LimeX v Regular (cotswold) Lime ?

[Timbo]

What do the panel of experts reckon?

 

[Still Farming]

@Cab-over Pete

Pull up a chair?

 

[Spencer]

Depends on price..
LimeX is a good product and is very reactive.
Is your quarry lime milled?
Both key points when comparing..

 

[Cab-over Pete]

There are lots of places in the Cotswolds to buy lime.

I buy 95% or more from Breedon at Naunton. It’s the best there is. Consistent and works well. Fine ground and a good NV

There is a lot of poor quality stuff that leaves quarries as more or less a by product.

 

[The Gentleman Farmer]

LimeX is a great product. I use a lot of it. It maybe half the NV of limestone but its all finely ground and reactable.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

And that’s in Devon?

What price is it , if you don’t mind me asking? Delivered and spread?

 

[The Gentleman Farmer]

And that’s in Devon?

What price is it , if you don’t mind me asking? Delivered and spread?

Some farms I advise on around the Midlands and further north. Haulage is too much for LimeX down here so I use a different type of lime at home.

 

[Clive]

What do the panel of experts reckon?

Depends if the purpose is NV or providing Ca

Interesting discussion / presentation by Steve Townsend at the recent BASE conference earlier this month that echo'ed reminded of a Rothemsted conference 10 years ago where TFF was born re Kinsey


We are applying our usual spring application of calcifert mag but not for NV

For NV I would probably use Limex 70 now despite being close to probably one of the best quality ground limestone sources in the UK

 

[Cab-over Pete]

It used to be.

Why would you prefer Limex?

And what did Steve Townsend have to say?

 

[Clive]

And what did Steve Townsend have to say?

screened limestone is a waste of money re Ca unless you have several decades to wait basically, you need ground (100 micon or less) particle size and the % of that size in a tonne of most screened UK limestone samples was tiny (less than 30kgs in a T I think he said )

(don't shoot the messenger here please ). I understand what he was saying is not exactly what a lime spreading contractor would want to hear or would be inclined to agree with !

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I agree in part, I very seldom supply any screened lime. Last year, out of 14,000 tonnes I supplied around 300 tonnes of screened lime.

But it’s not all poor quality stuff. There are a few quarries that make some effort with their screening, you just have to know where to get it. Still, to claim there is only 30 kgs of fines in a tonne is a bit strong I would say, and very unlikely. I dare say it happens though.

That’s why I almost exclusively only supply ground lime. It’s far better to supply a known spec. It works better and is more cost efficient. If people want cheap lime, they seldom call me.

The parent rock limestone will have a strong bearing on the way the aglime works too. You’re near the Derbyshire lime, which is a very hard rock. Any coarse particles of that will be a very long time breaking down, if at all.

Cotswold, Lincs and Yorkshire stones are softer therefore the aglime will break down more readily in the soil.
As always, there is more to agricultural lime than just the cost.

And the haulage makes a huge difference, so if you’re going to pay for that you might as well have a quality product. They won’t bring the poor screened lime to your field for less money.

 

[Devon James]

I have a price for Limex, have used it quite regularly. The cost has gone up, probably the same difference between limex and the local 'best' quality ground lime as it was a few years ago.
More tonnes of limex is needed to give the same ph rise when compared to ground lime?

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I’m surprised it stacks up on a long haul to you @Devon James

 

[Still Farming]

Soluble and insoluble is key to effectiveness and Neutralizing Values possibly.

 

[Devon James]

I’m surprised it stacks up on a long haul to you @Devon James

Its popular with the veg growers in Cornwall, so another few hours on a truck

 

[Old apprentice]

I have a price for Limex, have used it quite regularly. The cost has gone up, probably the same difference between limex and the local 'best' quality ground lime as it was a few years ago.
More tonnes of limex is needed to give the same ph rise when compared to ground lime?

It has a lot more moisture in it than ground limestone.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Does the Limex 70 mean it’s 70% dry matter?
That sounds very wet, but I haven’t seen any for years.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I’ve just had a look and it is 30% water, so yes, 70% DM

 

[Will 1594]

Does the Limex 70 mean it’s 70% dry matter?
That sounds very wet, but I haven’t seen any for years.

Go look at wissy A mountain of it 0000 s tons

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I’m alright, thanks!