Benefits of Hydrated Lime
Guest post written by Zac McDaniel, First Saturday Lime.
If you have not heard about hydrated lime as an alternative to dangerous pesticides, you are going to want to keep reading, and you might even want to take notes! Consumers, major growers, hobby farmers and gardeners have finally begun to heed the warnings about chemical based pesticides. Abandoning these long used dangerous pesticides, however, have left many wondering what to do about the flying, crawling, and burrowing insects that threaten the harvest in which they have invested so much time and money. An all natural pest deterrent, hydrated lime is a safe and healthy alternative to protecting your vegetation. If you are already interested in using hydrated lime, one of the most innovative products derived from hydrated lime is a brand new product called First Saturday Lime.
Working hydrated lime into your soil, pouring a border around your plots, or sprinkling the lime onto the plants themselves will drive bugs away and keep them away. Hydrated lime will not only create an inhospitable environment for the creepy crawlies and unfriendly fliers, but it will also dry out any larvae and eggs that may have been left behind! All this protection and from the ground to your table, a thorough rinse, and the plants are safe for consumption. This limestone based product works on lawns and flower gardens, too! Along with the insects that may wreak havoc on your vegetation, hydrated lime also acts as a deterrent to fleas, ticks, and mosquitos. Hydrated lime can also be used around the borders of homes, shops, barns and other areas where you might want to deter pests.
Limestone based products have long been used to balance the pH of soils with high acidity. Hydrated lime can do that, too. Testing your soils and applying the recommended amount will allow for you to sweeten your soil for plant growth while also deterring insects that can bring harm to your crop. If your soil has a perfect pH, however, you need not hesitate using hydrated lime for pest control. The amount of hydrated lime you need to deter pests is insignificant to the quantities needed to alter the pH of your soil.
ONE IMPORTANT WARNING! Hydrated lime can be dangerous to handle.
Applicators will definitely want to wear gloves when applying it and avoid inhaling the lime or getting it in your eyes. Dust masks and eyewear are recommended. You should keep your children and pets away from direct contact. Although hydrated lime will have no negative effects on your vegetation and its final purpose, ingestions and direct contact with hydrated lime is caustic to the human body. First Saturday Lime, however, provides the same effectiveness while being completely safe for both animal and human interaction!
As a passion project of fourth generational Oklahoma farmers, the goal and end result was to formulate a safer but stronger derivation of hydrated lime, and thus an incredible alternative to the harmful substances growers across America have been using for hundreds of years. With children of their own and a heart for a new and healthy culture of farming and gardening, painstaking hours of formulating, testing, and trying again and again resulted in a product that can be harmlessly handled by adults and children alike. First Saturday Lime can even be safely used in animal habitats like horse stalls, dog pens, and chicken coops to sanitize and quell odors.
Bugs are always going to want to bug you and your plants, but do away with the chemicals and try hydrated lime for a safe and natural solution. If you want the safest and strongest alternative, don’t forget to try First Saturday Lime.
Photo’s provided by Pexels.com.