Hello all and Happy Holidays.

I have a question about pulverized or pelletized limestone added to the soil in pots.

I lately have been mixing in powder limestone into my soil mix, as well as adding a layer on top of the soil, usually in autumn or spring.  Last year I did both, this year I did not do an autumn addition.  I noticed that the old Belleclare catalog advises that a half-inch to an inch should be added in may and august to all pots, and more importantly, states that "all old limestone should be removed."


See post at http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/belleclare-brochurehandout-from-the-nursery-6189106

Anyway, does anybody regularly remove a layer of old limestone at the surface? If so, how?  Does anybody think mixing in Limestone with the soil is enough, without a seasonal surface layer?

Thank you for your thoughts.

Rafael

Rafael,
Belleclaire uses Granular Limestone. It is easily removed. Its removed because by the end of the season all the limestone "dust" has been washed down into the mix and the large granules would take years to breakdown naturally. I posted the following with an added link to a post on pelletized limestone.

Quote:

Posted 07/12	#17
The limestone used as a topping by Belleclaire is Granular. Granular is about the size of sea salt, while pulverized is the size of table salt. The pulverized limestone will cake and form a crust if used as a topping.  Also the recommendation is Dolemite Limestone, which has a higher Magnesium content. I commented on the differences in an earlier post.

Earlier this year I found pulverized limestone at Home Depot and bought several bags before I was advised I needed the larger grains. I put about and inch and a half on top of all the figs in pots and watched very carefully to make sure I caught it if a crust formed.

Here we are about 5-6 months later and no crust has formed and in the majority of the pots most of the lime has washed down into the soil. I believe it helped with the general health of my trees and will continue to add it. I don't have the option of the larger grained, can't find it here so I will use what I can find and monitor.

My only concern now is will it settle on the bottom of the soil and crust. I guess I'll find out when I root prune. I also noticed it helped keep fire ants from building a home in my pots.

I use a ratio similar to Pete's cup/5 gal of dolomite when I mix my soil. I haven't put a heavy layer on top. I had a couple young trees that were acting a bit odd compared to the others so I took a wild stab and sprinkled a heavy hand full on the surface. It seemed to help, of course it could have just as well been some other factor.

When I mixed up about 5 gallons of potting soil I put lime in a used can from vegetables in the mix. I wasn't sure if it would be too much and cause the roots to burn. No damage was done so in looking back I probably could of used more. This year I'll add it to the top of each pot and try to mix some into the soil.

Thanks everyone, I bought the granular limestone last year, unknowingly. It is very difficult to find pelletized limestone, I got some from Bill's figs in New Jersey, I found some online am going to order some, but they only come in small 5 lb bags for $4, and the shipping costs about $12!

Merry x-mas

Rafael,
Most Homedepot and Lowes that I have stopped at in NY usually have the Pelletized Limestone (processed to be spread on lawns with a broadcast spreader). Its a stock item, If not in stock they will order it. Cost is $4.00 for 40 lbs.

Home depot

Pete thanks for the heads up, I had checked the home depot website, my search came up empty but I will try Long Island City, thx a mil!

had really bad reaction from fast acting lime this spring. i stick to dolomite lime.

I use good ole pelletized garden lime.
Phil

I just used HD Soil Doctor Pelletized lawn Lime fast -acting it kill my Fig Tree in 3 days .
The mistake i made was buying( Pelletized Fast acting) and i should have bought Granular .
It is said that Dolomitic limestone is better it is taken near the ocean .
Just a heads up on HD soil Doctor Pelletized lawnlime 40 lbs bag it looks just like the good one.
This is the good one Bill's Fig uses look for the word GRANULAR  NOT PELLETIZED OR FAST ACTING IT WILL KILL YOUR PLANT (Pelletized fast acting ) .

Actually what Bill uses is pelletized, if you have ever physically examined what he provides in the ziploc bad for his clients it is pelletized and that is the best soil additive for figs as it is slow release. The granular is acceptable, I have used it as well. The powdered hydrated lime is the one that is dangerous for your fig trees.

So the lime is added to de-acidify the container soil?

After reading a few of the recent posts. I surprised about the confusion concerning different forms of limestone used for calcium soil amendment.  The purpose of the limestone is to supply calcium which will also change the soil pH.  Limestone rock is widely available and a very cheap source for the calcium.

Dolomite is a form of limestone with a relatively high magnesium content.  It is available as large stones for paving or walls, cobblestones, large gravel, small gravel, grushed to a small grit, and as a powder.  The fine powder form is often pellitized to make it easier to spread without dealing with the dust problem.  Pellitized means it is combined with a binder that is easily and quickly disolved, leaving the powder to be readily available.  The only immediately available calcium in the Grannular form (very small gravel) is from the dust on the grannuals.

Calcium is also available from other sources.  Gypsum is calcium and sulpher - pH neutral.  Calcium silicate is calcium with silicon instead of magnesium.  That may be something to look at as the available silicon may give stronger stems.

The reason to use the hydrated,  pelletized form is that is takes a small quantity to change pH in the top few inches of the soil where the roots are growing for most plants.  It requires a new soil test and application every few years.  The grannular gravel form will take decades or centuries to appreciable supply available calcium mineral for plant roots.

Lately, for the last several years, I have been using the powdered remains that I found at the bottom of a large bag of decorative marble that I once bought. The rocks had crumbled into powder when they rubbed against each other ( nature in a bag!) and what was left was the powder. People who study glaciers call this detritus "flour."

Been working fine for me. Actually, I have even put some of the marble stones in the bottom of planters where I grow flowers that love low pH. That works, too. Granular limestone  is cheaper, of course, but using leftover stuff is cheaper still, marble being metamorphosed limestone.

FWIW, I have even gone out and wacked myself some limestone with my geologist's hammer and then beat the heck out of it to granularize it myself. Definitely the cheapest way to get pelleted limestone, but also the most personally labor intensive way!

Hi Rafaelissimmo
The pictures shown are from Bill's Fig web page .

                                                                        Rich.  

Yes Rich I know but that's an old picture its not what he uses

So, which type is the proven best so far? Because I am thinking it's time for me to start using it for my graduates.

Hi Rafaelissimmo
So help me out buddy i just used Pelletized Lime and it killed my Fig tree in 3 days your saying the picture from Bill's Fig page is not the stuff he is using any more and you say to use the Pelletized .
I am really lost here your telling me to use the stuff that just killed my tree?
The stuff i bought was Pelletized LawnLime fast acting the name of the brand is Soil Doctor 40 lbs from HD its the same stuff you just told some one to buy that is the one that kill my plants in 3 days i only put 10 little grans in the top of the pot i really hate to see any one els loose there plants from this stuff
the day after it started to kill the plant after watering by the 3rd day the plant was gone no life.
My be some one els can help, i do understand to check the PH first a lot of people on other post let you know how it works not to use fast acting Lime some say to use it some say do not use hydro Lime some say use it  some say limestone rocks and again some one say it will take the rest of my life to start working so being 60 not much time to grow figs lol.
Can you just use egg shells or shells they have Calcium or do you need more Magnesium all so ?
And if some one can put me on to the limestone they use and not killing there plants the name brand that would be great and maybe a picture of the bag or the box thanks for your time and God Bless.

                                                                                                                   Rich :)

Rich I usually blend the line pellets into my soil mix that way the roots have access to a broad area that is alkalinized as they expand. I have never heard of killing a fig with too much lime, Belleclare nursery used to spread a layer on the soil of potted plants and they would never die so maybe there is another reason you plant died, where did you get your plant, how many gallon container was it? It doesn't sound like you put too much lime on it. I think it is the consensus that pelletized lime is the best, or granular. Hydrated lime can be bad for your fig, but I used to pour it around roots of my in ground trees and nothing bad ever happend. Good luck.

Hey Rafaelissimmo
Pot size was good for the size of the plant great mix Pro-Mix  HP and Pine Bark mulch from agway great stuff  rain water that's all i use rain water .
Bullet08 had some trouble with fast acting all so .
What brand is Belleclare Nursery using do you know ?
Well thanks again .

                                                   Rich :)

I don't think it is a question of brand, I use 3 different brands, including soil doctor. I remember Ascpete wrote some interesting and valuable replies regarding lime, I don't know if it was in this thread or another. Your soil sounds good but you dis not answer my question re pot size and where you got your plants, did you root them yourself or what?

Hey Rafaelissimmo
It was from a friend he has had figs for 50 years it came potted he said it was the lime fast acting he said not to use it, it brakes down to fast  and will burn the roots it was a 2gal pot and like i said he knows his stuff he uses chicken oysters shells he is from the old country .

Thanks .

                                                                               Rich :)
 

Well you can use compost or worm castings or even a fertilizer additive like cal-mag but alkalinity and calcium are two different things I think, soil ph is one thing and nutrients to fig are another, you can also try epsom salts but I never heard of pelletized lime being considered fast acting, to the contrary, I always thought of it as slow release.

Hey Rafaelissimmo
Here is the one i got fast acting look on the right side of the bag around the middle it says fast acting and its Pelletized right where it says easy to spread.