Freakin lime!!??!!

[Soundguy]

depends on what lime he gets.. peletized is different from powder is different from crushed limestone.

Where I live, an extension agent will rent equipment to spread ( or plant trees, or cut fire brakes via trailing plow ), very very cheaply or free.

might check. If you can get the spreader free, and have a loader to load it and a tractor to pull it.. then a load of crushed limerock will undoubtedly be your cheapest route.

 

[MMagis]

If you’re planning a food plot, particularly one that you carve out of a bunch of pines, lime should be the very first thing on your budget list. It shouldn’t have been a surprise. There’s no getting away from it, and if you try to skip it you’ll be very disappointed in the effort and money you’ve spent so far. 2.5 tons/acre isn’t all that bad, but a lot of work by hand. Talk to the local co-op and see about renting their buggy. You can ask about having it spread too, around here it costs about $30-$40/acre. Not bad for only 7 acres, though it adds up quick if you have a lot of ground to do.

 

[Will_C]

Definitely try to see if a local business would spread it for you. If they can access the plot, the cost isn't that bad. If that isn't possible, just spread what you can afford to and what you are capable of- I have been adding a 1000 lbs an acre a year to my plots, using bagged lime and a shovel.

Will

 

[Soggy Bottom Outdoors]

I'm with farmer2009 2.35 tons per acre is common on the red clay of KY and I have gone as high as 5 ton. I had 40 acres done in 2013 at $16 per ton lime/spreading. It may be hard to get someone to do just a 7 acre job. None of the fertilizer plants in my area have "buggies" that will spread "ag lime" or crushed limestone rock. They are for fertilizer, don't even try it. Now for plan "B", most fertilizer plants carry or can get "bulk" pelleted lime. This will spread in a "buggy" or most 3 point hitch spreaders if you got bagged "pell lime"(dont let it get wet). About 500lbs per acre is a common recomendation, about $200 a ton. Needs to be done every year.

 

[crackerjack222]

I am going to take a different tack.... What will the lime do for your pine trees. My experience is that pines like an acidic soil. Will raising the ph damage the pines?

 

[Soundguy]

Try a spreader truck, roller chain and spinner.. Will need well sorted and evenly crushed but not powdered limestone . Most places that do tack, prime and asphalt will have a spreader truck ( to put out sand over temp prime )

 

[japody]

I'm with farmer2009 2.35 tons per acre is common on the red clay of KY and I have gone as high as 5 ton. I had 40 acres done in 2013 at $16 per ton lime/spreading. It may be hard to get someone to do just a 7 acre job. None of the fertilizer plants in my area have "buggies" that will spread "ag lime" or crushed limestone rock. They are for fertilizer, don't even try it. Now for plan "B", most fertilizer plants carry or can get "bulk" pelleted lime. This will spread in a "buggy" or most 3 point hitch spreaders if you got bagged "pell lime"(dont let it get wet). About 500lbs per acre is a common recomendation, about $200 a ton. Needs to be done every year.

Wow. You gets are getting by cheaply. We paid $44/ton last fall. That's the going rate around here.

 

[AaronS]

Wow. You gets are getting by cheaply. We paid $44/ton last fall. That's the going rate around here.

Very dependent on how far or close you are to a quarry. My hunting property is about 10 miles from a quarry and there is a local independent tri-axle driver that will deliver and dump a load of ag lime at the farm for $225 (roughly $10 per ton). The challenge for me is finding someone to spread it.

 

[hunt4570]

My problem right now is finding a supplier/spreader guy. Just like building contractors here.... there are none!

Still searching!

 

[farmer2009]

South Carolina should have enough farm ground to have lime spreaders. A farm store would know who to call. Here we have guy's that that's all they do is spread lime. But there business is full enough they don't advertise. They are just known.

If you can't find any after the combines start rolling take a drive and look for the cloud of dust. Or stop and ask a farmer. You may find they own one and would be interested or at least willing.