Wanting to make up some potting mix for figs tonight. All the lime I have right now is hydrated lime. I've tried doing some research on the subject but can't find much. Does anyone have experience using hydrated lime in there potting mix? The soil mix will consist of mostly pine bark nuggets around 1 inch, with peatmoss and soil conditioner making up the rest. I can cut it also with perlite but since bark makes up most of the mix I don't know how imperative perlite is. So the mix is defiantly on the acidic side to start so like is a must. Would you use hydrated lime?

Am not sure you should use hydrated lime. See this link:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg0115182316083.html

Also, go to

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/potted-culture-limestone-question-6682527

I would not use it.  Would also look for a bit finer pine bark.  

I would have to do some research to figure out what hydrated lime actually is but you definitely want to avoid products called "fast acting lime" or something like that.  What I have had good luck with is the dolomitic lime ("garden lime") from Espoma or "Agricultural Lime" which I believe is another dolomitic liime product.  Both of these are pelletized lime, I think.  I have not had success finding actual crushed limestone here so I've used pelletized instead.  There is a lot more information on lime in the forum - just search under "lime".  Good luck.

Blueboy1977,
I would never use Hydrated Lime, Slaked Lime,  Fast Acting Lime or Quicklime in containers, they are processed Lime Products and are up to 15 time more potent than Pulverized or Pelletized Dolemite Limestone. Dolemite Limestone is always available at Lowes, Home depot and even Walmart.... Good Luck.
  

Rewton,
Most of the Soil Doctor Pelletized and Pulverized Dolemite limestone have a badge that says "fast Acting" its only actually referring to the small particle size and that it breaks down quickly, but they are the right products to use. 40  pound bags are usually around $4.00 if its more expensive, its usually the wrong product which you shouldn't use ...Quicklime or Hydrated Lime.

like others said, go with dolomite lime. hydrated lime and fast acting lime can damage young trees rather quickly... like within days. i learned it hard way last spring.

hydrated lime =  :-(


dolomitic lime = :-)

Ok, thanks for info. Guess is will have to go to the nursery in the morning. I was actually making a big batch of potting soil for my blueberries because I'm moving all them to 30gallon pots. Unfortunately the soil conditioner I got seemed to have a manure smell to it. It was Natures Helper soil conditioner. I've used it before with no issues but it never smelled like that. I didn't think much of it untill I had already mixed it up. Called the company to see what they put in it. The bag stated 50%pine bark 50%compost. They couldn't tell me exactly what the compost was but said its possible there could be manure it. That's a no no for blues so I guess I will use it for figs.

I know of one version of hydrated lime where limestone from a limestone query are placed in a furnace and heated at high temperature which crumbles the stony structure which is basically dehydrated lime. This is used in many countries for white washing the buildings when dissolved in water and made into hydrated solution.
Putting water on cold dehydrated lime creates a lot of heat.

Hi
I just bough a bag that some one had posted here up a few on this post it was the one from HD .
The name is Soil Doctor Pelletized LawnLime fast-acting 40 lbs bag it killed my fig tree in 3 days 
The mistake i made was buying( Pelletized fast acting Lime ) .
The Right one to buy says Granular and on the back it says Dolomitic Limestone .
The bad one on the back says the same thing .
Here is the wright one to buy Bill's Figs uses this one just giving ya the heads up i do not want anybody to loose any Fig Trees like i just did .
           

Ouch! Sorry to hear that and thanks for the heads up!

Hi Rich60,
Always run a "test lab" first with a common variety that you have duplicates .
After some time, than try one more tree, one more  ... until you feel that you master the new method .

What surprises me is that limestone will raise the PH ... Have those guys acidic dirt ? or an acidic potting mix ?
My dirt is lime ... Well, I'll probably do a test sometime and see how a test tree will behave.

Blueboy,
I have had a similar experience with a potting soil I use regularly as part of my mix as well. Eko organic potting mix, I buy two bags at a time and make my mix then rebag them. The last two bags I bought smell fairly stongly of manure. Never ever smelled that way before. I went with it anyway. I would love to see the expressions of the poor fools who bought some to use for their house plants and now their living room smells like a pole-barn in the spring time!

jds, pine bark is acidic so those of us who use it in our potting mix have to bring up the pH.