Lime through West muck spreader

[Highland Mule]

I have never subscribed to their 100% fines thing either.

Well that bit is easy to prove - and I have plenty evidence from my own use that it’s right. Given I’m £40/t for bulk and 20tonne minimum, I’m happy to stick with the proven benefits and cheaper holistic costs of prills. Far less mess on heavy ground too, and the flexibility to spread on the day/ weather of my choice rather than that of a contractor (who is never going to be at my beck and call on a £200 job with no margin).

 

[neilo]

The cost of it is exorbitant. I couldn't bring myself to ever buy any. Putting on 200kg here and there- may as well not bother in reality.

It's the same stuff so will work just as well as ground lime, but at approx 4x the price. On 3ac that's not going to matter much.

In @ollied case, it would hardly leave a visual sign of being applied too, 'stealth liming'.

 

[Spencer]

Ive got 3 acres of WW, too much hassle for a contractor to come and spray it. Thinking of just putting the chemical in my slurry tanker, is 2500gallons and acre about right for water volume

 

[ollied]

Ive got 3 acres of WW, too much hassle for a contractor to come and spray it. Thinking of just putting the chemical in my slurry tanker, is 2500gallons and acre about right for water volume

What’s with all the cockiness? No where remotely the same thing, keep it to yourself clever fella

 

[David1968]

The cost of it is exorbitant. I couldn't bring myself to ever buy any. Putting on 200kg here and there- may as well not bother in reality.

That's the sort of ideological bulls**t you get from someone who never has to deal with practicalities. It has it's place in certain situations and this would be one of them.

And it's not remotely like 4 times the cost. We did a barley field, out of grass, in the Spring. The recommendation was for 3t/acre to take it from 5.6 to 6.5, and we put 450kg granular on instead.
3t lime would've come in at £91/acre spread.
450kg granular was £72/acre plus my own diesel.

A lot of the anti-granular stuff is just prejudice and not based on fact.

 

[bobk]

That's the sort of ideological bulls**t you get from someone who never has to deal with practicalities. It has it's place in certain situations and this would be one of them.

And it's not remotely like 4 times the cost. We did a barley field, out of grass, in the Spring. The recommendation was for 3t/acre to take it from 5.6 to 6.5, and we put 450kg granular on instead.
3t lime would've come in at £91/acre spread.
450kg granular was £72/acre plus my own diesel.

A lot of the anti-granular stuff is just prejudice and not based on fact.

What's the ph now

 

[Bogweevil]

Buying stuff brings me out in hives - luckily we have marl - more here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/lime-for-mi-soils-e-471.pdf

 

[David1968]

What's the ph now

I would expect it to ba about 6.5. I'm not in the habit of testing every 6 months.

Did about 3t barley and 9 4x4 rounds/acre.

 

[neilo]

That's the sort of ideological bulls**t you get from someone who never has to deal with practicalities. It has it's place in certain situations and this would be one of them.

And it's not remotely like 4 times the cost. We did a barley field, out of grass, in the Spring. The recommendation was for 3t/acre to take it from 5.6 to 6.5, and we put 450kg granular on instead.
3t lime would've come in at £91/acre spread.
450kg granular was £72/acre plus my own diesel.

A lot of the anti-granular stuff is just prejudice and not based on fact.

Here we go again.....

It's the same stuff as ground lime, just limestone, ground up. To neutralise the same amount of acidity, for as long, it will need the same amount. Any talk of needing less to do the same job is just salesman's patter.

On a 'per ton' basis, it's approximately 4 times the cost, which is justifiable in certain circumstances of course, like the OP's for instance.

 

[David1968]

Here we go again.....

It's the same stuff as ground lime, just limestone, ground up. To neutralise the same amount of acidity, for as long, it will need the same amount. Any talk of needing less to do the same job is just salesman's patter.

On a 'per ton' basis, it's approximately 4 times the cost, which is justifiable in certain circumstances of course, like the OP's for instance.

Cost per tonne is irrelevant. It's cost per acre you use for comparison.

 

[neilo]

Cost per tonne is irrelevant. It's cost per acre you use for comparison.

To last as long, maintaining the pH, you will need to apply it more often. You simply can't compare a single application of 450 kg of prills with 3t of ground lime. It's the same stuff.

 

[john432]

That's the sort of ideological bulls**t you get from someone who never has to deal with practicalities. It has it's place in certain situations and this would be one of them.

And it's not remotely like 4 times the cost. We did a barley field, out of grass, in the Spring. The recommendation was for 3t/acre to take it from 5.6 to 6.5, and we put 450kg granular on instead.
3t lime would've come in at £91/acre spread.
450kg granular was £72/acre plus my own diesel.

A lot of the anti-granular stuff is just prejudice and not based on fact.

The simple fact is that Fertiliser reps make a good commission from prilled lime...not much money for anyone in bulk ground limestone delivered and spread for around £30. Convenience? How hard is it to do a phone call or two, open the gate and point out the fields to be spread?

 

[john432]

To last as long, maintaining the pH, you will need to apply it more often. You simply can't compare a single application of 450 kg of prills with 3t of ground lime. It's the same stuff.

Exactly, can't people read the label on the bags? It's 54% neutralising value fine ground Calcium carbonate. Similar to most bulk ground limestone.put on 3 tonnes of ground limestone, and there will be a dam sight more very fine instant working dust on the field than 450kg.

 

[bluebell]

spread it by hand? yes, tip some in the back of a little old 3 ton trailer, fit person on the back with a shovel, someone else drive the tractor, you know its only 6 tons for goodness sake? done that and more years ago all on my own? with all got so soft, it like in the "good old days", going out in a field with a tractor and trailer, or even a truck, or old lorry and hand loading hay, straw bales on your own, then driving it to barn then hand unloading, stacking, all done by hand on your own? many many people have done this and alot more, with no fuss or complaining?

 

[David1968]

To last as long, maintaining the pH, you will need to apply it more often. You simply can't compare a single application of 450 kg of prills with 3t of ground lime. It's the same stuff.

I'm not saying it's better. I does a job in certain circumstances. We still use bulk lime where we can.

Yes it declines quicker. But 9 years of use and regular soil testing tells me it doesn't decline nearly quick enough to make it anything like 4 times the cost.

I'm happy with the results we get, for what it costs, in the circumstances we have to use it. But clearly I'm stupid

 

[ollie989898]

That's the sort of ideological bulls**t you get from someone who never has to deal with practicalities. It has it's place in certain situations and this would be one of them.

And it's not remotely like 4 times the cost. We did a barley field, out of grass, in the Spring. The recommendation was for 3t/acre to take it from 5.6 to 6.5, and we put 450kg granular on instead.
3t lime would've come in at £91/acre spread.
450kg granular was £72/acre plus my own diesel.

A lot of the anti-granular stuff is just prejudice and not based on fact.

Let me get this right, you put on not even half the actual requirement and consider that a good job?

It's nothing like as effective as you seem to think. It's the exact same stuff as lime. It's not uranium or something.

 

[steveR]

My advice don't wash the spreader before you spread the lime... I tried it a long time age with a rotospreader... Got into the bearings.. how about mixing the lime with well rotted muck before spreading. That will bulk it up, and chain harrow in the other direction might just give a more even spread rate.
Ok you only have 3 acres to do... Surely you have more land? Lime is essential... Get some 30 to 40 tonnes in and put a tonne an acre on the other fields... Might make it viable for someone to do the job properly.

Done that here before now with a rotary. I sprinkle the lime on the top of the heap, so it mixes a bit when loading...

 

[Thomas5060]

I like Granualar lime it suits us well, do 20-30 acres every 3 year. This year 3 cwt per acre cost £18.90, then the diesel cost on top of that. Beauty is you can put it on while it is being grazed, and you don’t have to wait weeks for it to disappear. Also our ground isn’t suitable for contractors to come in with a 150hp tractor and 6 or 8 ton spreader. Peat ground so works well is using tractor and fert sower, in a wet year we maybe only can put 200kg in sower. Have never tested the ground but 3cwt/acre every 3 years seems to keep on top of it and keep the grass sweet.

 

[Treg]

The cost of it is exorbitant. I couldn't bring myself to ever buy any. Putting on 200kg here and there- may as well not bother in reality.

Why putting on so much?
High rates of lime could actually be working against itself, little and often is far better.

 

[steveR]

I like Granualar lime it suits us well, do 20-30 acres every 3 year. This year 3 cwt per acre cost £18.90, then the diesel cost on top of that. Beauty is you can put it on while it is being grazed, and you don’t have to wait weeks for it to disappear. Also our ground isn’t suitable for contractors to come in with a 150hp tractor and 6 or 8 ton spreader. Peat ground so works well is using tractor and fert sower, in a wet year we maybe only can put 200kg in sower. Have never tested the ground but 3cwt/acre every 3 years seems to keep on top of it and keep the grass sweet.

I would invest in one of these and have a walk around the field after a heavy downpour (to soften the ground) and test it. Might save you a few quid

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The experts will say they are inaccurate, but I have sampled alongside a fieldsman doing litmus paper tests and the probe was spot on every time.