Food Plots Lime calculations

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JCDEERMAN

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Just got my soil samples back on our new plots. While our existing plots ph is good 6.4 - 7.5, our new fields recently dozed need a lot of lime. They are ranging from 4.9 - 5.5 :oops:

The recommendations for these new fields are anywhere between 2 - 4 tons per acre of ag lime. Problem is the place we've always gotten to come out has gone out of business. Looks like it will have to be pelletized lime from coop. I've done some research on how many pounds of pelletized lime equal 1 ton of ag lime, and the answers are all over the board.

Thought I'd ask you fine folks.
 
I've only used the pelletized lime once. We couldn't get the big truck to come so we rented the buggy and did the fertilizer and pelletized lime in the same application.

But my understanding was the pelletized lime was more concentrated and therefore required less pounds vs Ag or quarry lime? Maybe that's not correct? I'm no lime expert....but I'll be following this thread to learn more.

I also have been told that pelletized lime dissolves quicker and provides quicker results....but it doesn't last as long as Ag lime.

One thing I'm clear on is that we need more lime.
 
DoubleRidge said:
But my understanding was the pelletized lime was more concentrated and therefore required less pounds vs Ag or quarry lime? Maybe that's not correct? I'm no lime expert....but I'll be following this thread to learn more.

I also have been told that pelletized lime dissolves quicker and provides quicker results....but it doesn't last as long as Ag lime.
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The coop folks say it's about 1/2 the rate using pelletized. Google says everything from 10-75% the rate using pelletized 🤣

Yeah everything I've always been told is pelletized works faster, but there isn't much longevity. Trying to get someone out of Dickson to come out. Calling on Monday
 
Popcorn said:
Did you call Tennessee Farmers Coop?
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I called the Farmers Coop for my county. Once I told them I needed lime for 20 acres, they said I'd be better off getting someone else, as it's a bigger job. $200 / ton for pelletized lime with their truck at Coop.

The guy I used to use charged $29 / ton of ag lime, but he's out of business. According to soil samples, I need 48 tons on the new plots. If I could find a guy like him, I could get it all done in the neighborhood of $1500….plus some inflation and fuel
 
JCDEERMAN said:
I called the Farmers Coop for my county. Once I told them I needed lime for 20 acres, they said I'd be better off getting someone else, as it's a bigger job. $200 / ton for pelletized lime with their truck at Coop.

The guy I used to use charged $29 / ton of ag lime, but he's out of business. According to soil samples, I need 48 tons on the new plots. If I could find a guy like him, I could get it all done in the neighborhood of $1500….plus some inflation and fuel
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Are you close to a neighboring county? Or any large acre farmers
 
JCDEERMAN said:
Not too far from Perry and Lewis. I'll try calling their coops. No ag anywhere around, but I do know 2 folks with large farms that run cattle. I'll contact them and see if they have any leads
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I know there is big ag in lawrenceburg. It may be a long shot but where there is a need, there should be someone trying to fill it
 
Can you spread it yourself if needed?
Some of my plots are too difficult for a lime truck to get to. I pay for a dump trunk to bring ag lime out of Dickson and dump it, then rent a lime buggy from the co-op and spread it myself. Of course you'll need a larger tractor with a front end loader to load and pull the buggy. It's definitely more time consuming and labor intensive than just paying someone to come and spread it with a lime truck, but it's the only way I can do it.
 
JCDEERMAN said:
Just got my soil samples back on our new plots. While our existing plots ph is good 6.4 - 7.5, our new fields recently dozed need a lot of lime. They are ranging from 4.9 - 5.5 :oops:

The recommendations for these new fields are anywhere between 2 - 4 tons per acre of ag lime. Problem is the place we've always gotten to come out has gone out of business. Looks like it will have to be pelletized lime from coop. I've done some research on how many pounds of pelletized lime equal 1 ton of ag lime, and the answers are all over the board.

Thought I'd ask you fine folks.
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Who was it that went out of business?
I've used a guy named Gary Profit out of Ashland City before. He was pretty reasonable and had a truck.
 
JCDEERMAN said:
I'll do some calling around. I'll also check with @ZachMarkus as I believe he's from that area. Lawrenceburg is just about an hour away. Thanks for thinking outside the box!
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Check with Co-Op in Waynesboro too. That's who I use & usually get 100T. They deliver it, dump in pile & bring front end loader to load into line truck for spreading. Their gate only has one setting & that's for 2T/acre.
 
If you go pelletized, I'd go 1 to 1.5t per acre now, and plan for another 0.5 to 1t per acre in the fall.

Pull soil samples again next Mar and go from there (you will prob be in the 6.2 to 6.4 range next spring).

It's OK to adjust the pH gradually, rather than try to get it perfect with a single application.

And yes, pelletized lime is roughly twice as potent as aglime... but doesn't last as long, so you have to repeat a few times to stay at the 6.5 pH zone.
 
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I had always heard that soil simply can't utilize more than 2 tons of lime/acre per year. So adding more than 2 tons/acre in a single year is a waste of money. Correct? Incorrect?
 
BSK said:
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I had always heard that soil simply can't utilize more than 2 tons of lime/acre per year. So adding more than 2 tons/acre in a single year is a waste of money. Correct? Incorrect?
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Just talked to the Perry County coop and the guy seemed very knowledgeable. I told him one of our plots called for 4 tons of lime - I asked him if that was necessary. He said typically 2 tons of lime will bring your ph level up about 1 point. Told him ph read 4.8 and he said they recommended 4 tons to bring ph level up 2 points and in to the 6 point range. Made sense to me. Looks like I'll be ordering 48 tons @ $39 / ton. They just went up some due to fuel prices.

Just glad I found someone! Thanks for everyone's suggestions!
 
JCDEERMAN said:
Just talked to the Perry County coop and the guy seemed very knowledgeable. I told him one of our plots called for 4 tons of lime - I asked him if that was necessary. He said typically 2 tons of lime will bring your ph level up about 1 point. Told him ph read 4.8 and he said they recommended 4 tons to bring ph level up 2 points and in to the 6 point range. Made sense to me. Looks like I'll be ordering 48 tons @ $39 / ton. They just went up some due to fuel prices.

Just glad I found someone! Thanks for everyone's suggestions!
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Is that spread, or delivered and dumped?
 
JCDEERMAN said:
Just got my soil samples back on our new plots. While our existing plots ph is good 6.4 - 7.5, our new fields recently dozed need a lot of lime. They are ranging from 4.9 - 5.5 :oops:
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Man, you've got some quality soil! My newly broken plots come in at 4.3 to 4.8 o_O
 
Glad you were able to get ag lime. Lasts longer and WAY cheaper. And soils should be reasonable by fall planting time.

I've been wearing out my local lease manager in MS about getting our plots limed past 3 years. He finally gave in last year, but we stayed too wet to get the truck into them.

As expensive as herbicides, seed, and diesel are getting, lime is the best bang for your buck out there!
 
I haven't spoken to him in a couple of years but Randy at 931 242 7331 was a lime spreader service. not sure how far he's traveling these days with the dang diesel fuel prices but might be a good fit some folks
 

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