Lime Granules 1-2mm Slow Release [size: 4.5 kg]

Agricultural lime, primarily composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), is used in farming to improve soil conditions. Its primary role is to reduce soil acidity (increase pH), which helps create a more favorable environment for plant growth. Here’s a closer look at its uses and benefits:

Key Uses and Benefits of Agricultural Lime

1. Neutralizing Soil Acidity

   • Soils can become acidic due to natural leaching, fertilizer use, and organic matter breakdown. Acidic soils can hinder plant growth by making nutrients less available and increasing toxic elements like aluminum.
   • Agricultural lime helps neutralize acidity, improving soil pH levels, which makes essential nutrients like phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen more accessible to plants.

2. Improving Soil Structure

   • Lime helps improve soil structure, especially in clay soils, by loosening compacted particles. This improves aeration, water infiltration, and root development, which is essential for healthy crop growth.

3. Enhancing Nutrient Availability

   • Many nutrients are more available to plants at a neutral pH level. By raising the pH of acidic soils, lime enhances the availability of calcium and magnesium, along with other key nutrients needed for plant growth.

4. Promoting Microbial Activity

   • Beneficial soil microbes thrive in neutral or slightly alkaline pH levels. Applying lime encourages microbial activity, which promotes organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and healthy soil ecology.

5. Reducing Toxicity of Harmful Elements

   • In acidic soils, toxic metals like aluminum and manganese can become soluble and toxic to plants. Lime reduces soil acidity and thereby reduces the solubility of these harmful elements, making the soil safer for crops.

6. Increasing Fertilizer Efficiency

   • Acidic soils can tie up nutrients, making fertilizers less effective. By neutralizing soil acidity, lime allows plants to better absorb the nutrients from fertilizers, enhancing crop yields and reducing the need for excess fertilizer.

Common Applications of Agricultural Lime

• Field Crops: Lime is commonly used on crops like corn, soybeans, wheat, and alfalfa, which require optimal pH levels to achieve high yields.
• Gardening and Lawns: In home gardening and lawn care, lime is often applied to improve soil conditions for grass, flowers, and vegetables.
• Pastures and Forages: Lime helps improve the growth of pasture grasses and forages, ensuring healthier, more nutrient-dense feed for livestock.

Overall, agricultural lime is an essential tool in agriculture, helping to correct soil pH and create optimal growing conditions for a variety of crops.

The amount of agricultural lime needed to raise the pH of soil by 1 unit (e.g., from pH 5.5 to pH 6.5) depends on several factors, including:

• Soil Type: Sandy soils generally require less lime than clay or loamy soils because they have lower buffering capacity.
• Soil Texture: Clay soils, which have more surface area and higher buffering capacity, need more lime than sandy soils to achieve the same pH change.
• Soil Buffering Capacity: Soils with a high content of organic matter or minerals like iron, aluminum, or manganese can resist changes in pH and require more lime.

General Guidelines for Lime Application

• Sandy Soil: Around 50–75 grams of lime per square meter (g/m²) for a 1-pH increase.
• Loam Soil: Approximately 75–100 g/m² for a 1-pH increase.
• Clay Soil: Typically 100–150 g/m² for a 1-pH increase.

Example:

If you are applying lime to a loam soil, you would need about 75–100 grams of agricultural lime per square meter to increase the pH by 1 point.

Important Considerations:

• Soil Testing: It's important to conduct a soil test before applying lime. The test will provide specific recommendations based on your soil's current pH and nutrient levels.
• Application Frequency: Lime should be applied in a manner that allows it to gradually alter the soil pH. Applying too much lime at once can cause sudden changes that may harm crops.
• Method of Application: Lime should be evenly spread across the soil surface and, if possible, incorporated into the soil for better results.