Lime options

ArmyMutt

Eight Pointer
I'm slowly clearing out areas of my land. It was logged years ago, and now is covered in tiny pines. Sent some soil samples in last year. All indicate that I need around 100lbs of lime per 1000 sq ft. I have a pto spreader. Been trying to find bulk pelletized lime because I'm told ag lime will cake up in a spreader like mine. I haven't been very successful in my search, so I'm not sure what to do. I have a little JD drop spreader that I tow behind the lawn tractor, but I'm pretty sure it would take me forever to go that rout, and it certainly isn't going to work on the back side of the land. Any forages that will grow in acidic soil? I can probably use the little spreader for the yard area, just to get a lawn growing. Other options would be filling the loader bucket with ag lime and throwing it around with a shovel, but that's going to take a long time.
 

willch

Twelve Pointer
Been there done that.. Ag lime would be best obviously but use what you can and just know the pelletized will not be quite as effective and the cost is higher.

I believe there is a guy in PA that makes these small buggies for AG lime but not sure on the cost of those units.
 
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curdog

Ten Pointer
Contributor
The seed store above the house will come spread lime for a small charge. They have a truck with a hopper on the back. It wasn't much more than buying the lime, and would be cheaper than buying the pellets.
 

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Try Crop Production Services in Sanford..... if you have an acre or more they may do your lime job. Either way it is going to cost you. My farm up in Rockingham county is in foothill country. I could not get anyone to put out lime and or fertilizer on my 5 acres of clover pasture. I ended up buying an 80# atv spreader and use my atv to do the job.
 
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sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you can get a truck in there, you definitely want to call and have it spread. Easy. If it's tractor only, you probably want to bite the bullet and buy bagged pelletized lime. I couldn't find anyone selling bulk pelletized lime, only the aglime. If you've got a good bit to do, you might try to work out a deal for a whole pallet. That would be easier than moving bags, if you can move a pallet. It can be slung with a shovel, but....
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
if you can get a tractor in it, just get ag lime delivered and dumped and use a trailer and shovel and hand spread it. Lots of work but you are either going to pay for expensive pelletized lime or put in the work and pay for it in sweat.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Most co-ops have a spreader truck that can access most open areas, hills and loose dirt don't bother them much. As long as they can get the truck in there, that's gonna be your best option and most cost effective option.
 

B-KayCh

Six Pointer
If you can go with ag lime it's cheaper and easiest. I've used sol-u-cal some in plots. It works faster and think one bag was equal to 3-40# bags of pellet lime. I'll look at my 2008 reports but when needing large amounts think they suggest two applications a few months apart.
 

B-KayCh

Six Pointer
I looked back and was mistaken. If your doing no-till or applying to established area where not going to till in, they say 1-1.5tons/acre. Reapply every 6 months till amount recommended has been applied. Memory is a bad thing sometimes.
 
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