If you use fertiliser – farm sensibly, spread lime
Chasing crop or grass yields but forgetting to spread lime? You could be leaving money behind. Dr. Veronica Nyhan, Soil and Plant Nutrition Specialist at Teagasc, tells us more.
Getting soil pH right is the first thing you should do before investing in fertiliser. Intensively farmed lands in Ireland, running on acidic soil below target quietly robs farmers of growth and profit. The reality is – spending hundreds on fertiliser while skipping lime is like pouring water into a bucket with a hole in it.
Why bother with lime?
Because it works. When the soil pH drops below target, even slightly, the availability of key macronutrients, like phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen is compromised. Crops can’t get at them or use them efficiently so you might as well not spread them at all. Lime fixes that.
So, how do you know if your soil is at the right level?
The target pH depends on the crop you’re growing and is outlined in the table below.
| Crop | Target pH |
| Grass | 6.3 |
| Grass / Clover | 6.5 to 6.8 |
| Cereals | 6.5 |
| Beans/Peas | 6.8 |
| Beet | 6.8 to 7.1 |
| Maize/OSR | 6.8 |
| Potatoes/Oats | 6.0 |
| High Mo soils | <6.2 |
| Peat soils | 5.5 to 5.8 |
Where do I start?
Simple – soil test. Use the soil report and find out what you need to apply. If the recommendation is greater than 7.5 tonnes per hectare, don’t go over that in one go. Wait two years and spread the rest.
Lime can go out any time, if the ground is dry and trafficable. So don’t be afraid to spread it now – there is no closed period for lime! But take care to avoid spreading before heavy rain or close to watercourses.
What product should I use?
Use ground limestone for most soils. On magnesium-deficient soils, dolomitic lime can be beneficial.
Bottom line
Lime unlocks your soil. It improves structure, boosts microbial life, and makes every kilo of fertiliser work harder, giving you a 6-10 time return on your investment depending on your enterprise.
If you want your land and your money to work for you, spread lime.
Find out more about managing soil fertility and the benefits of spreading lime here.
Dr. Veronica Nyhan recently featured in a series of videos with Grolime, delving further into the benefits of spreading lime. Click here to watch the videos on YouTube.