[Swing Swang]

I'm going to have a quantity of builders' lime left over after a project. Is this suitable for use on the soil instead of garden lime? Does it have the same 'potency' or do the dosing quantities have to be adjusted?

Thanks

SS

[JayG]

Builder's lime will be either burnt lime or hydrated lime, probably the latter, although burnt lime will have already turned into hydrated lime if it has got wet (if you have kept it dry it might be worth adding a little water to a teaspoon of it to see if it fizzes and gets hot, in which case you need to be more careful using it as it is quite caustic in that state, although getting either of them in your eyes on a windy day is not a good idea.)

Edit to remove reference to garden lime which I've now discovered is usually ground limestone (calcium carbonate) - my mistake! 

[mumofstig]

John's advice on lime suggests a lower application rate for hydrated lime, if that's what yours is.

For hydrated lime you only need between half and three quarters the amount.

http://www.allotment-garden.org/grow-your-own/fertiliser/garden-lime

[Swing Swang]

thanks - it is slacked lime and the link explains it might act too quickly - SS