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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Lime powder application

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  • From: Bill Shoemaker <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Lime powder application
  • Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 06:05:56 -0500 (CDT)

Just to explain why it probably didn't change our Ca/Mg ratio, the bedrock
parent material for our soils is dolomitic lime. The content of each is very
high so we have very little impact on total content or ratio of the elements
even applying at 2 tons/acre. Keep in mind an acre plow layer is 2000 tons of
soil. A 2 ton/acre application is only 0.1 % of the total weight of soil.

Bill

>Not to disagree with Bill's comment, but
>perhaps our situations are different from his area, and we were able
>to find lime so low in Mg that spreading it did improve the Ca to Mg
>ratio.
>
>The agronomists in our area have a saying: "lime is the cheapest
>fertilizer", because getting pH in the proper range helps with
>availability of so many other minerals. So it may be worth it in the
>additional forage and yields of other crops.
William H Shoemaker, UI-Crop Sciences
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
St Charles Horticulture Research Center
535 Randall Road St Charles, IL 60174
630-584-7254; FAX-584-4610




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