Nick Bailey offers some simple solutions for lowering lime
Plants and garden structures can suffer from the residue it leaves so try one of these options to alleviate the problem
As gardeners, we’re at the forefront of changes to our climate. We’re out there ge ing drenched, roasted or wind ba ered and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It makes us more mindful than many of the current challenges our plants and gardens (and planet) endure. At the start of the season too much rain was the problem, but that’s now flipped and my London clay garden has morphed into a fired slab of terraco a. Of course, I’m able to water the garden with a hose, but herein lies a problem. My water, like much of the UK’s, is very limey – so much so that even washing down my glasshouse floor has left a white residue. Lime-laden water is also bad news for a number of plants. Po ed glasshouse specimens can build up lime deposits (which can change the acidity of the growing medium), and water left to dry on leaves creates ugly white residues. It can be a problem outdoors, too. Po ed acid lovers struggle to deal with limey water as it can block their capacity to uptake nutrients. So, how can we irrigate a dry garden without damaging the plants and surfaces with ‘white water’?
SOLUTION 1
Rainwater is, of course, the best way to source lime-free water, but with a summer like this, supplies run out fast. To mitigate this, I’ve been searching out ‘alternative’ water bu s at a fraction of the cost of tailormade ones. The simplest solution is to search online for ex-food transport containers which have held orange juice and the like. They’re at least half the price of ordinary water bu s. It’s also worth searching ‘farm clearance’ and ‘farming supplies’ for old agricultural containers. Of course, with any repurposed container, they’ll require several thorough washing outs before using.
SOLUTION 2
Treating your own tap water to remove lime is an elegant solution. Water softeners work well but you’ll need a hefty budget as they run to hundreds of pounds. However, online de-ionising filters can be found for £50-60 and radically reduce the lime content. They’re simply a courge e-shaped unit which easily connects to your hose and does all the hard work. The filters need replacing at different frequencies depending on the relative hardness of your water.
SOLUTION 3
A nifty trick if you’ve run out of rainwater supplies but need neutral or acidic water for certain plants is to fill a container with water and leave it for 24 hours. Carbolic acid forms where the water is in contact with the air and drops the water's pH levels! It’s not perfect, but it’s the best solution
when other options run out.