Calcium Carbonate or Agricultural Calcium Lime
How much stone do I need?
How much stone do I need for the ground?
For pebble and gravel:
• approximately 80kg per m², based on a 5cm layer.*For particle sizes >32mm, a thicker layer is required.
• Consumption per sack: 1000kg = 0.625m³.
• Coverage: approximately 12.5m² with a 5 cm layer.
For pine bark:
• approximately 70L per m², based on a 5cm layer.
• Consumption per sack: 1000L = approximately 1m³ = approximately 600kg
• Coverage: approximately 14m² with a 5 cm layer.
For volcanic, slate and chamotte:
• approximately 50kg per m², based on a 5cm layer.
• Consumption per sack: 1000kg = approximately 1m³
• Coverage: approximately 20m² with a 5 cm layer
How much stone do I need to fill a gabion?
Density of approximately 1,650kg per 1m³.
The calculation is very easy to understand with an example: if you have a gabion of 100x50x30 cm, you must do the following calculations:
1x0.5x0.3 = 0.15m³
0.15x1,650 = 247.50kg of stone.
*It is always a good idea to calculate an extra 5%, since when gabions are filled they expand a little and a little more stone always fits than in the theoretical calculations.
Clarifications
ATTENTION!
The grain sizes of GRAVELS AND pebbles are sieve sizes
The actual sizes may vary slightly, since when talking about, for example, 60-80mm stone, it means that the stones pass through an 80x80mm square mesh and do not pass through a 60x60mm one.
Through that 80x80 mesh, a stone 100mm long and 65mm wide can pass, so there may be a percentage of stones larger than 80 and smaller than 60mm.
Breakage of pebbles
On the other hand, in pebbles larger than 60mm, there is a percentage of up to 10% of stones that can break during sorting, washing, loading and unloading; to this day we do not have machinery that prevents such breakages.
In the photos you can see, only real products are shown; broken pieces have not been removed.
Dust and sand in the products
This product is not washed, so it contains dust, sand and even traces of other products due to processing and transport. This is not a problem when using it; the stone will wash itself over time or you can pour water on it before using it.
Calcium Carbonate or Agricultural Calcium Lime
Neutralizes soil acidity and supplies calcium to crop soils.
Corrects the acidity of your crops' soil. Our agricultural calcium lime also provides 40% Calcium, increasing the growth potential of your crops and making fertilizers 50% more effective, or in other words, you can save 50% on fertilizers.
Reduces the concentration of aluminum that hinders the proper growth of all types of crops.
Magnesium is vital for the photosynthesis of plants; it is responsible for the development and growth of roots and the production of chlorophyll. Most soils lack magnesium, the effect of rain washes away minerals like magnesium and calcium from the soils, making the soil more acidic and therefore less fertile.
It is the central constituent of chlorophyll, responsible for receiving energy from the sun.
Calcium Carbonate for organic agriculture.
This is calcium carbonate extracted from quarries and simply crushed, therefore it can be used in organic agriculture; it is an economical fertilizer, easy to store since it does not expire, and very easy to apply.
Neutralizing power of acidity between 90 and 100%
The problem of soil acidity comes from the accumulation of water, whether from excess rain or other reasons, the use of acidifying fertilizers (most of them), the decomposition of previous crops, and the application of organic fertilizers.
How to know if a soil is acidic
The best way is to use a pH meter and take samples from throughout the farm to get a homogeneous result; we can also observe the leaves of our crops; if they turn yellow or wilt, it is a clear sign of acidity.
Amount of agricultural calcium lime to apply
In the case of application by dusting with calcium lime, 200 grams per 1 m² is sufficient (2 tons per hectare), but it will depend on the acidity of the soil.
pH 3.5 to 4.2 > 3.5 tons per hectare
pH 4.3 to 4.8 > 3 tons per hectare
pH 4.9 to 5.3 > 2.5 tons per hectare
How to apply agricultural calcium lime
The perfect way is to mix the lime with the soil, but this can rarely be done; the most common way is to broadcast it to avoid damaging the plant roots.
Difference between calcium lime (calcium carbonate) and quicklime (calcium oxide)
Quicklime or calcium oxide is calcium carbonate calcined at over 1,200 degrees, which removes water particles and results in a much more reactive product than carbonate, with calcium concentrations of up to 70% and therefore with a neutralizing capacity of acidity up to 2.5 times higher. Quicklime is a more complicated material to use as it is corrosive and, if misused, can ruin crops; it is recommended not to use it if you do not know exactly what you are doing.