using pelletized lime as fert filler

[HBFOXJr]

Depending on analysis there may be a ceratin amount of "filler material used in a fert blend. Example 24-5-11 is only 40% nutrient by weight. So a 50lb bag is only 20Lb of nutrients. The other 30 lbs is either a component of those nutrients or filler material to get to the 50 lbs.

So if your custom blending why not use a maintenance qty of lime to hold pH and only sell lime as needed for those that need more than the maintenance qty. It would save a trip for just liming.

[f350]

i dont look at applying lime as another trip, i use it to generate revenue. so additional stops = $$ bling $$

[HBFOXJr]

I look at it as still poviding lime as you and I do now but not making the trip to do it and charge nearly the same $$$$. The lime should be cheaper since it is mixed bulk at the fert plant. We're talking cutting labor by over 15% (5 apps rather than 6). lime is always the slower one anyhow because of the volume of material handled. I can hear it now, cha-ching, cha-ching.:D

[greenngrow]

I always use Pelletize lime as my filler. It just makes good cent$ to do this. It may cost a little more but I rather do some good then put down crushed rock.

[KLR]

personally, i think that is a good idea, however, i have never seen a fert/lime product with more than 7%N...which means if your doin 1lb N you gonna need 14 lbs product per 1000, thats some heavy pushing! Also gonna have a big crunch on profits!

but thats just me....maybe you guys have seen fert/lime at high % N???

[f350]

do you guy's have a co-op blend it that way? if i could get that done i could market it different.

[HBFOXJr]

Actually this is probably a really lame idea considering consider the total fert lbs applied per k and the small amount of lime that could be used for filler.

[tremor]

Pelletized lime has a fair amount of dust & other "stuff" in it. Assuming the blending plant screens all inbound raws & outbound blends, this is going to be a messy proposition for the blender.

If no screening, then the blenders off the hook. But the applicators get it instead.

And at 4 lbs/M, the aperature size of the spreader is small. The pelletized lime MIGHT (I'm not sure) skew the spread patern a little even though we don't see this at the heavier rates that lime is typically spread at (25-50lbs/m).

How about using 100% filler free fertilizer all the time? Then with all the money saved by the LCO by the end of the year, hire a grunt to pump lime.

To build 2000 lbs. of 24-5-11 50% PPSCU
This is the list of ingredients after I forgot the Iron.

Ingredient.....Amount......Nutrient result.

46-0-0 Urea....437 lbs.........219 lbs. N
39-0-0 PPSCU...615 lbs.......240 lbs. N
18-46-0 DAP....217 lbs.......100 lbs. P
18-46-0 DAP....same...........39 lbs. N
0-0-62 MOP....355 lbs.........220 lbs. K
filler.........376 lbs................0

If we replace the 376 lbs of filler with Urea, we'd have gotten another 173lbs N into the ton of finished fertilier or another 4 acres treated at 1#N. Or in other words, we'd have made 34-3-11 (or close enough for this exercise anyway).

If we replace the filler (fertilizer grade limestone) with pelletized Lime, we end up with 9.4 lbs of lime in each bag or .7833 lbs of lime per 1000 if we're going for 1#N.

We make a 7-1-3 with Lime that I still think is fairly useless because with 14lbs/M of material, the lime quantity is more like 10lbs/M. Unless the soil PH is already darn close to perfect, 10lbs isn't going to do much for you.

Fun exercise LGF, Thanks

Steve

[tremor]

WOOPS!

OK, Let's see who knows fertilizer.

I made a mistake in those calculations.

Who's gonna find it first?

Steve

[Ric]

Tremor I found Three

1. 436 lb of 46-0-0 === 201 N


2. 217 X 46% X 44 === 44 lb P


3. 355 X 62% X 83 ===182 K


The last two are actual P and K

[greenngrow]

Ric,

Please explain your last two answers.

I agree with you on the first one but where does the 44 and 82 factors come from.

Now for my formula that I use 20-10-10 with trace elements
I apply at a rate of 5 lbs per K
urea 46-00-00 517 lbs
scu 42-00-00 200 lbs
DAP 18-46-00 434 lbs
MOP 00-00-60 333 lbs
Pel Lime 416 lbs
Trace elem. 100 lbs

[Ric]

Greenngrow


Fertilizer number on the bag is for P-oxide and K-oxide. To convert to elemental, use the factor .44 and .83

P2O5 That is 2 atoms of P with 31 electrons and 5 atoms of oxygen with 16 electrons.

Therefore there are a total of 62 electrons of P and 80 electrons of oxygen. Total electrons of 142. 142 electron times 44% = 62 or the total P.

Pretty simple once you look at it. Just think how Scotts and other big fertilizer companies get over on the dumb homeowners.

[Ric]

OOPs just read the above post and I have a mistake also. Please mark your calendars.

Change the word "electron" to read "Atomic weight". Atomic weight is the protons plus neutrons. If fact P has only 15 electrons and O has only 8.

Sorry I do not research my replies. Since I cannot spell I sometimes replace technical terms with one I can spell. I had another word in mind when I wrote this post and couldn’t spell it. So I plugged in the word electron instead of Atomic weight. I am not a chemist therefore only have a simple working knowledge of it.

[greenngrow]

Hey Ric that's good that you explained that to me. I really imagine the looks you get when you explain that to your customers. You might want to give that the Atomic of BS while your at it.LOL I am justing having fun with you. I think that nice that you have this down. I was never good in chemistry....

[tremor]

Ric,

I botched the Urea calculation after adjusting for the Nitrogen faction of the DAP.
The rest of mine was correct based on fertilizer law.
With respect to the periodic table of elements, you're more accurate. But fertilizer labeling laws have been wrong for a lot longer than I can remember.

Steve

[Ric]

Tremor

Yep fertilizer law vs Periodic table. But what the heck You said find my mistake. So I just tried to pimp you real good.

BTW did you get my PM??

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Originally posted by tremor
Fun exercise LGF, Thanks

Steve

This one was all Harold Fox, but now you all have me thinking real hard............

You're gonna have some emails.

Ric tried hard didn't he?....:D Good job Ric, right on the money also.