[Jack Pine]

Pro-Cal - Liquid Calcium - Fastest and Cheapest Way To Lime - farm &...

Pro-Cal™ is a pure liquid calcium designed to supply the soil with needed soluble calcium and...

centralmich.craigslist.org

My plots, garden, and pitiful little orchard need to be limed pretty badly, but the plots are big enough that it's impractical to use a walk-behind or hand-held spreader to do it. Have been looking to buy one of those 3-point cone-shaped spreaders from Tractor Supply but the reviews seem to say they don't spread granular fertilizer or lime very well unless you get an agitator to go with it (mo money).
Stumbled upon this liquid calcium which would be easily sprayed on using equipment I already own, so I answered the ad early this morning.
If the cost isn't horrendous I'm going to do this, and also spray liguid fertilizer as well. Even if it's costly, a new 3-point spreader is $500 or more, so overall, the cost shouldn't be that bad and the liquid lime should act much faster.
Anyone tried this or something similar?

 

[robertyb]

I have read about it and the cost seemed to be very high to me. Cheapest way I have found is through my local seed and feed store buying by the ton and using their pull behind buggy spreader or if using several tons their spreader truck. Last time I did my small plot they loaned me their small pull behind spreader and I just used 500 lbs on my 1/4 acre plot. I think it was around $50 total.

 

[Jack Pine]

You did well Robert. Lots of places to buy pelletized lime, but there's no one anywhere close to local here that has that equipment to loan or rent.
In my situation unless the price is insane, seems like less trouble to spray it on.

 

[robertyb]

I used powered lime, not pelletized. I have spread pelletized lime before at a friend's place just free throwing it from a 5 gallon bucket by hand. We did a 3 acre plot in about 20 to 30 minutes but that was back when I was in my late 40's I think.

 

[robertyb]

Read this:

Does Liquid Lime Really Work? - Midwest Whitetail

Does Liquid Lime Really Work? I have a seven acre food plot that I need to lime and the local ag lime companies won't mess with fields that small.

www.midwestwhitetail.com

 

[dryforkbrady]

I bought a 3pt cone spreader for $250, used. I put 3 tons of pelletized lime on 4years ago. I added 1 ton two years ago and funny thing, I just loaded my trailer with 1 ton of bagged lime with my cone spreader, After I post this I will go spread it.
I found no issues with the bagged lime and cone spreader. I also use it to spread my fertilizer. I can send pics if you want to see the setup.

 

[Jack Pine]

Read this:

Does Liquid Lime Really Work? - Midwest Whitetail

Does Liquid Lime Really Work? I have a seven acre food plot that I need to lime and the local ag lime companies won't mess with fields that small.

www.midwestwhitetail.com

Thanks for that link; helpful information. Haven't heard back from my inquiry about cost yet.

 

[Jack Pine]

I bought a 3pt cone spreader for $250, used. I put 3 tons of pelletized lime on 4years ago. I added 1 ton two years ago and funny thing, I just loaded my trailer with 1 ton of bagged lime with my cone spreader, After I post this I will go spread it.
I found no issues with the bagged lime and cone spreader. I also use it to spread my fertilizer. I can send pics if you want to see the setup.

If it wouldn't be any trouble, I'd like to see it. There's a used one on C/L here but it's incredibly old and foreign-made; Netherlands I think, making me wonder about parts availabiliy. Can't believe what farm stuff in the crap category costs around here! Rather buy new for a few hundo more.

 

[robertyb]

If you do buy a cone spreader and use it for fertilizer make certain to wash it out good after using it. I have seen a few completely trashed by not washing them good afterwards. By good everything that got touched by the fertilizer. It is very corrosive stuff.

 

[Jack Pine]

If you do buy a cone spreader and use it for fertilizer make certain to wash it out good after using it. I have seen a few completely trashed by not washing them good afterwards. By good everything that got touched by the fertilizer. It is very corrosive stuff.

Yah, saw a few reviews on the one I was looking at complaining about that very thing; corrosion after spreading fertilizer.

 

[SavedWretch]

If it wouldn't be any trouble, I'd like to see it. There's a used one on C/L here but it's incredibly old and foreign-made; Netherlands I think, making me wonder about parts availabiliy. Can't believe what farm stuff in the crap category costs around here! Rather buy new for a few hundo more.

The old one from the Netherlands is probably better than the new one which is probably made in China.

 

[Jack Pine]

The old one from the Netherlands is probably better than the new one which is probably made in China.

Could be but they started out asking $400, then dropped to $350. Looked really rough and was listed a loooong time.
I really am leaning toward the liquid though so I don't have yet another implement laying around that only gets used 1 or 2 days a year.

 

[BigSnowMan]

Don’t waste your time on liquid lime it’s just a gimmick

 

[dryforkbrady]

JP....PM w/Pics sent

 

[Jack Pine]

Don’t waste your time on liquid lime it’s just a gimmick

"What this means is liquid calcium typically only needs to be applied every 3+ years."

This doesn't sound like the stuff talked about in the link Robert provided.

Pro-Cal | AgriTec International

Bio-Liquid Calcium for neutralizing soil acidity and rasing soil pH. A faster more affective option than Ag-Lime.

www.agritecint.com

 

[Gabowman]

I looked into this a bit last year and QUICKLY found out I couldn't afford liquid lime. Take a look at this and do some quick calculations...

 

[Jack Pine]

I just got off the phone with a rep from AgriTec, the company that produces this liquid calcium. He told me a 5 gallon bucket of their product called "Advanced Cal", in addition to being liquid lime, also has liquid fertilizer in it as well, and is enough for 2 - 2.5 acres. Cost delivered is $125. He reiterated that 1 application is good for 3 years.
This seems cost effective when I figure a new spreader will cost between $500 and $700 at TSC, and then you have to buy the lime and fertilizer. At my age the spreader would never pay for itself over the cost of the AgraTec. I'm going to try this, I can always get a spreader if it doesn't work out.

 

[dryforkbrady]

I'm going to try this, I can always get a spreader if it doesn't work out.

Let us know how that works. Will you dilute in order to spray over the area?
How about a soil test? At least after.

 

[Wapster]

Cal ....Im calling snake oil.....but make the seller put it in writing and soil test him to death....

 

[Gabowman]

I bought a spreader like this for less than $150 and it works fine spreading seed and fertilizers behind my mower or 4 wheeler as long as it's on fairly level grounds...

I put out 1400 lbs of pelletized lime early this year using it and was done in a few hours. Both my plots combines is approx. an acre. I should be good on lime for 4 or 5 years now.