AFTER PROCESSING LIME IS USED TO BRING THE ACIDITY OF growing media AT THE RIGHT LEVEL
Lime is excavated as mineral. Lime is often a composition of calcium- and magnesium carbonate. There are also lime products that only consist of calcium carbonate.
Various countries in Europe.
Particularly the peaty raw materials for potting soil often have a low acidity (pH), causing an addition of lime to increase the pH value so that crops can grow well in them. The quantity of lime that has to be added to a potting soil depends on the type of peat and if other products are added to the potting soil yet. Because of the increasing number of sources of peat, the variety in peat types has become larger. After adding lime, the pH in the potting soil is not directly at the right level. In potting soil, the acidity still may increase until 4 weeks after liming. But often a stable pH value is achieved after 1 week. The rise of the acidity goes fastest in the start phase. Through liming the potting soil is also ‘fertilised’ with calcium and magnesium. Together with an addition of a potting soil basic fertilizer, a balanced nutrient situation is developed.
For lime products with the RHP quality mark, specific requirements are set for the fineness of the lime, so that it can quickly bring the pH of growing media to the desired level. Because lime is a mineral, the product is checked very regularly by an RHP approved laboratory on the chemical composition and in particular on contamination with trace elements.
