Lime cost

[AKA]

Hi I've had some fields soil sampled and a couple have come back wanting lime applied. It's something we have never had to do before, what would be a rough figure for cost of lime and application. In general the two fields are wanting 3t/acre over the 50acres so 150 t in total. Tia

 

[Andrew K]

£4 to £5 spreader cost per acre .£18 to £20 for lime. How far to your local chalk quarry?

 

[AKA]

Maybe 20/25 miles to a local quarry, we have high mag soils so I guess we would want calcium lime not mag lime? Will a muckspreader with a spinning deck cope with lime? We hire one to spread chicken muck already.

 

[An Gof]

Hi I've had some fields soil sampled and a couple have come back wanting lime applied. It's something we have never had to do before, what would be a rough figure for cost of lime and application. In general the two fields are wanting 3t/acre over the 50acres so 150 t in total. Tia

£28-30/T delivered and spread in this area (Cornwall)
I would never apply more than 2T/acre in one application.

 

[livestock 1]

I’ve just heard of a £21 per tonne mark up on mag lime
What is a sensible rate per tonne or acre for spreading?

 

[Steevo]

Hi I've had some fields soil sampled and a couple have come back wanting lime applied. It's something we have never had to do before, what would be a rough figure for cost of lime and application. In general the two fields are wanting 3t/acre over the 50acres so 150 t in total. Tia

It sounds like you have some advice behind you, but yet no pricing which seems a little strange. Who advised you how much is needed?

It's times like this a local trusted lime man comes into his own if you have one. I'd always have lime delivered and spread by a contractor - no hassle, job done right, and I'm sure they'd save me more than their fee over doing it myself, both in having the right amount of lime in the right place so none is wasted, but more importantly making sure every part of the field that needs covering actually is covered.

Personally I'd stick to a proper macine designed for the job than try and make it work with a muck spreader. I can see the temptation of potentially saving a cost but personally I'd see it as false economy.

Where in the country are you?

 

[Drakey]

It cost me £25.50 for chalk delivered and spread last October for Sugar Beet . Ph was 6.8 so put on 2t per acre .

 

[AKA]

The feed mill/merchant who I use for feed and fertiliser supplies did the soil tests for me. The results came back saying 50 acres needs 3t/acre so I need 150t to do the job?
I am based North Yorkshire area thanks

 

[jondear]

It cost me £25.50 for chalk delivered and spread last October for Sugar Beet . Ph was 6.8 so put on 2t per acre .

Is that not quite high anyway?

 

[Steevo]

The feed mill/merchant who I use for feed and fertiliser supplies did the soil tests for me. The results came back saying 50 acres needs 3t/acre so I need 150t to do the job?
I am based North Yorkshire area thanks

I see.

Just be a little careful that you don't treat them as whole fields - that could get expensive and ruin a good part of a field too. Most of the lime I've ever put on has been part fields - my lime man usually draws me pretty maps showing which bits need 2t, which bits 1t, and which bits none. It's handy they can soil sample and test whilst in the field so can work out how far a "low" bit goes. This is something I couldn't really work out by taking samples myself and sending them off to the lab. It would work out expensive to do it that way too.

 

[Steevo]

Worth asking these guys for a price?

Lime Spreading Services in the North of England, Yorkshire and Northumberland

Lime spreading for agriculture across the North of England. Based in County Durham, ideally located for Yorkshire, Yorkshire Dales, Cumbria and Northumberland

davidteward.co.uk

 

[lloyd]

I see.

Just be a little careful that you don't treat them as whole fields - that could get expensive and ruin a good part of a field too. Most of the lime I've ever put on has been part fields - my lime man usually draws me pretty maps showing which bits need 2t, which bits 1t, and which bits none. It's handy they can soil sample and test whilst in the field so can work out how far a "low" bit goes. This is something I couldn't really work out by taking samples myself and sending them off to the lab. It would work out expensive to do it that way too.

Your guy does a good job does it come at a price?

 

[Steevo]

Your guy does a good job does it come at a price?

I sense a slight dig there.

To be honest I haven't had any lime spread for 6-8 years now so I'm a bit out of date. It's on my list to ask the contractor to pop in after harvest to sample. I'd be more than happy to add my price to the thread then.

 

[lloyd]

Roughly what does it cost to do detailed mapping of whole fields per acre ?

 

[lloyd]

I sense a slight dig there.

To be honest I haven't had any lime spread for 6-8 years now so I'm a bit out of date. It's on my list to ask the contractor to pop in after harvest to sample. I'd be more than happy to add my price to the thread then.

No dig I was genuinely interested.

 

[Steevo]

No dig I was genuinely interested.

Ah ok. I'm conscious I've been adding worst rather than numbers to this thread which was supposed to be all about the numbers.

 

[lloyd]

I think I paid£23t spread in the autumn Cotswolds lime.
Quite like the idea of testing the whole fields more accurately
as lime is another cost that soon adds up although a necessity.

 

[Steevo]

I think I paid£23t spread in the autumn Cotswolds lime.
Quite like the idea of testing the whole fields more accurately
as lime is another cost that soon adds up although a necessity.

It’s what any true lime contractor would do I imagine.
A few cans of chemicals and some test tubes.

I’d be surprised if anyone like @Cab-over Pete or @Mounty did things any differently. It’s the original “variable rate”.

 

[lloyd]

It’s what any true lime contractor would do I imagine.
A few cans of chemicals and some test tubes.

I’d be surprised if anyone like @Cab-over Pete or @Mounty did things any differently. It’s the original “variable rate”.

At the moment its blanket applied here by the guy with the test tubes.
I would like to find a more precise way.

 

[livestock 1]

The feed mill/merchant who I use for feed and fertiliser supplies did the soil tests for me. The results came back saying 50 acres needs 3t/acre so I need 150t to do the job?
I am based North Yorkshire area thanks

Whenever I’ve asked my lime man to put 3t per acre on he has been reluctant. There is a story that anything over 2t acre is not very economic. The advice is to put 2t on first then test again after a year to see where you are. Not saying what’s right or wrong. Father used to put 3-4 tonnes per acre on in the 80s