Liming a field.

I plowed it up last year for the first time in many many years. I want to plow and disc it again before planting this year but should this be done before adding the lime or after

Secondly what�s the best way to lime the field. Will one of the commercial lime spreaders with the big trucks be willing to do such a small area? If not I have a 300lb broadcast spreader but will lime flow through it. Would buying bagged lime be ridiculously expensive compared to bulk?

Hope these questions don�t sound too stupid. All thoughts are appreciated!

Thanks
Tim

I prefer to lime my pastures in the fall so the fall rains can move the lime down into the soil and reduce the pH so that when I fertilize in the spring, the nutrients will be available to the plants.The beauty of using lime on pastures in the Northwest is that short of of leaving it in large piles, anyway you spread it works and won't cause any harm.

I can get bagged pulverized lime for $100 a ton.
Tim

But anyways, they are telling you apply 5500# if the Calcium Carbonate Equivalent is 90%. Pulverized Dolmitic limestone in bags usual has a CCE greater than 100, maybe 104%, it will say on the bag. If you were using the 104% stuff you would need less, like 90 divided by 104 times 5500=4760# per acre. Of course, if the stuff you can get spread at low prices has lower values for TNV and CCE then you will need more than 5500 lbs. Because Dolomitic limestone contains magnesium carbonate it has more neutralizing value than calcitic limestone. One pound of pure magnesium carbonate will neutralize the same amount of acid as 1.2 pounds of calcium carbonate. Therefore dolomite limestone often has a higher TNV than calcium limestone, but you would usually pick one over the other if you wanted to correct magnesium levels based on soil tests.
If your supplier can give you the ENV and/or TNV try to find out what it is. There is a long winded calculation you can do if you know the TNV and the percent of material passing thru 20 and 60 mesh screens to come up with the ENV, but if you are going to have the dealer spread it they should be able to tell you how many tons of their material you need to satisfy the recommendations, as long as they are reputable. If their values are low, than either the lime has a lot of impurities/moisture or is not finely ground. Anything passing thru a 60 mesh screen should react fully within 1 year, if it passes a 100 mesh screen it should react within 6 months. Good luck

"My" deer are doing plenty well on whatever comes up by itself plus whatever I plant

seed them some red clover, build them a pond and maybe a bit of salt

might want to add some molasses feeders if their coats aren't shiney enuf

Warmest regards,
David

--->Paul