Author Topic: Soil testing and DIY Liming (Read 11831 times)

devonlad · « **Reply #15 on:** August 07, 2015, 12:42:52 pm »

Hi possum. About that southern cousin . I'm a crop nutritionist by trade with mole valley. Happy to pH test for nothing or sort out more involved testing if necessary. Would be great if you were in Devon but could prob sort something with a colleague if you're further away. Cheers

farmers wife · « **Reply #16 on:** August 19, 2015, 10:33:14 pm »

Funny isnt it you do any soil testing and they all come back for needing lime. The OH will argue its all a waste of time. We have a few hundred acres and have soil testing done every year, recently had a very expensive test done to all fields - came back low in lime - really? The price of the test proved very little.

Its the bacteria value that needs checking and compost tea that needs spreading all over to bring back the soil to life. Neednt worry about the ph value.

http://gardenrant.com/?guest_post=please-stop-liming-your-soil-based-on-the-ph

http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles/roots-health-elaine-ingham-science-soil/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEtl09VZiSU

She also blows away the myth of pH, the measure of soil acidity or alkalinity. Since when, she asks, has nature said a pH 6.5 is ideal for crops, when they grow successfully in ranges from 5.5–11? Soil pH varies so widely even along a root hair that an average value is meaningless. It isn’t the soil pH that needs analysing, it’s the soil’s microbial life.

Possum · « **Reply #17 on:** August 22, 2015, 06:53:43 pm »

Devonlad - I have PM'd you.

Buffy the eggs layer · « **Reply #18 on:** September 09, 2015, 08:09:25 pm »

I use one of those spreaders on the back ok my ride on mower to spread anything from weed feed and moss killer on the lawn to grass track, calcipril or nitrogen on the pasture. Its more time consuming than using the tractor but great for small spaces.

Womble · « **Reply #19 on:** December 05, 2015, 03:00:23 pm »

Folks,

We received our results back from the soil testing. Some news was as expected (we need to lime), but there were some surprises, for example our two main fields are very different in the levels of other minerals present.

If anybody else in Central Scotland / Perthshire is interested in having their soil tested, I highly recommend [member=29534]Carse Goodlifers[/member]. Cheers!

Carse Goodlifers · « **Reply #20 on:** December 05, 2015, 08:32:09 pm »

That's very kind Womble - thankyou

Yeah some interesting results.
I would also add that Angus and South Aberdeenshire is also fine for sampling should anyone be interested.

JTFarms · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2016, 04:55:08 am »

Once you get lime in womble get yourself a small sprayer even a backpack sprayer will work but one around 15 gallons is best electrical 12 volts pump type put it on a small atv get a sprayer with a boom on it and use raw milk dumped milk is cheap like in free use 5 - 10 gallon per acre mixed with water best grass booster there is in my opinion give it a Try on a small patch see for yourself James