Anyone done it by hand? Have two small irregularly shaped plots, MAYBE 1.5-2 acres tops combined. Recent soil sample called for 0.5 tons/acre, lime truck won't deliver less than 10 ton, and I'm not paying for pelletized. Anyone ever had it loaded on a truckbed/trailer and drove around either shoveling or using a commercial sized blower to spread it by hand as one guy drives and one guy spreads? Any last words of wisdom before we try this? I could do this for <$50 including fuel costs compared to $200+ any other way.
If your not going to use pelletized and your going to use powder then get a 2 wheel scotts push spreader and walk it back and forth until covered, or just buy the pelletized lime/ fertilizer combo and use a hand spreader
A small drop spreader works best. I've limed a 2.5 acre plot for 3 years by hand using a shovel. It's the cheap, but not easy way out. Pelletized is not only more expensive, but doesn't have immediate effects either. I'll never buy it. Pulverized is way better IMO. More of a pain to spread and haul, but worth it.
Update, I bought 2 tons of AG Lime, for a whopping $15.88 after tax, hauled it on an open cargo trailer so that once at the plot, I drove around as my buddy used my commercial blower to spread it out...less than an hour later all 2 tons were distributed evenly and never broke a sweat! Unless I have a need for 10 tons or more, this will be the route I take from now on....ridiculously cheap way to raise your pH. Now to figure out exactly what to plant, likely just round up ready corn (since i can get for free) with groundhog radishes mixed in this fall.
most of my plots are small and i usually do annuals so i just buy 2 bags for each 1/8-1/4 acre plot and it works.
we were told by WI that the peletized lime will work faster than AG lime ( not that i agree 100%) .I dont think any lime will give immediate effects ,it take a few mounths from what i have read??
Pelletized lime is technically much quicker (weeks) and it takes less of it to correct the PH, but it doesn't last as long. Pelletized is ground much finer than your average ag lime and then formed into pellets using a bonding agent that breaks down when exposed to the weather. Personally I also like ag lime due to cost, longevity and coverage. Plus if I need to I can get fairly fast results with ag lime by renting a Kubota with a tiller and going over it slowly a few times to mix it in with the soil really good. People also need to be sure that what ever lime they use it is the same type as your soil test said to use. For example, if it said use Dolomitic lime then be sure to use Dolomitic lime or your soil won't get the Magnesium it needs.
Awesome TEmbry! Great idea using a commercial blower. I assume it was a back pack style? What kind of wind speed did it have?
I think he's saying your typical hand held leaf blower?? .Thats a great idea and i will be trying it next season....
Just a backpack leaf blower, costs around $300-500 new, I'm not sure if a residential model would have enough power, these blowers will scoot bricks across asphalt! Lol I'm not sure of wind speed but I vaguely remember the pamphlet mentioning like 200mph wind speed at the tube, does that sound right?
I have a new 220mph blower. It's a consumer model so I'm sure the CFM will be quite a bit less, but it just might get the job done. Thanks for the reply.
As long as the lime is dry it'll be a breeze....the only time the high CFM will come in handy is when the lime is wet and clumpy. Good luck, either way it beats shoveling! haha
