Lime Question

[Drose]

Does it matter what quarry the lime comes from? I live 15 miles from a quarry but people have told me it's best to get it hauled from a different quarry over an hour away. Lime is $13 a ton both places but the haul bill is obviously going to be way different. I have a great deal of land I'm trying to correct ph on so if it doesn't matter I could afford to put down alot more lime if I go with the closer rock quarry.

 

[kenny thomas]

Does it matter what quarry the lime comes from? I live 15 miles from a quarry but people have told me it's best to get it hauled from a different quarry over an hour away. Lime is $13 a ton both places but the haul bill is obviously going to be way different. I have a great deal of land I'm trying to correct ph on so if it doesn't matter I could afford to put down alot more lime if I go with the closer rock quarry.

If they are selling lime for ag purposes they are required to have the test results available. Its based on buffering effect and uses 100 as baseline. I see it from 80 up to 110 here. How fine is is ground up makes a difference in how fast it will work also. Ask your extension agent for the test results. Trucking and spreading is normally higher than the lime.

 

[Dave]

And there is a huge difference in how lime is scored state to state. It is not an apple to apple deal. When the lime scores were set a lot depended on who had the most money or contacts with their legislators. It has been too many years for me to remember the exact number but there is something like 37 different 100 scores around the nation. So it is not just the score of the lime they are selling but how that number compares to the number the neighbors have.

 

[StrojanHerefords]

Yes it does if your calcium to magnesium levels are out of balance. On your soil test there should be a cation levels. If your soils are high mag like mine then you need to add pure calcium lime to correct the soil.

 

[Drose]

I can find the test results for all quarry's in Kentucky on the division of regulatory services. But the quarry that's closest to me is just over in Tennessee and I cant find find any test results for the Tn quarry's. Is that something I could call the quarry and ask about or would they have that info on hand?

 

[jltrent]

I had 300+ ton put on a few years ago from the Treadway TN lime and I have never seen anything work any better and it still is working. I had around 80 ton latter spread from a local quarry and pretty disappointed. IMO there seems to be a difference in lime or maybe it was just the field as I latter did no testing.

 

[farmerjan]

Depends on if you need more magnesium in your soil... low mag tests will have the land benefitting more from Dolomite lime with the increased mag levels.
More than 2-3 ton to the acre is not going to "fix it" any faster... more will only increase the cost with little benefit shown. especially if it is "dust" as it will blow away or leach out of the soil in heavy rain. The ground will benefit more from applying it every other year than all at once. but then that is added costs of spreading...
If you spread manure from your own animals, have it analyzed... some feed stuffs will result in higher levels of different nutrients and you might be able to increase your magnesium indirectly through that also... have to watch the phos levels with certain manures too....

 

[kenny thomas]

I can find the test results for all quarry's in Kentucky on the division of regulatory services. But the quarry that's closest to me is just over in Tennessee and I cant find find any test results for the Tn quarry's. Is that something I could call the quarry and ask about or would they have that info on hand?

They should have it onhand.

 

[kenny thomas]

I had 300+ ton put on a few years ago from the Treadway TN lime and I have never seen anything work any better and it still is working. I had around 80 ton latter spread from a local quarry and pretty disappointed. IMO there seems to be a difference in lime or maybe it was just the field as I latter did no testing.

That's the lime from the Zinc mine that i seen test 110. Its just better.

 

[jltrent]

That's the lime from tge Zinc mine that i seen test 110. Its just better.

I had four loads (20+ ton each load) put on a couple hay fields and I was expecting the same results as the Treadway lime. Both still have some sedge and I have notice very little difference. Maybe I need to fertilize heavier.

 

[Drose]

I had four loads (20+ ton each load) put on a couple hay fields and I was expecting the same results as the Treadway lime. Both still have some sage and I have notice very little difference. Maybe I need to fertilize heavier.

I don't know I have a 18 acre field with a ph of 7.9 and its covered in broom sedge. It ended up being very low in phosphorus. Then I have fields with a ph of 5.2 that don't have much sedge. This is all new territory to me so I'm trying my best not to waste a bunch of time and money.

 

[Drose]

This is the results of the farm with heavy sedge coverage. I just bought the property back in the spring and didnt cut the fall hay. My plan is to bush hog it all and apply all the recommended fertilizer.

 

[kenny thomas]

I don't know I have a 18 acre field with a ph of 7.9 and its covered in broom sedge. It ended up being very low in phosphorus. Then I have fields with a ph of 5.2 that don't have much sedge. This is all new territory to me so I'm trying my best not to waste a bunch of time and money.

You are exactly correct in the low phosphorus being the problem. But the 5.2 PH definitely needs lime. The 7.9 is at the top end of being ok. Any higher and you will get negative results. I think at 8.4 it becomes a huge issue.

 

[kenny thomas]

View attachment 37573
This is the results of the farm with heavy sedge coverage. I just bought the property back in the spring and didnt cut the fall hay. My plan is to bush hog it all and apply all the recommended fertilizer.

It would be great if you can spread the 0-0-46 now. It takes a few months to really work good. If you spread 0-46-0 now would be good too. But if your going with 18-46-0 the 18 part won't do a lot right now and will be gone in 90 days. Definitely wait until spring on the 46-0-0.

 

[Drose]

It would be great if you can spread the 0-0-46 now. It takes a few months to really work good. If you spread 0-46-0 now would be good too. But if your going with 18-46-0 the 18 part won't do a lot right now and will be gone in 90 days. Definitely wait until spring on the 46-0-0.

Yeah my goal is to get the 0-0-60 spread within a few weeks and then bush hog the field. Would that be best practice or should I bush hog then apply?

 

[kenny thomas]

Shouldn't matter.

 

[wbvs58]

If you get your phosphorous up it should make a huge difference with the legumes in spring.

Ken

 

[gitnby]

i was told carthage tn. has some of the best lime in middle tn.

 

[farmerjan]

Poultry litter is usually always high in Phosphorous... adds organic matter also... Might be an option for the high PH, low Phos field.
Nitrogen will not do any good now with the end of the growing season... wasted money.

 

[Nick Wagner]

Your calcium is low and magnesium too high, which makes tight soil. Ratio should be 85% calcium to 15% magnesium. Use a high cal lime or gypsum, forget the ph, your soil is calcium deficient.