We're into our second year now of spreading lime to correct soil pH.
This time targeting our lowest pH fields between 5.3 and 5.5. We've spread it green this time rather than incorporate direct into soil at the point of reseeding. This is so we can start the process of building pH up over a broad area of the farm rather than having to wait for the point of reseeding, which will only ever be a small area each year. But it had me wondering how long it takes for the lime to incorporate and affect pH when spread green like this? The other question is the carbon cost of lime which I seem to remember wasn't insubstantial in the Agrecalc carbon footprint equation. Any ideas?
We're going to give the egg shells a go and we can let you know how we get on! The ability to use our own sower and more easily incorporate it into the rotation when it suits us was very appealing but maybe it won't work as well as traditional lime- time will tell!