Ardfert Quarry is a member of GROLIME, Ireland’s only agricultural lime quality assurance scheme.

“Grassland soils maintained close to the target pH will have benefits of
increased yields, more efficient utilisation of applied fertilizers and manures
and better persistence of the more productive species in the sward such as
perennial ryegrass and clover.” Mark Plunkett, Soil Nutritionist at Teagasc.

Ardfert Quarry is a high calcium limestone quarry that has been supplying Co. Kerry with Agricultural Lime since 1980.

The high purity reserve of limestone at Ardfert Quarry means that our lime has a Total Neutralising Value of 98%.

Fineness (powder content) of lime is critical to its effectiveness to neutralise soil acidity, our modern automated lime plant ensures we produce lime well in excess of the required standard.

We recognise that farmers have a very short window of opportunity to apply lime when it’s required, so we work with a group of dedicated lime spreading contractors to ensure you get your lime when you want it.

Please call one of our sales reps to discuss your lime requirements.

Over time the acidity of soils tends to increase. The addition of calcium carbonate lime helps stabilise the acidity of the soil and provides essential calcium for support of crops. Liming is well understood to hold the key to improving crop growth and yields by limiting the adverse effects of high soil acidity (low pH values).

Lime also plays a major role in improving:
• Soil structure and drainage
• Nutrient uptake
• Root development
• Biological activity

Recently there is a renewed focus on the role lime plays in Fertilizer Efficiency.

Nitrogen
Maintaining the optimum pH in grassland soils will improve the release of soil N by 50 to 70kgN/ha/ yr from soil organic N reserves. This reduces the requirements for applied N and offers a large financial saving in the region of €60 to 80/ha/yr.
Source Teagasc, Johnstown Castle

Phosphorus
Phosphorus is now the most expensive nutrient to buy and world P stocks are decreasing thus making it more expensive into the future.

Maintaining the correct soil pH will pay dividend in terms of increasing the utilisation of both soil and applied P as manure or bag P fertiliser. To maximise P uptake in grassland aim to maintain pH 6.3 and for tillage soils aim for pH 6.5.

Source Teagasc, Johnstown Castle