Lime is an excellent soil amendment for applications looking to correct an unbalanced pH and promote nutrient absorption. However, not all lime products are made the same, and within this group of products there is one form that consistently stands out as an exceptional solution: pelletized limestone.
The Basics of Pelletized Lime
The benefits of applying a lime soil amendment are a result of lime’s ability to correct soil acidity. Lime applications neutralize the acidity of the soil, allowing plants to absorb previously locked up nutrients. Consequently, a better soil environment is created, allowing plants to yield optimal results.
Pelletized limestone, often referred to as pelletized lime, is created when limestone rock is crushed into a powder and then granulated. The powdered lime is ground to a very fine consistency, allowing the product to dissolve quickly and start working fast. Equipment such as a disc pelletizer is used to form the powder into a granule, with binders such as lignosulfonates assisting in the process.
There can be much product variation even within the category of pelletized lime. While pelletized lime offers multiple benefits, it is most important that a quality pelletized product is used. Low-quality pelletized lime products reduce the advantages that are sought after when selecting a pelletized lime product. For example, inconsistent pellet sizes may create issues with application accuracy in low quality pelletized lime. In addition, the calcium content of the raw limestone plays a major part in product quality and effectiveness. Therefore, it is always important to use a reputable pelletized lime with consistent size and material composition quality.
Enhanced Pelletized Lime
There are also premium variations within the category of pelletized lime. Enhanced pelletized lime products include additives such as micronutrients, polymers, and organic acids. All of these can help in creating ideal conditions for lime and nutrients to be absorbed, providing fast and lasting results. For example, Encap® Fast Acting™ Lime contains:
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- Polymers that hold nutrients in the soil’s root zones, delivering nutrients where they are needed.
- Advanced Soil TechnologyTM to help the pelletized lime integrate with the soil.
- Movement Control TechnologyTM helps to keep pelletized lime in the areas it is initially applied.
Pelletized Lime vs. Ag Lime
Ag lime, or agricultural lime, is a coarse limestone product best suited for agricultural applications. The name ag lime most often refers to a crushed limestone product that is used to improve acidic soil to a neutral pH. The coarse consistency and wide range of particle sizes within this product require a long period of time (sometimes years!) to break down the material and provide results. Additionally, ag lime is not well suited for applications outside of agricultural uses.
When comparing pelletized lime vs. ag lime, the characteristic that most divides the two products is application handling. While pelletized lime is easily spread with most spreaders, ag lime requires a specialty spreader. This may not be an issue for large-scale operations, but for smaller operations, the purchase of an ag lime spreader for use every few years is typically not cost-conducive. For this reason, small to mid-size operations often hire a professional to come in and spread ag lime. Ag lime is also inconsistently sized, with some of the material breaking down quickly while other pieces don’t. As a result, it is harder to anticipate neutralization results. In comparison, pelletized lime can be uniformly applied with spreaders and blended with other fertilizer products, making it the easier and more efficient choice.
Pelletized Lime vs. Powdered Lime
Powdered (or ground) lime is created by crushing and grinding limestone rock to a powder. By changing to a powdered form, lime can break down quickly and begin working faster than options such as ag lime.
When comparing pelletized lime vs. powdered lime, the major difference comes down to ease of handling. While both pelletized and powdered lime utilize finely ground material to break down quickly, powdered lime is dusty, challenging to transport, and difficult to accurately apply. It can also blow into undesired areas and render applications messy and ineffective. In comparison, pelletized lime was created as a solution to the issues posed by powdered lime. By pelletizing the powdered lime, material applications are made easier and dust-related issues are eliminated.
Pelletized Lime vs. Imposters
The following chart illustrates the benefits and effectiveness of pelletized lime in comparison to other lime products:
After comparing lime products and their benefits, it is easy to see why pelletized lime is gaining so much popularity.
FEECO manufactures custom limestone agglomeration, drying and material handling equipment; all equipment is customized to work with your specific limestone source. We also offer limestone de-dusting, pelletizing and drying test work in our state-of-the-art Innovation Center. Our experience in working with limestone is unmatched.
For more information on pelletized lime solutions, contact us today!