will keep trying

11/16/2004 8:25:41 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Hydrated lime I can understand. It's caustic.

11/16/2004 9:26:19 AM

Puyallup, WA

Steve,
I've used hydrated lime for years. I know that it changes the pH faster than most other forms. What do you mean by saying that it is caustic?
I understand that it is used to absorb moisture in the apple storage warehouses out here in Washington. I buy it for $2 a 40# bag.

11/17/2004 7:21:13 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Stan,

It sure is faster. The process by which it is manufactured makes it more caustic or corrosive than any other type of Lime. I suspect this is why it repels worms.

Hydrated Lime is aka Calcium Hydroxide. I clipped the following from a Material Safety Data Sheet.


Hydrated lime, chemically known as calcium hydroxide, calcium hydrate or caustic lime, is produced by reacting water with high calcium quicklime in an atmospheric hydrator. It is a white powder form decomposes on heating producing calcium oxide.It is soluble in water and the solution is a medium strong base reacting violently with acids and attacking many metals in presence of water . Hydrated lime makes it suitable for a wide range of applications including: the treatment of potable water, waste water and municipal sludge, as a chemical process additive; the stabilization of toxic waste for site remesiation and various construction uses including soil stabilization and anti-stripping in asphalt mixes.

http://www.chemicalland21.com/arokorhi/industrialchem/inorganic/CALCIUM%20HYDROXIDE.htm

11/17/2004 9:39:07 PM

Follansbee, Wv

Steve, your saying that pelletized lime works faster than pulverized lime? Interesting. I just happen to be in the position to have an experiment. Back in March I applied pulverized lime to a new patch of my garden. The pH was 4.9 then. This falls soil test results show a pH of 6.6. This fall I applied a pelletized lime to the new pumpkin patch, pH of 4.9. In March I will be testing the soil again. I am curious to see if the pH raises to 6.6 or better. I used the same amount of lime as I did in the spring (actually about 10 pounds per 1000 sq ft more). This should be interesting. I have been worried that the pH would not raise enough in six months since I used pelletized lime. I'll post the results come March.

11/17/2004 10:46:33 PM

Follansbee, Wv

Update...I was in the garden yesterday. It has rained for a couple of days now and I was curious. Some of the lime pellets were visible, so I picked up a few. They are indeed very soft and deteriorating rapidly! I could see small grey spots here and there where the pellets had dissolved completely! The spring soil test results should yield some nice numbers. Once again Steve, you have proven that your knowledge of the soil is extraordinary!

11/21/2004 9:56:03 AM