Wood ash vs lime

[MARK ROBKE]

There appears to be no way to get lime from any quarry anywhere. So, there is a chance for wood ash that is said to be effective at twice the application rate for lime.

Can anyone offer any experience/advice on the use of wood ash vs lime for hay fields?

TIA

I would ask my local extension agent. When we do a soil sample in our county here in Kentucky, he even tells the nutrient values of the lime from the various quarries. But the agent should have the best info where to get lime. Mark.

 

[Steve in VA]

I would ask my local extension agent. When we do a soil sample in our county here in Kentucky, he even tells the nutrient values of the lime from the various quarries. But the agent should have the best info where to get lime. Mark.

I have. He was genuinely surprised to discover that I, as well as others, are having such difficulty getting fields limed.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

I have. He was genuinely surprised to discover that I, as well as others, are having such difficulty getting fields limed.

What does your agent say about wood ash? Where can you get it? Mark.

 

[Steve in VA]

What does your agent say about wood ash? Where can you get it? Mark.

Extension agent wasn't a big fan of ash based mostly on the amounts required.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

Extension agent wasn't a big fan of ash based mostly on the amounts required.

Are you friends with a lot of farmer/neighbors? Maybe you all could go in on hauling it- maybe hire an owner operator to haul it lime for you all, dump it in a pile at each farm who needs it? Or maybe go to one of the BTOs and buy from him. That is what some of us do here locally. He actually hauls and sells a lot of lime and even has a spreader truck; or he can use a tri axle dump and dump it. But you need a loader (or a big shovel-LOL) and a drop/EZ flow spreader.
Other option is buy bagged lime from your local feed/seed store. Mark.

 

[moresmoke]

I’ve used wood ash before. The biggest downside to it is the volume needed, and it is slower acting than limestone.

What I‘ve used came from a biomass power plant, there were regs related to using it. I provided soil test results, and they did the math and rest of the paperwork. It was a challenge to get spread, the outfit that handled the ash had a couple of spreaders to rent, but were not often available when you would want them. I usually mixed mine with manure out of the barn and spread it that way, load a layer in the middle of the manure spreader. Sideslinger manure spreaders were the best thing going to spread ash. One other peculiarity of the wood ash, was that if you weren’t going to spread right away, you could not touch the piles where it was dumped. If you thought to push the pile up to take less space, the ash would turn into concrete.