Which is best, lime dust or lime granules

[Geoffreywrc]

Wondering is there any difference between lime dust from a quarry or lime granules putting it onto grazing pasture
Granules would seem better as its dust free at application time.

 

[Bald Rick]

All about Neutralising Value (NV) and persistence

Granular lime is easy for a farmer to spread with his own tackle, has a good NV but is not especially persistent and runs out of steam after 2 years or so
Buxton ground lime has a similar NV, is more persistent but needs to be spread by a lime spreader (although a rear discharge muck spreader could do a job at a push)

@Cab-over Pete

 

[ollie989898]

Granular lime is ace.

You pay shiploads more for a product where you apply 1/8th of the actual stuff.




Why lime has to be so complicated I will never know.

Take soil samples.

Apply ground lime using a contractor with the right equipment.

Profit.

 

[Old McDonald]

Wondering is there any difference between lime dust from a quarry or lime granules putting it onto grazing pasture
Granules would seem better as its dust free at application time.

Might take a bit of finding, but this subject was done to death on a previous occasion.

I am on a small acreage now and never need to spread more than 2 tonnes at a time, but I use a small cone shaped spreader with a rotating plate on the bottom. I mix it with prilled fertiliser to help the flow. It is still slow and I would not do it on a bigger acreage, I would employ a contractor.

 

[Kidds]

On grass use ground limestone, on high value crops such as brassicas you can use prilled for a very short term fix.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Granular lime is ace.

You pay shiploads more for a product where you apply 1/8th of the actual stuff.




Why lime has to be so complicated I will never know.

Take soil samples.

Apply ground lime using a contractor with the right equipment.

Profit.

This
And if any small producer wants to use proper ground as recomend by the Lime King Pete , there is always some in my yard ,my mate will spread a small amout for you I'm sure . Like a lot of lime contractor do

 

[kmo]

Recently spread some granular lime. It was that dusty, when I turned on the headland, I couldn't see where I'd come from.

 

[Ormond]

Recently spread some granular lime. It was that dusty, when I turned on the headland, I couldn't see where I'd come from.

Probably smashing up as it hits the vanes on the spreader.....

 

[ollie989898]

I just do not understand why you would need to mess with granules. They are incredibly expensive for what they are. 'A short term fix'- surely people are soil testing ahead of the next crop anyway?

Lime is dirt cheap around here, there are quarries locally, why you want to fudge about with granules or trying to spread any yourself I have no idea.

The dust would not bother me for toffee. Get the stuff on.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Edit
I forgot the law of farmer . "Its expensive so must be better"
Iv got some fantastic grass seed I can let go at the bargain price of £150/acre to go with it

 

[chipchap]

It’s the fine dust that does the trick. Any grit or coarse particles does very little good.

 

[digger64]

I just do not understand why you would need to mess with granules. They are incredibly expensive for what they are. 'A short term fix'- surely people are soil testing ahead of the next crop anyway?

Lime is dirt cheap around here, there are quarries locally, why you want to fudge about with granules or trying to spread any yourself I have no idea.

The dust would not bother me for toffee. Get the stuff on.

10 ton spreaders wont travel/float or get in everywhere nor come for less than 20 ton tipped ,I have used granulated to go round after the flashing light s have gone for the more challenging spots , which if left appear to get bigger over time if not much grows on it or wants to eat it . Its not cheap or as good but it has a place I expect it's handy in sugar beet sometimes to .

 

[ollie989898]

10 ton spreaders wont travel/float or get in everywhere nor come for less than 20 ton tipped ,I have used granulated to go round after the flashing light s have gone for the more challenging spots , which if left appear to get bigger over time if not much grows on it or wants to eat it . Its not cheap or as good but it has a place I expect it's handy in sugar beet sometimes to .

You don't need to carry 10 tonnes everywhere. Pay the man spreading it appropriately and I am sure he won't mind carrying a part load.

20 tonnes of lime is enough to coat 10 acres at the maximum dose. You can always get rid of the stuff by spreading it thinly elsewhere, it won't do any harm.

 

[digger64]

You don't need to carry 10 tonnes everywhere. Pay the man spreading it appropriately and I am sure he won't mind carrying a part load.

20 tonnes of lime is enough to coat 10 acres at the maximum dose. You can always get rid of the stuff by spreading it thinly elsewhere, it won't do any harm.

You don't need to carry 10 tonnes everywhere. Pay the man spreading it appropriately and I am sure he won't mind carrying a part load.

20 tonnes of lime is enough to coat 10 acres at the maximum dose. You can always get rid of the stuff by spreading it thinly elsewhere, it won't do any harm.

If only it was so simple ,

 

[ollie989898]

Can you explain why it is not so?

I used to get lime spread in all kinds of places, if the land is too steep to lime that is one thing, but I don't know how it can be made complicated?

 

[Dave6170]

I just do not understand why you would need to mess with granules. They are incredibly expensive for what they are. 'A short term fix'- surely people are soil testing ahead of the next crop anyway?

Lime is dirt cheap around here, there are quarries locally, why you want to fudge about with granules or trying to spread any yourself I have no idea.

The dust would not bother me for toffee. Get the stuff on.

Lime is around 32/t here and i still consider it cheap for what it does

 

[ollie989898]

Lime is around 32/t here and i still consider it cheap for what it does

It's a fudging bargain at that money!

I do not understand why anyone would pay circa £100/tonne for granules, apply 250kg of the stuff and ever do the job again. You would think the sore head from doing it would deter people from doing it.

 

[Pistonbroke]

The contractor that used to do ours has passed away and the only other one in the area flat refuses to do the steep ground ( don't blame him really). Is there a mounted fert spreader that will spread ground limestone? If not it's granules or nothing

 

[neilo]

It’s the same stuff, just one is made into prills to go through a fert spreader. Chemically, it will need exactly the same quantity to neutralise the same level of acidity for the same length of time, because it is the same stuff.

The price for the convenience of having it in prills quadruples the cost, and that’s comparing ‘delivered & Spread’ price locally with ‘delivered only’ for the prills.

 

[Loftyrules]

Granular lime is ace.

You pay shiploads more for a product where you apply 1/8th of the actual stuff.




Why lime has to be so complicated I will never know.

Take soil samples.

Apply ground lime using a contractor with the right equipment.

Profit.

Because it’s not always that simple to find someone to deal with small areas or tricky fields