The benefits of quicklime are controversially discussed among hobby gardeners. Using a hazardous substance as a fertilizer or pesticide is at least a risky balancing act. This guide would like to contribute to your individual horticultural decision-making. Read here what properties quicklime has and what uses the substance is suitable for.
What is quicklime used for in the garden?
Branded lime, also known as quicklime or quicklime, is a highly caustic substance used in the garden as a fertilizer, soil conditioner, and weed and pest control agent. However, its use involves risks and requires special caution and protective measures in order not to endanger people, animals and other plants.
- Branded lime is burnt limestone with the specific properties: water-soluble, caustic, odorless and a strongly alkaline pH value of 13-14.
- In the garden, quicklime is suitable as a fertilizer, for soil improvement, and is effective against horsetail, moss and other weeds as well as against pests and pathogens, such as clubroot.
- You can disinfect the chicken coop and fight maggots in the organic waste bin with quicklime.
What is quicklime?
Blastlime is the corrosive result when limestone is burned in a blast furnace at 1000° to 1200° Celsius. During this process, carbon dioxide is expelled and the lime-rich sedimentary rock is strongly deacidified. Calcium oxide is formed, also known as quicklime, burnt lime, quicklime or quicklime. The following properties characterize quicklime:
- strongly corrosive (eye contact causes blindness)
- Water soluble (from 20° Celsius with violent reaction)
- odorless
- flammable (in contact with organic substances)
- pH value 13-15
Behind the chemical formula CaO there is a substance that, regardless of its purely natural origin, has attributes that hobby gardeners should not take lightly.
Hazardous substance quicklime
Brightlime is highly corrosive
The properties mentioned make it clear that quicklime is a fire-hazardous substance. When it comes into contact with water, an intensive reaction sets in, as a result of which microorganisms and plants can literally burn. Consequently, lawns and planted beds are taboo for treatment with quicklime. Quicklime scattered on the compost causes mass death among microorganisms, whereupon the rotting almost comes to a standstill.
Blastlime is also dangerous for people. Regardless of whether it is slaked or unslaked quicklime, contact with skin, mucous membranes or eyes causes fatal damage to he alth. Quicklime should therefore always be used under strict safety precautions with a respiratory mask, safety glasses and gloves. In this context, it should be mentioned that granulated quicklime poses significantly fewer dangers than in finely ground form.
Excursus
Branded lime and slaked lime – difference
The addition of water turns quicklime into slaked lime. Previously, quicklime (calcium oxide) was produced from natural limestone (calcium carbonate) during lime burning. To produce slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), water is added in a sophisticated dosage. This step in the production process is important so that slaked lime acquires specific properties that are essential for the production of mortar, primarily in the construction industry. In the mortar, slaked lime undergoes a special development, the so-called setting. This setting process ensures stability in the walls after the house is built. Slaked lime reacts with carbon dioxide in the air. Calcium carbonate, i.e. limestone, is formed again.
Buy quicklime – purchasing sources and price
Blastlime is rarely found in garden centers
You can't buy unslaked quicklime on every corner in Germany. You will usually look in vain for quicklime for the garden at your local Obi hardware store and garden center. We have thoroughly researched the market for you and found what you were looking for from local and online purchasing sources. The following table gives an overview of where you can buy quicklime at a reasonable price:
| Shopping source | Price per kg |
|---|---|
| Amazon quicklime granulated | from 1.46 EUR |
| Amazon ground quicklime | from 2.68 EUR |
| Raiffeisenmarkt | from 0.79 EUR |
| Weed killer shop | from 0.58 EUR |
| BayWa.de | from 0.78 EUR |
Are you interested in the price per ton? Then please contact a major agricultural provider by telephone or email, such as DüKa Düngekalkgesellschaft mbH in Bavaria.
Branded lime use – overview
Agriculture and hobby gardeners value the high proportion of calcium present in quicklime. Lime is essential for he althy soils, promotes plant growth and prevents acidification. Furthermore, quicklime protects ornamental and crop plants from pests and diseases, which is beneficial for perfect soil hygiene. These benefits result in various possible uses:
| In the garden | Pest Control | Disinfection | Construction industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fertilizer | against snails | against maggots (organic waste bin) | Lime mortar |
| Soil improvement | against mites | against mold (organic waste bin) | lime plaster |
| against horsetail | against larvae | against parasites (stable) | lime color |
Blasted lime is mainly used in the construction industry, but mostly as slaked lime. Burnt and then slaked lime is often used as an admixture to mortar or plaster. Quicklime acts as a minor component in the production of cement clinker. In the steel industry, quicklime is used to desulfurize pig iron. The following sections explain how hobby gardeners use quicklime.
Using quicklime in the garden
If the pH value falls to the bottom, quicklime is used as a quick-acting problem solver. Quicklime is useful as a soil improver in heavily compacted, waterlogged garden soil. Quicklime makes short work of penetrating weeds, such as the dreaded horsetail. The following short instructions explain how to correctly use quicklime in the garden:
Use quicklime as fertilizer and soil improver
Brightlime should be applied as a fertilizer with great caution and only after determining the pH value of the soil
So that plants thrive and produce rich yields, an ideal pH value of 6.2 to 6.8 is desirable in sandy-loamy garden soil. In clayey loam soil, a pH value between 6.6 and 7.2 is considered optimal. If the value falls below 5.0, growth depression is the result. This is a case for quicklime as a quick-acting recovery lime and fertilizer. How to do it professionally:
- best time is in spring or autumn
- Buy a pH value test or test device (€12.00 on Amazon) and carry out according to the enclosed instructions
- If the test result is below 5.0, buy granulated quicklime
- Clear the bed
- Put on a respiratory mask, gloves and protective overalls
- Spread quicklime with a spreader and without generating dust
- Average dosage: 80-100 g/m² on sandy soil, 150-200 g/m² on loamy-clay soil
- sprinkle 200-300 g/m² on massively acidic soil (pH value below 4.0)
- Work in the quicklime superficially with a rake, do not add water
It is important to note that you should never mix quicklime with organic fertilizers such as compost or guano. The reaction triggered releases environmentally harmful ammonia.
Without a pH value measurement in advance, quicklime has no place in the garden. In view of this great importance, the following video shows how you can easily measure the pH value in the bed yourself:
PH Wert messen im Garten, Technik im Garten
Quicklime versus horsetail
Horsetail is a tough enemy in the garden that is not so easy to eradicate. However, amateur gardeners who are close to nature do not allow themselves to be tempted to use the chemical poison injection. Instead of glyphosate, quicklime is used against field horsetail. Burnt lime causes the pH value to rise rapidly, which the weeds don't like at all. For optimal control success, the field horsetail growth should be largely removed in advance. The best time is in autumn because using quicklime against horsetail also destroys all other plants in the bed.
Brightlime against weeds on land and water
Those who can deal with horsetail are also suitable for controlling many other types of weeds. Quicklime is effective against moss, which can only exist in acidic soil. If pond owners struggle with an algae-infested water world, the aquatic animals living in it are relocated and the water is drained. Sprinkled on the dry pond floor, quicklime combats algae and paves the way for crystal clear water. Under no circumstances should quicklime be sprinkled into the water because the product is poisonous to fish and other aquatic creatures.
Pest control with quicklime – tips for hobby gardeners
Snails and other pests and diseases can be successfully combated with quicklime
Brandedlime has a toxic effect on numerous pathogenic pathogens. Because quicklime in higher doses destroys almost all organic life as a result of a significant increase in the pH value, many pests and pathogens have no match for quicklime. Decades of experience in the vegetable patch have proven that after liming there is significantly less damage caused by snail damage. Soil-borne pathogens also lose out if the hobby gardener spreads quicklime. In this way, agriculture and private vegetable cultivation use quicklime to primarily keep the spread of clubroot under control. Combating the following pests and pathogens with quicklime is an option:
- against snails, their eggs and larvae
- against wireworms
- against pathogens, especially clubroot
- against all kinds of fungi
Even a thin layer of quicklime before sowing or planting is enough for a he althy bed without pathogens. Among other things, quicklime has a strong hygroscopic effect. Direct contact with snails or worms removes water from their bodies, causing the pests to die. The pH increase in the top crumb prevents the germination of fungal spores and other pathogens.
Tip
Categorization as a hazardous substance requires careful procedures when disposing of quicklime. Disposal must be carried out in such a way that release into the air or water is excluded. Unused leftovers and empty packaging are hazardous waste and should be disposed of in the appropriate containers or handed in directly to the local waste disposal company.
Brightlime for disinfection – tips & tricks
Parasites, mites, maggots and other hygiene pests are a lost cause when quicklime brings its caustic properties into play. To ensure that your lovingly cared for poultry are not tormented by fleas or mites, you can disinfect the running duck and chicken coop with quicklime. If the garbage in the organic waste bin comes to life, quicklime quickly puts an end to disgusting maggots. The following short instructions explain how to use quicklime in the stable and in the organic waste bin for disinfection:
Disinfect chicken coop with quicklime
Slaked lime is often used to disinfect chicken coops
The he alth risks of quicklime are reduced to a tolerable level if you disinfect the chicken coop with slaked quicklime, i.e. slaked lime. However, security measures are mandatory. How to do it right:
- Put on protective clothing and goggles
- Get an old tub, water, stirring stick and paint roller ready (if necessary a 500 gram cup of quark)
- Slowly and carefully stir in 5 kg of slaked lime into 15-20 liters of water
- mix with a stick until a pudding-like consistency is formed
- Disinfectants in the chicken coop spread on the walls and floor
- Let the first layer of lime dry slightly and paint the stable again
Before the final coat, stir a pack of quark into the slaked lime. This trick improves the shelf life and optimizes the wipe resistance of the disinfectant. When applying it, please make sure that the slaked quicklime flows into all the cracks, as most of the parasites are hidden there.
Branded lime against maggots in the organic waste bin
If nasty maggots squirm in organic waste, just a small amount of quicklime is enough to combat them. Please take precautions in advance to avoid skin and eye contact with the corrosive material. Sprinkle a handful of quicklime into the maggot-infested organic waste bin and close the lid. It is important to note that you only use quicklime against maggots outside and never in closed rooms.
Deleting quicklime – How does it work?
When you slake quicklime, you simply add water to it
When slaking quicklime, the water that was almost completely removed during production in the blast furnace is returned to the material. The chemical reaction is correspondingly violent, combined with a high temperature development. How to delete quicklime yourself:
- Put on rubber boots, protective clothing, gloves and eye mask
- throw a handful of granulated quicklime into a tub or large bucket
- Fill watering can with water
- Water the quicklime with a fine spray in stages
- stir occasionally to check the consistency
- Add additional small amounts of quicklime if necessary
Brandedlime greedily absorbs every drop of water and initially disintegrates into powder under the great heat. Using a larger amount of water, you can slake quicklime into lime paste, the so-called swamp lime.
Frequently asked questions
What is quicklime good for?
In the construction industry, quicklime plays an important role in the production of lime mortar, lime plaster and lime paint. In the garden, quicklime acts as a quick-acting fertilizer and a powerful remedy against horsetail, moss and other weeds. Furthermore, some hobby gardeners use quicklime to combat pests and diseases. In the household, quicklime is useful against maggots in the organic waste bin or as a disinfectant for the chicken coop.
Where can you get quicklime?
It may be due to its dangerous properties that you cannot simply buy quicklime on the store shelf in most regions. Obi has banned quicklime from its range and primarily offers quicklime for do-it-yourselfers. The Raiffeisen markets do not have these concerns and offer quicklime under the product name Gärtnerglück. You can buy quicklime online at Amazon, Weizenvernichter-shop.de and various specialist agricultural retailers who also supply hobby gardeners, such as Baywa.de.
Is quicklime dangerous for dogs?
Please give your dog strict confinement if you use quicklime in the garden, stable or organic waste bin. Slaked and unslaked quicklime is a dangerous substance for all living beings. For your four-legged friend, direct contact of sensitive paws and a sniffing nose with caustic quicklime should be avoided at all costs.
Tip
In contrast to quicklime, garden lime scores with convincing advantages without any downsides. Garden lime is neither toxic nor corrosive. Use in the family garden is safe for children and pets. The only downside is that the effect of garden lime as a biological fertilizer takes some time longer than quicklime.
