Can lime harm soil biology?

[Louis Mc]

Part of me likes being a good farmer being generous with lime is it possible if I get a fields biology really firing on all cylinders that I might be doing harm spreading lime?

 

[Clive]

Part of me likes being a good farmer being generous with lime is it possible if I get a fields biology really firing on all cylinders that I might be doing harm spreading lime?

cant see why ? Calcium is a basic building block of life and right up there with N in terms of nutrient importance

I'm routine spreading calcifert in spring to all crops at low rate these days ti make sure Ca is available regardless of pH

 

[le bon paysan]

Target pH at 6.5 and keep there. Every thing will love you.

 

[Chae1]

cant see why ? Calcium is a basic building block of life and right up there with N in terms of nutrient importance

I'm routine spreading calcifert in spring to all crops at low rate these days ti make sure Ca is available regardless of pH

How much do you put on ?

 

[Clive]

How much do you put on ?

100 kgs/ha

 

[Chae1]

100 kgs/ha

Thanks. Do you reckon that's enough to maintain ph levels or will you apply normal lime also?

 

[Clive]

Thanks. Do you reckon that's enough to maintain ph levels or will you apply normal lime also?

I think its acts as a nice maintenance dose for pH but time and testing will tell.

Where i have pH correction to do (sub 6.5) I still use ground Ca lime and now Kalfos to try get those areas up to scratch

 

[le bon paysan]

100 kgs/ha

I would struggle to maintain my ph with that amount, but I do spread quick lime here at 150/200 kgsh

 

[Kiwi Pete]

The deadest soil you will ever see is under a forgotten lime heap (or diatomaceous earth as I found out) so there is in theory possible to have too much lime...
In reality, the more you look after your soil biology the more forgiving the soil will be for all nutrient levels and base saturations begin to be irrelevant.

It's all in the flow, not the amount, which is generally why a livestock farm has healthier soils than sole-cropping farms (tin hat welded on here) because animals cycle and recycle all these nutrients- that's very hard to emulate with machinery no matter how well intended.
As said above, aim for a nice sweet 6.5 and you'll hardly have to worry after that point.

 

[Simon C]

Part of me likes being a good farmer being generous with lime is it possible if I get a fields biology really firing on all cylinders that I might be doing harm spreading lime?

Louis, if you can get enough good biology working properly it will maintain the pH where it most prefers it, that is bang on 7. That is what I have found, we used to have to lime regularly but haven't done any for 15 years now. Individual or groups of bacteria then acidify their immediate surroundings to solubilize what ever nutrient are required by the plants that feed them.

 

[parker]

Louis, if you can get enough good biology working properly it will maintain the pH where it most prefers it, that is bang on 7. That is what I have found, we used to have to lime regularly but haven't done any for 15 years now. Individual or groups of bacteria then acidify their immediate surroundings to solubilize what ever nutrient are required by the plants that feed them.

same here, the fields here that are working the best biologically have not had lime for over ten years, once things begin to work let nature do her job intervention is a last resort in my opinion

 

[Kiwi Pete]

same here, the fields here that are working the best biologically have not had lime for over ten years, once things begin to work let nature do her job intervention is a last resort in my opinion

It feels quite hollow when you get to this point that you have a yard full of gear and no need for most of it!
I just received the input records for our place (toying with the idea of certifying the place) last lime was October 1999.
It has had twice-yearly liquid seaweed which will have a lot of Ca, but the soil test results have increased across the board, in those 18 years pH has gone from 5.5 to 6.2 "by itself" and stock carrying capacity has doubled.
Interesting to see aluminium levels slowly dropping since the superphosphate stopped in the late 80s. Takes a long time.

 

[britt]

100 kgs/ha

Is that worth the bother ? easier to give it 1t every 10 years.
It depends why you are applying it Louis.
I apply 5t/Ha at a time. Not to correct pH because since we stopped ploughing they have been fine.
I apply it because our soils are very low in calcium and high magnesium and I need to balance soil ratios.
I can't say that I have ever seen it cause a problem.