Cost of spreading lime

[MattAL]

Just got my soil test back from Auburn. My soil's ph is 4.5. Very low. They recommend 6 tons per acre.

This was former pine forest land so I am guessing that is why it is so low.

What are the costs to have ag lime spread where you are? I'm not sure who would have the best price. I assume the local coop can perform this service. Are there custom operators who could do it?

I have about 30 acres that will need it. I'm going to call around in the morning but would like to know about what to expect.

 

[FL_Cracker]

My place in Blue Ridge, GA needed lime for the same reasons. When you first clear timber land the ph will be low. I use a local guy and has his own lime truck. I holds 7 ton per load. He charges $ 44.00 per ton and that includes spreading. I check into doing it myself with peletized lime and it would cost way more and take me all day. He just finished an application of 2 Ton per acre for the second year in a row and I hope that will stabilize the ph for a while.

 

[Panache]

In Elmore co it is $28/ton spread. About the same price in Hardaway. Not sure in south Mgm county. Try calling The Feedlot and ask them.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I live with-in 5 miles of a limestone quarry. It's around $18 a ton spread here. Not too sure that'd be the case farther away from the quarry.

If you need high rates of lime, do it over 2,3 maybe even 4 years. Soil won't take up lime very fast. It ends up leaching out of the soil before doing it's intended purpose. With the cost of buying and spreading, you surely want to get the most good per ton.

Just my opinion, but I'd spread maybe 3 ton per acre this fall, about 2 ton next fall, then test again for need of more. Safe bet you apply 6 ton now, and you'll still need 3 or 4 more next year, as most will leach away.

 

[Panache]

MattAL, are you planning to till the soil to incorporate the lime or will this be just a surface application. The recomendation is no more than 2 tons per acre with out incorporating it some way. 3-4 tons is acceptable then.

 

[JRobyn]

Just had ours limed yesterday. Jackson Co. TN. $15.50/ton plus $10/ton to haul and spread.

 

[MattAL]

Thanks for all the replies. If I need to incorporate the lime into the soil rather than leaving it on the surface, what implement would you suggest. I have a chisel plow and a disc available to me.

Panache: I called the Feed Lot, they don't do it themselves, but know of someone who does. I am waiting to hear back from them. Do you farm any?

 

[jimg]

You might find the article, Sources of Lime for Acid Soils in Virginia, at the link below interesting/helpful:

http://www.ext.vt.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Docs.woa/wa/getcat?cat=ir-cg

Some wont apply to your situation but the general stuff will.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Around here it is around $35/ ton spread. I buy my lime thru a friend and he lets me use his spreader to spread with so I save some money by doing it myself and I can get to where I want where as the trucks would only work in my fields and none of my pens.

The last price I was quoted was I think $28 a ton for 95% and I bought 45 tons but my friend decided to keep my bill from me so I don't know what the final cost is yet.

Just remember, there is different quality of lime and the price will reflect that. You don't want to pay a lot for low grade lime but your area will dictate the lime price as I don't know how far a quarry is from you and that is the biggest factor in lime cost.

 

[jimg]

Interesting you should mention quality. The article above discusses that as well as alternatives to aglime. I didn't realize there were so many avenues to get the pH up.