Cleaning Calcareous deposits from trunks and pots...

Hello all

The water here in Portugal is quite hard (PH 8/9) and normally same calcareous deposits apear in pots and the tree trunks turn a little white near the base.They are really hard to clean especially on the pot rim.
I try to water as much as i can with rain water, but in summer that´s not always possible.

I´ve heard of using a dilluted sollution of lemon juice and water to clean these deposits better.

Is this a viable solution?
Is there any danger to the tree using this solution?
Whats the mix ratio?
Is there an alternative to this method?

On the trunks, i´ve tried using just a tooth-brush. It gets a little better but it´s not doing the job.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers
Mário

Hi Mario,
you can clean them with white vinegar and after put on your pots some mineral oil.
Best regards
Matthieu

Liserd wrote:Hello all

The water here in Portugal is quite hard (PH 8/9) and normally same calcareous deposits apear in pots and the tree trunks turn a little white near the base.They are really hard to clean especially on the pot rim.
I try to water as much as i can with rain water, but in summer that´s not always possible.

Scrub the pot lightly with a sanding sponge. It's a foam sponge coated with sandpaper grit, you can find it at hardware stores. Shouldn't harm the pot, but you can test it on the underside first if you want to be sure.

For the trunk, try a cotton swab or toothbrush dipped in undiluted vinegar or lemon juice. Or use a brass wire brush like they sell for cleaning suede shoes, but be gentle.

hi there,
for the tree use detergent soap mix with water brush it with toothbrush,not harmful to plant,as for the pot i use sandpaper #600 up to 10000 if pots are ceramic or stoneware no problem at all,
regards....