Potash slaked lime. Slaked lime, milk of lime. Composition and types of substance

Calcium is a chemical macronutrient vital for all organisms to carry out metabolism in cells and break down proteins. Calcium regulates water balance and controls the acidic environment of ecosystems, which is why it is widely used as a soil fertilizer. The main source of this component in gardens and orchards is rightfully considered to be lime (fluff).

Composition and types of substance

Lime is a general name for compounds that are obtained during the burning of carbonate mines, chalk and limestone . The following types of lime are distinguished:

Quicklime, or calcium oxide (CaO), is a white, solid cubic crystal. When it reacts with water, calcium oxide releases thermal energy and forms new compounds. It is widely used in the production of finishing building materials, as well as food additives.
Slaked, or calcium hydroxide (Ca (OH)2), is a chemical compound of complex elements, which is a white insoluble powder. The substance is formed by quenching the interaction of CaO with water molecules, which is why it is called fluff lime. This compound is used in various fields of human activity: production of mortars, softening of drinking water, production of fertilizers for agriculture, etc.
Chlorine, or chlorine, is a technical combination of lime fluff with Cl. It is a toxic substance that can cause irreparable damage to human health. Used as a bleaching agent.
Soda is a product of the interaction of slaked lime with sodium.

Slaked lime is the main component of various coatings, mixtures and solutions, giving them high performance characteristics. This unique material, known since ancient times, is easy to prepare, can be stored for a long time, has disinfecting properties, is widely used in industry, households, and is valuable for gardening.

The wide range of uses of lime is also due to its low cost.

What it is?

Lime is an industrial product used in metallurgy, the construction industry, the pulp and paper and chemical industries and for agricultural needs. It is used in considerable volumes and with significant benefit in solving environmental problems (processing Wastewater and harmful gases).

In European countries, its consumption reaches 80 kg per person per year. The total production of the product in the world reaches 300 million tons per year. In Russia, up to 10 million tons of lime are produced every year, of which 4 million tons are for construction. It is obtained by firing until the maximum release of carbon dioxide from calcium and magnesium rocks. Carbonates are used as raw materials: limestone rocks, chalk, shell rock and other materials.

Peculiarities

Slaked lime (fluff) or calcium hydroxide (Ca (OH) 2) is a chemical compound with a whitish powdery structure, slightly soluble in water, with characteristic astringent and plastic qualities. As a result of hydroquenching, it actively interacts with acids in neutralization reactions.

The calcium particles in the substance retain water well, so these mixtures do not harden as quickly as cement ones. This is precisely the main advantage of lime mortars - the hardening time makes it possible to qualitatively level the surface with a smooth and thin layer. In addition, the product adheres well to brick and concrete textures, which provides the necessary strength after hardening.

If the hydroxide is not used for a long period of time, then the reverse process that occurs with the absorption of CO2 leads the composition to a solid state. The most commonly found on sale is fluff or lump lime.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of the product is, perhaps, the widest scope of its use and low production cost. In addition, in the process of performing many works with it, there is practically no waste of any kind, which brings undoubted economic benefits.

The product perfectly absorbs moisture, which allows it to be effectively used as a complete component in the preparation of solutions and mixtures with enhanced strength characteristics. The hydration process occurs rapidly, with abundant heat release (exothermic reaction), which ensures uniform hardening of the composition and additional strengthening of its surface.

We will consider the advantages and disadvantages more broadly using the example of widely used lime plaster with slaked lime in the composition:

undoubted thermal insulation qualities - plaster allows you to retain heat in rooms, which means saving on heating;
fire safety - does not burn and does not support combustion;
easy to use because it is plastic and does not harden quickly, that is, it simplifies the work process;
hygiene – the alkaline base prevents the appearance of mold and fungi;
vapor permeability – prevents moisture accumulation;
mechanical strength - the surface of the plaster does not crack even when nails are driven into it.

Flaws:

Duration of hardening. When applied layer by layer to the wall (you must wait until the previous layer dries), the repair time increases significantly.
The time it takes to slak the lime yourself is about two weeks or more.
Lime plaster is not recommended for use in places with high humidity. For example, in the bathroom it is better to use cement-lime mortar.

Specifications

The preparation of lime is regulated in detail by state standards. Structurally, the product consists of carbonate substances, mineralized additives (blast furnace or electrothermophosphorus slag, quartz sand and other inclusions). Each additive has its own regulatory regulations. Any component of the composition in a known way affects physical qualities product, accordingly, its consumption per 1 sq. m.

Air quicklime is produced in three grades (1, 2, 3); quicklime powder - two grades; hydrated, without additives and with them, divided into first and second grades.

The dispersion of the first and third types must satisfy special conditions - during sifting of material samples through a sieve (mesh No. 02, No. 008, GOST 6613), respectively, at least 98 and 85% of the entire sample taken must pass.

The speed and complete completion of the quenching reaction, the amount of waste and the level of final quality of the material depend on numerous factors, including the quality of the grade, the level of ability for chemical reactions, fractional parameters of the raw materials, the speed and quality of mixing the mixture components, the volumes of water used, the temperature state of the reagents, methods quenching, processing elements and product exposure time. The product's certificate of conformity includes information about its grade, amount of impurities and condition.

Lime from an environmental point of view - environmentally friendly pure material, which disinfects rooms well, resists the development of fungi and has a negative effect on harmful bacteria. Whitewashing rooms promotes the penetration of air into them (the surface “breathes”). Lime is not dangerous for allergy sufferers.

Kinds

The firing results largely depend on the technologies used, which allows us to distinguish a number of types of lime:

Quicklime lump - “boiler”.
Quicksilver (flour) is a dry powdery consistency obtained by first grinding.
Slaked lime (hydroxide), or fluff, is a fine powdery product produced by slaking lump lime (“boiling lime”) with a fixed volume of water. The main composition is Ca (OH) 2. Against quicklime, the percentage of moisture in the hydroxide should be from 60 to 70%. Usually fluff is sold in packaged form.
Lime paste (paste) is a derivative of slaking the raw material (“boilers”) with large volumes of water. The consistency is similar to dough. Water consumption is approximately 3.5 times more than for preparing fluff.
Lime milk is a thick consistency of light shades, obtained by mixing with water in a ratio of 1: 10. It is used in the treatment of premises, facades, outbuildings, and in gardening.

The higher the quality level of the feedstock, the higher the percentage of CaO in the product, and therefore the yield of Ca (OH) 2 during the quenching process. The low quality of raw materials is associated with an increase in the amount of CO2 in it, which occurs due to its underburning and the formation of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), pieces of which are easy to detect by weight - they are heavier than fully burned pieces. As calcium carbonate increases, the waste increases. The products of the first grade have the smallest volumes of waste and those of the second grade have moderate volumes.

From limestone hydrates, the so-called freshly slaked lime is often used, applied no later than six hours from the moment of slaking. Used to prepare lime milk.

As a viscous inorganic substance in combination with asbestos fibers, lime acquires specific qualities, forming a number of valuable derivative materials (asbestos cardboard, asbestos paper). Based on its intended use, various components are added to the composition.

Lime is classified according to several criteria (features).

According to the time period spent on extinguishing:

fast-extinguishing – within 8-10 minutes;
medium-extinguishing – about 25 minutes;
slow-extinguishing – more than 30 minutes.

The first and second ones have become widespread in the metallurgical and construction sectors, in the chemical industry (fiber production), in agricultural activities (liming of soils), and in medicine.

By type of hardening:

air hardening, used to ensure the hardness of building mortars in an open environment;
hydraulic hardening – used to form high-strength mixtures, often for work in water (bridges, port foundations, etc.).

By fraction sizes:

lump - sold in bulk;
crushed;
powdery.

In addition, lime is divided into:

air, which breaks down into 3 subgroups: dolomite, calcium, magnesium;
hydraulic, containing about 20% alite and belit, used both in air and under water;
chlorine (bleach);
sodium – compounds of sodium and hydrate used to absorb harmful gases (respiratory and diving equipment).

Cement, gypsum and clay are used as binding components to form mixtures of various purposes.

For safety reasons, lime is transported closed.

Scope of application

The scope of application of hydroxides is truly enormous.

They have been used since ancient times to prepare special mixtures and masonry. Traditional recipe: add three to four shares of sand to one share of fluff mixture with water. During the process, water is released, which is a negative aspect, since high humidity is maintained for a long time in rooms built using such material. Therefore, cement as a binding element has replaced lime in construction sites.

Lime is also used for the production of silicate materials, the hardening process of which is accelerated, since the mixture of calcium oxides and quartzites is exposed not to water, but to steam heated to 190°C with a pressure of 15 atm. For this purpose, special devices called autoclaves are used.

Lime is also used:

in the process of water softening;
in the production of bleach;
when receiving fertilizers and neutralizing acidified soils;
in the process of caustification of carbonates;
in leather tanning;
in order to obtain other chemical compounds, in reactions of neutralization of acidic compounds (industrial, waste water);
as a food additive (E526);
to detect CO2, interacting with which it becomes cloudy;
as a means of disinfecting dental tissues in medicine;
for grounding equipment in soils with excessive levels of resistance (reduces the degree of soil resistivity);
milk of lime is used to make fungicides;
to repel rodents by adding to soil;
V brickwork, especially stove, as it provides excellent adhesion to brick or slag concrete texture;
for finishing wood using plaster mesh (shingles);
for high-quality insulation of walls in a chicken coop.

A separate topic is the use of fluff for soil cultivation.

It is mainly used to correct the soil condition.

The dosage of the drug depends on 2 aspects:

soil composition and degree of acidity;
type and depth of placement of the product on the site.

The level of excessive soil acidity is detected by the following signs:

the presence of a whitish, ashy layer on the soil;
unsatisfactory growth of clover on the soil;
heavily overgrown mosses, sorrel, wild rosemary, wild rosemary and other plants that love an acidic environment.

To more accurately determine the level of soil acidity, its samples are taken to a special chemical laboratory or pH meters and known indicative agents are used.

Soils are classified according to their pH level:

strongly acidic – pH 4;
medium acidic – pH 4-5;
slightly acidic – pH 5-6.5;
neutral – pH 6.5-7;
slightly alkaline – pH 7-8;
medium alkaline – pH 8-8.5;
highly alkaline - pH 8.6 or more.

Neutral soils and below cannot be processed.

It is important to take into account that for each specific crop and soil type, the volumes and parameters of applied fertilizer vary.

How to breed?

It is not difficult to prepare exactly the target composition of the substance.

To do this, you need to know that there are a number of lime mortars:

Gypsum-lime. Sets within 5-10 minutes. Therefore, it is made in small volumes and immediately applied to the surface. Final hardening time is from one to two days. The coating is durable and easy to process. This solution is used to finish cornices and other wooden elements.
Cement-lime. The solution is highly durable and moisture resistant. Used in basements and bathrooms. Cement M400 (for strength) or M200 is used. The mixture is prepared at the rate of 1 part cement and lime to 3 parts sand.
Clay-lime. It is used less frequently, but has excellent strength properties. It is important to consider that clay is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly material. Mainly used for working with clay objects.

To convert lime raw materials into plaster, it must be quenched. The entire extinguishing procedure takes an average of 36 hours. However, the slaked lime must be kept for up to 15 days. During the extinguishing process, it is recommended to adhere to safety regulations, since the reaction is highly exothermic.

Protective glasses, gloves, boots and rough clothing should be worn.

Metal containers are usually used. During the reaction, the mixture grows in volume approximately 3 times, which is important to take into account when choosing a suitable container.

Ratio:

for fluff – 1 kg per 1 liter of water;
for dough – per 1 kg 0.5 l.

During the process, raw materials are poured cold water. At the end of the procedure, the resulting mixture is mixed and allowed to stand. Next, the product is passed through a sieve.

Then they begin to produce a plaster mortar, for example, based on cement. Mixing proportions vary depending on the type of solution and the purpose of its use.

Cement-lime mortar for plastering suits many types of work. For its production, cement M400-500 is usually used, as well as sifted sand of medium fractions. It’s easy to make a plastic consistency for finishing work: 25 kg of cement, 14 kg of lime, 230 kg of sand, 60 liters of water. For a more durable mortar, the proportions are slightly different: 25 kg of cement, 7 kg of lime, 175 kg of sand, 55 liters of water.

For elasticity, productive adhesion and increased moisture resistance, solutions are improved by adding liquid soap (0.2 l per 20 l of mixture) or PVA glue (0.5 l per 20 l of mixture).

Thus, the whole procedure looks like this: cement and lime are placed in a certain volume of water, mixed, and sand is added.

After the formation of a homogeneous consistency, the remaining liquid is drained and the solution is mixed again.

Subtleties of use

The product is also effective when carrying out repairs, for example, for whitewashing walls. In these cases, a hydrator is often used for slaking - a device for automated slaking of lime and producing hydrated lime (fluff). The required composition is prepared in advance, a day or two before the main operations. In order to obtain rich and light tones of diluted fluff, the proportion is 1: 1. A thoroughly mixed solution is applied to the material with a brush or using a sprayer in 2-3 layers.

Fluff is often added to various formulations. So, added to cement, it forms a viscous consistency that does not crack even after drying.

Slaked lime, with its inherent fire resistance, is used to cover wooden elements of houses in 1-3 layers. This eliminates rotting processes and improves the quality of wood.

Lime is a caustic substance, so when working with it, it is important to adhere to safety measures:

work in special glasses and gloves;
during the extinguishing process, you should stay away from the container where the reaction is taking place, since the latter proceeds so actively that you can get burned from flying splashes;
protect the respiratory system with a cotton-gauze mask;
in case of contact with the skin, it is necessary to remove the drops with cotton wool soaked in vegetable oil, and place a compress of gauze pre-treated with 5% vinegar on the injured area;
If the mixture gets into your eyes, rinse them immediately with water and, if necessary, go to the doctor.

It is necessary to whitewash trees in the autumn and spring; this procedure protects them from freezing and pests.

10 liters of water;
2.5 kg fluff;
0.1 kg wood glue;
0.5 kg of copper sulfate;
a handful of dried hellebore (repels hares).

The components should be mixed until smooth. Then stand for 4-5 hours. The composition is applied to trees with a brush or sponge. It is better to apply several layers.

Introduction

You went to a hardware store to purchase materials for an upcoming renovation. Already there, your attention was drawn to a bucket with the inscription “Silicate concrete” standing on one of the shelves. Studying its composition, you discover an unfamiliar name for the substance - “slaked lime”. After this, many are overcome by curiosity: what kind of animal is this? And therefore today’s article will be devoted to this connection.

Definition

Slaked lime (formula - Ca(OH) 2) is a strong base. May often be found in some sources under the name calcium hydroxide or "fluff".

Properties

It is presented as a white powder that is slightly soluble in water. The lower the temperature of the medium, the lower the solubility. The products of its reaction with acid are the corresponding calcium salts. For example, immersing slaked lime in sulfuric acid produces calcium sulfate and water. If you leave the fluff solution in the air, it will interact with one of the components of the latter - carbon dioxide. During this process, the solution becomes cloudy. The products of this reaction are calcium carbonate and water. If you continue to bubble carbon dioxide, the reaction will end with the formation of calcium bicarbonate, which is destroyed when the temperature of the solution increases. Slaked lime and carbon monoxide will interact at a temperature of about 400 o C, its products will be the already known carbonate and hydrogen. The substance can also react with salts, but only if the process ends with the formation of a precipitate, for example, if you mix “fluff” with sodium sulfite, the reaction products will be sodium hydroxide and calcium sulfite.

What is lime made from?

The very name “quenched” already suggests that something was extinguished to obtain this substance. As everyone knows, any chemical compound (or anything at all) is usually extinguished with water. And she has something to react to. In chemistry there is a substance called " quicklime". So, by adding water to it, the desired compound is obtained.

Application

Slaked lime is used for whitewashing any room. It is also used to soften water: if you add “fluff” to calcium bicarbonate, hydrogen oxide and an insoluble precipitate are formed - the carbonate of the corresponding metal. Slaked lime is used in tanning leather, causticizing sodium and potassium carbonates, producing calcium compounds, various organic acids and many other substances.

Using a solution of "fluff" - the well-known lime water - you can detect the presence of carbon dioxide: when it reacts with it, it becomes cloudy (photo). Dentistry cannot do without the calcium hydroxide now being discussed, because thanks to it, in this branch of medicine it is possible to disinfect the root canals of teeth. Lime mortar is also made using slaked lime by mixing it with sand. A similar mixture was used in ancient times, then not a single building masonry could do without it. However, now, due to the unnecessary release of water during the reaction of the fluff with sand, this solution is successfully replaced with cement. Calcium hydroxide is used to produce lime fertilizers, it is also a food additive E526... And many other industries cannot do without its use.

Conclusion

This is how slaked lime is used. As you can see, it is needed almost everywhere. Perhaps, while reading this article, you were interested in one compound mentioned in passing - quicklime. This is calcium oxide, but we will talk about it in the next article.

Many people, when they first hear this term, may understand that we are talking about construction. And this is not surprising, since slaked lime has been used as a binding material since ancient times. It is added to masonry and plaster mortars, limestone paints and some concrete compositions. But it is noteworthy that this is not the only area where slaked lime is used. Today, the largest consumers of this material are the metallurgical industry, the construction industry, the pulp and paper, sugar and chemical industries, as well as agriculture.

In addition, lime is used to protect the environment. As you can see, this is a fairly popular material that has found its application in many areas. In some of them he is considered indispensable. We invite you to learn more about slaked lime, its properties and characteristics. You will learn how to obtain lime and how to store it.

Slaked lime - the process of obtaining the material

What is lime anyway? This is a special type of binder material that is extracted through the process of firing and further processing of chalk, limestone and additional rocks. This is a chemical substance designated by the formula CaO. Externally, lime resembles a white powder that is poorly soluble in water.

note! Simple lime, which is widely used in all areas, can be classified as air lime. Its hardening occurs exclusively in air. Construction lime can be lump quicklime (boiling lime) or ground.

How can you get slaked lime from ordinary lime? It's very simple - you need to extinguish it with water. In the process of interaction of calcium oxide and water, fluff is obtained. If we translate all this into a formula, it looks like this:

CaO + H 2 O = Ca(OH) 2

Hydrated lime is added to dry building fills or used as an excellent means of protection against rodents, insects and other pests. In the extinguished state, the material can be stored perfectly and without a limited period in a special pit. It is noteworthy that during this time it does not lose its properties, but quite the opposite. The quality of the material will only grow and improve.

note! If we talk about ground boiling milk, then unlike dough, it must be used within 30 days after preparation.

The process of slaking lime can be carried out in different ways, it all depends on the desired type. To get fluff, quenching is done in open and clean air or in a pit or box (creative containers). At the same time, for 1 ton of lump lime there are 700 liters of water. Some aspects of cooking depend on speed: heat is generated during the process, so water is added in portions to avoid a drop in temperature.

The resulting dough is diluted with water to obtain the thickness of the milk and everything is poured into a creative container. Freshly prepared lime may contain residues: burnt or unburned parts of the starting material. They are all collected and placed in a separate container, after which water is added again. Only after the second time everything else is thrown away. But what to do with it next?

Use and storage of slaked lime

To reduce the resulting density of slaked lime, water is also added to it. The whole mass is thoroughly mixed, and everything is repeated until the contents absorb the liquid. The last added water should completely disappear from the surface. At the end, the resulting composition must be covered with fine sand, a layer of which is no less than 20 cm.

If we talk about storing slaked lime in winter time, then in order to prevent the dough from freezing during this period, at least 7 cm of plain earth is placed on top of the sand. Such a pit in which slaked lime is located must be marked somehow. Most often, it is protected with something and kept until even the smallest particles finally react with water. Why? If you use lime that contains unslaked grains, then unwanted cavities and swellings may form in the solution.

Note! When the material is intended for masonry mortar, it must be stored in a pit under all conditions for no less than two weeks. And if the dough needs to be used to prepare a solution that will be used to plaster the walls, then the period is doubled and is at least 1 month.

The amount of dough that can be obtained after the slaking process depends entirely on the quality of the original quicklime (CaO). From 1 kg of first grade boiling milk you can get 2 or more liters of thick dough. Accordingly, if the quality of the raw materials is lower, then the output result will be less. For example, from 1 kg of second and third grades you can get up to 2 and 1.5 liters.

To give you an idea of the difference, regular mortar is a mixture of binder, filler and water. But limestone mortar contains dough, sand and water. It is quite often used in construction, since limestone mortar is famous for its increased adhesion to brick and slag concrete surfaces. In addition, this mixture is used even for wooden walls. Only they must first be prepared by stuffing shingles or mesh for plaster.

Simple rules for using slaked lime

To prepare limestone mortar, you need to follow some steps. First in required quantity sand is sifted. Add water to the limestone dough, mixing everything thoroughly. Then, gradually, in small portions, sand is added to the mixture. It is important to mix the mixture thoroughly every time. The finished solution is filtered through a sieve to remove small fractions and obtain a more homogeneous mass.

One of the disadvantages of such a solution is that it takes quite a long time to dry and harden. To increase this indicator, cement or gypsum is added to the solution. Thanks to this, the hardening time is significantly reduced. For a mixture with gypsum added, this indicator is at least 4 minutes after water has been added. A little more time is required for compositions with cement.

I would like to say that slaked lime has found its application not only in solutions. It is still used as an antiseptic. Limestone whitewash is often used for utility or office premises, for treating tree trunks, etc. In this case, the material consumption is approximately 0.3 kg/m2 per layer.

Please note that according to GOST 9179--77, you can determine the types and properties that slaked or lump lime should have. Based on these conditions, building limes can be classified into:

Hydraulic.
Airborne.

In addition, taking into account the composition of oxide inclusions, there are the following varieties:

calcium lime;
magnesia;
dolomite.

This 1979 GOST describes in detail the method of extraction of the material, quality requirements, packaging and its delivery.

As you can see, lime is a unique material that has been used before and is still used today.

Slaked lime: application

When whitewashing indoors.
As protection against rotting and fire, I use wooden fences and rafters.
For the preparation of mortars.
For the preparation of silicate concrete.
To soften water - to eliminate carbonate hardness.
In the production of bleach.
In the production of lime fertilizers.
When causticizing sodium or potassium carbonate.
When tanning leather.
For obtaining various calcium compounds, as well as for neutralizing acidic solutions, organic acids, etc.
As a food additive E526.
To prepare lime water, a calcium hydroxide solution used to detect carbon dioxide.
For the preparation of lime milk, used for making sugar and preparing mixtures to combat plant diseases, whitewashing trunks.
For disinfection of root canals in dentistry.

Rules for the use and storage of slaked lime

1.If it is necessary to change the density of the resulting slaked lime, you must add water.
The raw materials must be mixed until the composition stops taking in water.
The water should completely disappear - be absorbed into the raw materials, only in this case you need to add water.
After all the water has disappeared, the slaked lime must be covered with sand - at least 20 cm from above.
In winter, to prevent the dough from freezing, you need to pour 70 cm of soil on top of the sand.
The use of slaked lime with grains, under-slaked and burnt particles will lead to swelling and cavities.
Lime that will be used in masonry mortars must be kept for at least 14 days.
The lime that will be used for plastering must be cured for at least 30 days.
When using a first-class boiler, you can get at least two liters of good thick dough from each kilogram of your weight.
The worse the quality, the lower the yield (from 1 to 1.5 kg from the second and third grade boiling water).
For mortars, it is necessary to use sand and water in addition to lime.
Lime mortars are famous for their good adhesion to both brick and cinder block.
It is not advisable to use lime mortars on wood. If there is no particular choice, then you first need to fill the shingles or make a special plaster mesh.
Lime mortars are ideal for stove masonry (pipe and foundation).

Slaked lime can be replaced with dolomite flour, which contains more not only calcium, but also magnesium. However, you should always remember that when replacing a drug with other analogues, you need to calculate the percentage of the active substance, in this case it is alkali.

Substitutes: 1 kg of lime = 4-6 kg of ash = 1.5-2.5 kg of dolomite flour.

Slaked lime is used as a means of combating larvae and beetles, for whitewashing trees and treating wooden objects that interact with the soil (fences, bench legs, plant supports, etc.). This will slow down the rotting process and provide protection from pests.

Do not forget that almost every dacha has a cellar where vegetables, garden tools and other household items are stored, so lime will be an excellent preventive measure in the fight against mold in the cellar.

Slaked lime is applied to the soil in the fall or spring after plowing so that it gradually penetrates into the soil during rain. If you don’t dig up your garden, but need to lime the soil, then distribute a bucket of fluff per 1 sq.m. and go through it with a flat cutter. Do not mulch. The application of lime cannot be combined with any other type of fertilizer; this can significantly reduce the result.

It is worth noting that slaked lime must be used freshly prepared, since with prolonged interaction with carbon dioxide in the air, its properties begin to evaporate.

lime milk

There is such a thing as lime milk. Some summer residents use it as a replacement for whitewash, spraying entire trees and shrubs. In this way, plants are completely protected from sunburn and overheating, the bark is wrapped in a “warm shirt” in winter and spring flowering is delayed for a week, thereby saving many plants from recurrent frosts in the spring.

It is not difficult to prepare lime milk: depending on the concentration, take 1-2 kg of freshly slaked lime and dilute it in 10 liters of water. If you pour lime milk on a tree to pest larvae, they will not be able to develop and the caterpillars will not be able to move.

Lime milk: 200 grams of slaked lime (22 tablespoons or 17 matchboxes) per bucket of water (10 liters) and ash at the rate of 1 glass for each plant.

“Milk of lime” is not used to feed clematis, but to deoxidize the soil (to prevent possible wilt on acidic soils). A glass of ash (fresh) - has the same meaning, plus a little potassium. If you want to feed it, use any complex fertilizer. I have long given up supposedly specialized fertilizers, with an indispensable picture of the plant being fertilized on the package, and use fertilizers such as the usual Nitrofoska and the former Kemira (now Fertika).

Slaked lime
consists mainly of Ca(OH)2 - alkali.
Specific gravity – from 2.1 to 3.15 g/cm3 (according to various sources).

Dolomite flour
Composition: MgO – up to 21.7%, CaO – up to 32%, Fe2O3 – up to 0.05%, SiO2 – up to 1.5%, Al2O3 – 1.0%,
double salt CaCO3-MgCO3 - 47.9% (let's say it is completely converted into alkali).
Specific gravity 1.2-1.5 g/cm3.

Wood ash.
Ash from pine, spruce and birch wood contains over 40% calcium salts, over 20% potassium and sodium salts and up to 10% magnesium salts. Part of the ash (10 - 25%) is soluble in water (mainly alkalis - potash K2CO3 and soda Na2CO3).
Specific gravity – 0.5 g/cm3.

The ratio in buckets (by volume) will be different. Bucket - 10 l or 10 dm3.

Accordingly in the bucket:

Slaked lime ~ 25 kg.
Limestone flour ~ 16-18 kg. The action is relatively slow.
Dolomite flour ~ 12-15 kg. The action is slow.
Wood ash ~ 5 kg. The action is very slow.

And the rate of lime application is 50-150g/sq.m. If more, it's better in the fall. I have not seen higher recommendations for standards.
You just need to think about what is being offered to you. Count, think and draw conclusions.
To each individually, for themselves, so as not to blame anyone for failures later.

Can determine soil acidity"folk" way.

Why take 3-4 leaves of black currant or bird cherry and brew it in a glass of boiling water, cool, then drop a lump of soil into the glass. If the water turns reddish, then the soil reaction is acidic, if it is greenish, it is slightly acidic, and if it is bluish, it is neutral.
There is another simple way. Take 2 tablespoons with the top of the soil and pour it into a bottle with a narrow neck, pour 5 tablespoons of water at room temperature into it. One teaspoon of crushed chalk is wrapped in a small piece of paper (5x5 cm) and pushed into the bottle. Roll up the rubber fingertip and place it on the neck of the bottle (the fingertip remains flattened). Wrap the bottle in newspaper to prevent it from getting hot by hand, and shake vigorously for 5 minutes! If the soil is acidic, then when it interacts with chalk in the bottle, a chemical reaction will begin with the release of carbon dioxide, the pressure will begin to increase, and the rubber fingertip will completely straighten. If the soil is slightly acidic, then the fingertip will straighten halfway; if it is neutral, it will not straighten at all, remaining flattened.

In general, it is better to gypsum the soil rather than lime it, that is, instead of lime, potash or wood ash, to deoxidize the soil, use gypsum, alabaster, chalk, dolomite, crushed old cement, plaster, including dry plaster or eggshells. Why?

The fact is that lime and wood ash are strong alkalis. The calcium they contain is completely dissolved in water. Getting into the soil in large quantities at once, they dramatically change the reaction of the soil - the pH becomes above 7, sometimes increases to 8-10. In this case, the chemical elements in the soil, in particular phosphorus, enter into chemical compounds that are insoluble in water and immediately become inaccessible to plants (the suction power of the root hairs is not enough to absorb these elements from chemical compounds). Plants starve and stop developing. Over time, natural acidification of the soil occurs, including from acid rain occurring near large cities. The soil reaction changes, the pH drops, and everything returns to normal, but this way you can lose the whole season. That is why it is recommended to apply lime in the fall and not to combine its application with the application of fertilizers.

If the soil is deoxidized with chalk, gypsum and other deoxidizers mentioned above, this does not happen. The fact is that they are insoluble in water and require acid to dissolve them in the soil. If the soil is acidic, the dissolution of gypsum materials occurs, which reduces the acidity of the soil, but as soon as the soil reaction during deacidification reaches pH = 6, the most suitable for most plants, the chemical reaction of deacidification stops and no further increase in pH will occur. Moreover, the unused part of the deoxidizers will not be lost, but will remain in the soil precisely because they are insoluble in water and, therefore, are not washed out into the lower layers by it.

When the natural acidification process of the soil lowers the pH below 6, they will chemically react again, lowering the acidity of the soil. Thus, they constantly regulate the acidity of the soil. Since the pH during gypsum cannot rise above the permissible value, nutrients, including phosphorus and potassium, remain in a form accessible to plants. In the North-Western region, it is best to deoxidize soils with dolomite flour, which contains not only calcium, but also magnesium, which is part of the group of basic nutrients and is a necessary chemical element in chlorophyll. Since it is required much less than nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and it is not, as a rule, included in ready-made fertilizer mixtures, many gardeners underestimate it and do not add it, and in soils, especially sandy ones, it is clearly not enough.

My husband and I don’t deoxidize the soil, we don’t “sprinkle” anything in the garden, and we don’t use fertilizers. Fruit trees we don't cut it. We grow vegetables only in open ground. And everything is growing, and everything is generally healthy. Often, it is not the acidic soil that is to blame for the suffering of plants, but dolomite flour sprinkled “with love” or mineral fertilizers, or frequent plantings, when berry bushes close together, and apple and pear trees overlap each other with their crowns.

Fighting white rot of cucumber

Diseased parts of the plant are carefully cut off and burned outside the dacha, and the wounds after cutting are powdered with lime or ash;

Fighting ants

Ants can be removed by dusting the soil with slaked lime or ash, or by pouring boiling water over their nests.

Fighting slugs

You can fight slugs in cucumbers by pollinating the soil with ash, slaked lime, and constantly digging up the soil;