Barn Lime

[Steve in VA]

This seems to be available for my field but I'm curious about it. I've done a bit of online searching but haven't spoken to the extension agent yet. The online search makes it sound suitable for field application but, anyone here have direct experience? I did get a bag and it looks 80% powdered and 20% granular. Claims no additives.

I can't get ag lime. I can't get liquid. I can't get wood ash. At least I can get barn lime for a bit over 0.07$/lb and transport myself 25 miles round trip. Neighbor has an Ezee Flow drop spreader I can use.
TIA

 

[paul]

What is your soil ph?

This sounds expensive proposition.

 

[Steve in VA]

What is your soil ph?

This sounds expensive proposition.

I don't have that number in my head but, I have been taking soil samples annually and the most recent recommended 1-1.5 tons per acre. All other test parameters were moderate with nothing high or low.

To get 10 tons, which is a bit more than I need, will cost 1,600 $ plus my time and fuel to haul but it's only a 25 mile round trip.

I've pretty much exhausted all other options. Quarries just tell me they don't make it. The single quarry that admits to milling it has standing orders with big operations; way bigger. They won't even entertain having me pay in advance and getting it whenever. Thankfully I don't need 2 or 3 tons per acre.

Yes, it will be expensive but it's pretty much this way or the highway.

Meeting with extension agent Tuesday to bounce this off him.

 

[MJMJ]

Barn lime is typically poor quality limestone, and it's ground to a fine powder. You would need to know the CCE value, most soil test recommendations are based on a CCE of 100% or higher. Some barn lime has a CCE value of 70% or lower. And spreading the fine powder will be a nightmare, a drop spread will not work.
I know it's been said over and over, but its worth saying again. Pelletized lime is what you need if you can't get ag lime.

 

[Steve in VA]

Barn lime is typically poor quality limestone, and it's ground to a fine powder. You would need to know the CCE value, most soil test recommendations are based on a CCE of 100% or higher. Some barn lime has a CCE value of 70% or lower. And spreading the fine powder will be a nightmare, a drop spread will not work.
I know it's been said over and over, but its worth saying again. Pelletized lime is what you need if you can't get ag lime.

The CCE is 70% or lower on this particular product. As to the powder in a drop spreader, the farmer loaning it to me has reliably run powdered lime through it for at least 3 decades without issue. This Ezee Flow has fairly large openings and a pretty aggressive auger to stir the product. He also offered a pto cyclone spreader but the cloud of drift would be incredible.

At this point, I don't feel like I can sacrifice "good" for "perfect ". To go to pellitized, and yes, I agree that would be best, would more than double the cost of the product.

I am really disappointed that it has been so difficult to make progress. I've been chasing this for 20 months now.

I certainly don't want to sound argumentative in any way since you're helping me work through this.

What would be your thoughts be on mixing the products? Say, 50/50 Barn and pellet? It would raise the cost but make spreading easier.

 

[MJMJ]

Honestly, I think the lime quality in the pelletized lime, along with the huge improvement in spreadability, would offset the increase in price. You would need significantly less pelletized lime than you would barn lime. My experience with drop spreaders and powdered lime is that it bridges constantly. Small amounts in a garden aren't bad, spreading over pastures and hay fields was a major pain and simply didn't work.

 

[Steve in VA]

Honestly, I think the lime quality in the pelletized lime, along with the huge improvement in spreadability, would offset the increase in price. You would need significantly less pelletized lime than you would barn lime. My experience with drop spreaders and powdered lime is that it bridges constantly. Small amounts in a garden aren't bad, spreading over pastures and hay fields was a major pain and simply didn't work.

You may well be correct. I'm sitting down to run the numbers to the penny. I fear I'm being Penny wise but Pound foolish.

Thank you. I'll let you know how the numbers work. I'd certainly rather spread pellets using the cyclone.

 

[flying belgian]

This seems to be available for my field but I'm curious about it. I've done a bit of online searching but haven't spoken to the extension agent yet. The online search makes it sound suitable for field application but, anyone here have direct experience? I did get a bag and it looks 80% powdered and 20% granular. Claims no additives.

I can't get ag lime. I can't get liquid. I can't get wood ash. At least I can get barn lime for a bit over 0.07$/lb and transport myself 25 miles round trip. Neighbor has an Ezee Flow drop spreader I can use.
TIA

I don't see how a powder can work in a drop spreader. You say he's been doing it but I would like to see that. So judging by the tonnage you must have 7-8 acres to spread? Any chance one of the bto's in your neighborhood will be spreading in a neighbor field? Any chance they could tell co-op, spread my field and then go next door and spread that 7 acre field for my neighbor. Then you stop over to your neighbor in evening and pay him dearly. How about mixing the powder with some oats and putting it down with the grain drill? Dump a couple bags oats in the drill then a couple bags lime then run the electric drill with a bent rod through it. Repeat, repeat. I've done that with grass seed. Works good. Yes it's going to take you all day for the 7 acres but you will get it done. Beggars can't be choosy.

 

[Steve in VA]

Honestly, I think the lime quality in the pelletized lime, along with the huge improvement in spreadability, would offset the increase in price. You would need significantly less pelletized lime than you would barn lime. My experience with drop spreaders and powdered lime is that it bridges constantly. Small amounts in a garden aren't bad, spreading over pastures and hay fields was a major pain and simply didn't work.

Thank you very much for the reality check. I just ran the numbers down to the tenth of a penny. Once I account for bulk discount etc, the best pellet price is 0.152$/lb. The barn lime compares at 0.079$/lb. Roughly pellets are twice the price
BUT, the pellets are 95 CCE while barn is 70 CCE at best.

So, bang for the buck is to go with pellets. I'm happier with that answer and am very grateful for your guidance.

 

[MJMJ]

I think you’ll be much happier spreading pellet lime. Trying to spread powder lime in a drop spreader will test your patience.

 

[Steve in VA]

I think you’ll be much happier spreading pellet lime. Trying to spread powder lime in a drop spreader will test your patience.

Except for a single application of barn lime, mostly as an experiment, all previous applications have been pellet.

 

[paul]

Except for a single application of barn lime, mostly as an experiment, all previous applications have been pellet.

My farm averages 7.4 ph, so obviously I have zero actual experience with lime application. I could sell you dirt from my 8.2 ph spots to help your issue….

My understanding is ag lime can be ground fine which is great, or can be gritty or chunky which is not so great. The finer it is the more quickly it goes to work. And also the sooner you need to apply more. So ag lime that is quite fine but has a little grit will break down sooner and help sooner, the gritty bits will take longer and help you through the next 5-7 years.

Pellet lime is very very fine and then compressed into pellets that break down very rapidly into super fine and work very fast to help your soil right now. But it doesn’t last very long, only a year or two. You wouldn’t want to put a 5 years worth amount in because it would want to work too fast.

So…..

If you are using pellet lime, you only need to apply 1/5 as much as if it were ag lime. But you might need to apply it every year, or at least every other year?

This would make pellet lime more affordable for your situation? Again I don’t use lime, so double check what I’m saying…

There is also water treatment plant lime, and beet plant lime. These 2 industries use a lot of lime to condition the water or the beet sugar they make. Many of them have piles of used lime they wish to get rid of. With the water plant lime you want to see an analysis so you aren’t getting heavy metals. It’s not a deal killer but something to be aware of. Perhaps one of these is around you. Actually both of these sources contain some P and K and other nutrients you probably want anyhow as a bonus.

As most here know lime is just a Tums, same material, that lowers the acid in the soil. Plant roots put out acid through their roots to soften up nutrients and then draw them into the plant with water. If the soil is too acid, the plants can’t make it work and they starve, unable to draw in the nutrients sitting by their roots. Big gravel chunks of lime don’t have enough surface to break down and help much, it needs to be a fine flour to really help. Pellet lime is really like a Tums, ground fine and pressed into an easy to spread kernel that will desolve rapidly in moist dirt.