Lime cost
- Thread starter Pharmer
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Pharmer":2k8b0g84 said:
Now is as good a time as any. A couple of things that went into the timing. When spring rolls around and everyone is fertilizing, liming takes a back seat and it's hard to get it done. Lime takes a while to really start being effective so getting it on 3-6 months before it's really needed makes it more effective. If it starts getting wet, the lime trucks being so heavy can either get bogged, cut ruts or compact the fields, none of those are desireable, so it was do it now.
One field that took 1 1/2 tons/acre is going to go into WSG. Seeding will be in may or june. The fields that got 1 ton/acre are really ok ph wise, but they are low in calcium so figured we'ld kill 2 birds with one stone.
dun
Pharmer:
what was the soil testing process? and how much did it cost?
dun:
isnt lime application timing pretty forgiving because its results dont peak for a few years? i cant remember exactly what the substance is that is measured, but it seems like i remember something saying those levels will rise for a few years at least.
what was the soil testing process? and how much did it cost?
dun:
isnt lime application timing pretty forgiving because its results dont peak for a few years? i cant remember exactly what the substance is that is measured, but it seems like i remember something saying those levels will rise for a few years at least.
Aero":12dgzlpw said:
Yes, it works over a period of time. That's why it's better to get it down before it's needed by the plants. That way it has time to start breaking down and helping the soil before the plants require the added ph.
dun
Pharmer
Well-known member
I got the soil test done for free by taking a sample to my county agent. The University of Arkansas did it for free. How much are you guys paying for lime. I was quoted $30 a ton this morning. IThat would be quite an expense for the 80 acres I am wanting to lime.
Aero":3kgyhesc said:
Taking samples that are meaningful takes some doing. You don;t just go out and dig a hole and grab a handful of dirt. I take samples based on the types of soil and foliage in a given area. I take 3-6 small samples for every couple of acres, blend them all toghter for those conditions then submit it as one sample.
dun
EIEIO
Well-known member
I don't remember but I paid either $18 or $22 a ton this year. We had ours spread in October. This place had not been limed in years and needed 2 tons per acre.
Distance from the quarry will make a big difference in your prices especially with the price of fuel the haulers are having to pay out. This year our local quarry was out of the crushed lime and was not going to be producing anymore so the guy that spread mine had the lime hauled in from about 90 miles away.
Don't know if there is any truth to it but he did tell me that different quarries produce different "quality" of lime which does make some sense and he said where he got mine from was much better than the local stuff.
Pharmer, I used to live in NW Arkansas and we never limed there. I remember when we moved there asking a rancher how often he limed and the guy looked at me like I was crazy, said it's just not needed in the area we lived and had never heard of anyone spreading lime. While living there I never knew of anyone having to lime their pastures.
J
Distance from the quarry will make a big difference in your prices especially with the price of fuel the haulers are having to pay out. This year our local quarry was out of the crushed lime and was not going to be producing anymore so the guy that spread mine had the lime hauled in from about 90 miles away.
Don't know if there is any truth to it but he did tell me that different quarries produce different "quality" of lime which does make some sense and he said where he got mine from was much better than the local stuff.
Pharmer, I used to live in NW Arkansas and we never limed there. I remember when we moved there asking a rancher how often he limed and the guy looked at me like I was crazy, said it's just not needed in the area we lived and had never heard of anyone spreading lime. While living there I never knew of anyone having to lime their pastures.
J
SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE
Well-known member
I paid $35.00 a ton to get it spread, 2 tons per acre.(80 tons). :shock: :x
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
dun":z3o3o2xd said:
Dun - How did you decide that you are low on calcium, and estimate the amount that lime will improve it?
Did you test for micronutrients?
The calcium was part of the soil sample results, didn;t test for micro nutrients this time. I din;t calculate how much I needed, the folks that do our limeing and we buy our fertilizers from did. The 2 fields that were low in calcium were also marrinal as far as I'm concerned in ph so figured we could kill 2 birds with 1 stone. They are also a little low, again in my mind, for P, K, and S. I'll be spreading that in the next couple of months. Chemical fertilizers also tend to lower ph so I'm hoping that overall it will balance out the ph.
dun
dun
In April 05, we paid 10.60 ton (100 tons/3 to 4 tons an acre) & they spread it. The fertilizer company had the lime trucked in--about 100 miles. I'm sure price is up with fuel prices up.
When we wanted a test we contacted the county USDA office and they told us where they sent their soil tests and let us borrow a plugger..told us how to take samples. We divided the samples into 7 acre sections and took a sample per acre, then marked the fields NE, NW, SE, SW. The soil tests ran $75, we had some extra anaysis besides just fertilizer recommendations.
Another fertilizer company we are using for potash, phos, and nitrogen, has recommended a pelleted lime (I think it is more like your lawn fertilizers) for a "fast acting" result until the lime application we had this spring kicks it. We will probably test early in the year to see where the soil is at and then decide. The price seemed reasonable and they put it in the spreader & we would spread.
sorry so long winded. Donna
When we wanted a test we contacted the county USDA office and they told us where they sent their soil tests and let us borrow a plugger..told us how to take samples. We divided the samples into 7 acre sections and took a sample per acre, then marked the fields NE, NW, SE, SW. The soil tests ran $75, we had some extra anaysis besides just fertilizer recommendations.
Another fertilizer company we are using for potash, phos, and nitrogen, has recommended a pelleted lime (I think it is more like your lawn fertilizers) for a "fast acting" result until the lime application we had this spring kicks it. We will probably test early in the year to see where the soil is at and then decide. The price seemed reasonable and they put it in the spreader & we would spread.
sorry so long winded. Donna
