AGRONOMY
www.midcountycoop.com
Page 5
Liming, Lime Materials, and Handling – A Growth Investment
There are 216 different materials reg-
istered with the State of Minnesota as
liming materials. Within that list, there
are a wide variety of sources ranging
from industrial and municipal bi-products
to quarry lime. Each product can vary
greatly in quality of neutralizing capacity.
In Minnesota, the quality of the liming
material is termed as Effective Neutral-
izing Power (ENP). ENP is factored from
a combination of the chemical purity and
the fineness of product. Unlike fertilizer
where we have an analysis that stays
the same from supplier to supplier and
year to year, Ag Lime changes greatly
from one source to the next and even
year to year. The most potent lime avail-
able in Minnesota is about 150% higher
in neutralizing capacity than an average
quarry lime.
The ability to accurately spread the
lime is very important. And the only way
to accurately spread the lime is with a
consistent product. For instance, if the
lime is supposed to be at 5% moisture,
but it is actually 35%, it will change the
underlying ENP and can change the
spread pattern making for an inconsis-
tent application.
Stockpiling lime at the field for an
extended period of time can also
adversely affect the uniform application
of lime, especially in times of heavy
precipitation and late in the season if
the lime starts to freeze. Other issues
with stockpiling include finding a suitable
area that isn’t in crop. Dumping lime on
an existing crop, corn in particular, can
create problems with uniform flow out
of the applicator. The trash in the field
can mix with the lime and cause issues.
The best process is to wait until after
the crop is off the field, find a dry and
level area on the field, scrape any stalks
away from the dump site, dump the lime,
and spread it within 24 hours for optimal
performance.
If you think that you may need lime or
if you have a conventional soil test that
indicates low pH, this would be a good
time to grid sample the field. A lime appli-
cation may cost $50 to $100 per acre. By
grid sampling we can target the areas of
the field that need the lime and not apply
it to the high pH areas that do not need
lime. Next to tiling and drainage, hav-
ing the correct pH is the most important
long term management practice that
you do on your farm. If you are looking
for grid sampling and lime application,
Mid-County is your source. Many other
companies use a lower ENP of 1,200
that costs less per ton, but in the end
actually costs more because you have
to apply more tons per acre to achieve
the same neutralizing effect. We use
lime that has an ENP of 1,550 to give
you the best value. Please give us a call
at (952) 466-3730. We are here to help
you succeed.
SEED SALES
(952) 466-3730 • www.midcountycoop.com