Can I use cement as lime for brassicas

[Jimmy]

Brassicas need lime on my plot.

I have an old bag of cement, 2 or more years old.
So it won't work as cement.

Can I spread it on my brassica plot ???

Or would it be detrimental ?

Thanks
Jimmy

[WendyC]

My initial reaction would be no. No logical reason but someone else may give you other ideas. Are your sure your plot needs liming? Have you tested the soil/ observed growth ?

[Bill HH]

I have used crushed plaster board before now, not sure about cement though.

[Martin H]

I'm sure it would raise the pH, but I'd be worried about the impact on soil structure.

[lottie dolly]

No idea about that one,if no answer comes along,you could experiment on a small area,but come back and tell us how it went,

[Bigmallly]

Hi Jimmy, what makes you think it won't set?..............I personally wouldn't risk it, not for the price of a bag of garden lime if your soil really needs it.

[MarkHackwell]

I would say no as I think it could contaminate your plot, I think personally anyways. But look at the bright side if it does set you have got a good base for a greenhouse :P

[Spunky]

I wouldn't cement contains chemicals and would set so you'd just end up with clumps of set cement
Hydrated lime is a by product of a by product of hydraulic lime and won't set

[Bohobumble]

Try Wilko, QD or Poundland for garden lime - I have seen it there cheap enough.

As it happens I read in an old book this morning (1935) that you can use it, but personally I wouldn't trust it for veg I want to eat.

[mothhawk]

Hi Jimmy, what makes you think it won't set?....

Brassicas like to be firmed in well though, BM...

[Bigmallly]

Brassicas like to be firmed in well though, BM...

Aye but concreting them in is taking it a bit far.....................

[Alison]

Have you checked that you need to add lime?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Dependent on which quarry you go to cement is either the main product or a by-product.

Way back when Methuselah was a lad, well the 1960s I had a short spell at ICI Tunsted where cement was a by-product and actually worked on the cement plant. The main constituent is baked lime stone slurry, but there are many others additives put into the mix at the dry mill stage.

Would I put it on my veggie's not on your life, not to save a couple of pounds buying a bag on hydrated lime. Hydrated lime the quarry's main product at the time, is crushed lime stone that is baked in a kiln followed by another process (can't for the life of me remember what) then milled to a fine powder, nothing added at all.

[Jimmy]

Thanks for the replies.
I will get a lime test kit but am fairly sure it needs lime.
Decided to dump sack of cement in no mans land between my greenhouse and fence.
As for status of cement. A long while ago I used and old bag of cement for a small wall.
It never set and I had to redo everything.
Cement needs to be fresh.

Jimmy

[Jimmy]

Where is best place to get lime (cheapo) ?