Lime vs Fertilizer; Plowing vs Cultivating?

[MrsMason94]

Ok I'm a little confused and am having a hard time with this so if someone can explain it to me that would be awesome!
Is lime and fertilizing the same thing? My field is 100% fertilized but the colour shows that it needs lime. When I hire a worker with my machine that is full of lime, the worker will not continue and says job is complete. Even if I have started running the machine first and am in the field.

Also, what is the difference between plowing and cultivating? If I use a seeder that directly seeds, do I still need to occassionally plow to keep 100% yield?

Thanks to whomever can explain this to me!

[Oпачки!]

No, they are not the same thing. Lime only needs to be done on every third harvest. Its purpose in real life is to change the pH of the soil. Fertilizer is adding nutrients.

The difference between cultivating and ploughing is that cultivating breaks up and turns the surface layer to make a nice, smooth area for the drills, whereas ploughing digs deep to dig up nutrients and keep the soil from getting too hard. Previously it needed to be done every third harvest, however I think they changed its requirement to only after corn, beets and potatoes if memory serves.

These things are mentioned in the information pages in the Esc menu, along with how pretty much everything works in game. Lot of good information there.

[ancienthighway]

Plowing and spreading lime do similar things, prepare the ground for a new planting. You need to plow a field after harvesting corn, potatoes, sugar beets and sugar cane. You need to spread lime every three plantings before planting the next. The map will tell you when for both.

After plowing or spreading lime, you need to cultivate the field. Only then can you sow or plant the crop. You spread fertilizer twice in a field at different growth stages.

There are some sowers that will cultivate, fertlize, and sow all in one pass.

[UnableRogue]

Originally posted by Sig Thop:

No, they are not the same thing. Lime only needs to be done on every third harvest. Its purpose in real life is to change the pH of the soil. Fertilizer is adding nutrients.

The difference between cultivating and ploughing is that cultivating breaks up and turns the surface layer to make a nice, smooth area for the drills, whereas ploughing digs deep to dig up nutrients and keep the soil from getting too hard. Previously it needed to be done every third harvest, however I think they changed its requirement to only after corn, beets and potatoes if memory serves.

These things are mentioned in the information pages in the Esc menu, along with how pretty much everything works in game. Lot of good information there.

Does lime make it more alkaline or acidic?

[Oпачки!]

Originally posted by UnableRogue:

Originally posted by Sig Thop:

No, they are not the same thing. Lime only needs to be done on every third harvest. Its purpose in real life is to change the pH of the soil. Fertilizer is adding nutrients.

The difference between cultivating and ploughing is that cultivating breaks up and turns the surface layer to make a nice, smooth area for the drills, whereas ploughing digs deep to dig up nutrients and keep the soil from getting too hard. Previously it needed to be done every third harvest, however I think they changed its requirement to only after corn, beets and potatoes if memory serves.

These things are mentioned in the information pages in the Esc menu, along with how pretty much everything works in game. Lot of good information there.

Does lime make it more alkaline or acidic?

Alkaline. It has other uses aside from raising the pH, but that's one of the main reasons.

[UnableRogue]

Originally posted by Sig Thop:

Originally posted by UnableRogue:

Does lime make it more alkaline or acidic?

Alkaline. It has other uses aside from raising the pH, but that's one of the main reasons.

What are the other reasons? This is all new to me.

[Lord of Asswood III]

Originally posted by UnableRogue:

Originally posted by Sig Thop:

Alkaline. It has other uses aside from raising the pH, but that's one of the main reasons.

What are the other reasons? This is all new to me.

From Wikipedia:
The effects of agricultural lime on soil are: it increases the pH of acidic soil (the lower the pH the more acidic the soil); in other words, soil acidity is reduced and alkalinity increased. it provides a source of calcium and magnesium for plants. it permits improved water penetration for acidic soils.

[Tiger]

very well written

Originally posted by Sig Thop:

No, they are not the same thing. Lime only needs to be done on every third harvest. Its purpose in real life is to change the pH of the soil. Fertilizer is adding nutrients.

The difference between cultivating and ploughing is that cultivating breaks up and turns the surface layer to make a nice, smooth area for the drills, whereas ploughing digs deep to dig up nutrients and keep the soil from getting too hard. Previously it needed to be done every third harvest, however I think they changed its requirement to only after corn, beets and potatoes if memory serves.

These things are mentioned in the information pages in the Esc menu, along with how pretty much everything works in game. Lot of good information there.

neat and concise and helpful to new people :)

[Tiger]

Originally posted by UnableRogue:

Originally posted by Sig Thop:

Alkaline. It has other uses aside from raising the pH, but that's one of the main reasons.

What are the other reasons? This is all new to me.

in game its just somthing you spread after every 3rd harvest, the rest doesnt matter and is not simulated yet :)

[MrsMason94]

Thanks for the information! I did of course read the info section but it did not explain everything as clearly as this did.

[Tiger]

i agree the ingame help could be much better, i am tempted to re write it my self and send to them and say, here take this.

[Oceansize]

I don't think you can spread lime on a field that has just been sowed or planted, which is probably why hiring the driver didn't work.

[MrsMason94]

I think it's because the crop was in the second stage which is when it stopped

[stevenk2405]

I ran a small test with Lime and periodic plowing turned off and I get the same harvest by just using the horsch pronto 9 dc cultivator seeder with one fertiliser run
opposed to three runs with plow, cultivator and seeder and got the same number out on the harvest. With the above in mind if the periodic plowing and lime are off then they have no impact on your crop, not even 1%

[Tiger]

right but for fairness of game play for every one, ofc they will not effect yield of they are turned off.

if you had it off but it still effected yield why have an off button, you could just not do them and get the exact same effect? as they are nothing more then colors on the map if you dont dont have that option. The turn them off button almost certainly would also adjust the yields to compensate for the player not wanting to engage in those realism settings.