Using the right lime could give you a payback of 4:1 – and that's especially so in a season where foraging and harvesting have been difficult and delayed due to the recent wet weather.

While it may be tempting to postpone some tasks which are essential to the wellbeing of the soil and future crops, the autumn rush often sees soil testing and liming forgotten for another year.

However, with the possibility of a significant offtake due to high rainfall and leading to falling nutrient levels, there’s never been a better time to test and understand the condition of your soil, said Mark Tripney, a technical consultant with LKAB Minerals.

"With the cost of sampling being so small compared to the potential benefits, you should go beyond measuring the basic pH level, phosphorous, potassium and magnesium concentrations to determine soil health and structure. Using a broad spectrum analysis which includes calcium, CEC (cation exchange capacity) and micronutrients will enable an understanding of the balance between key elements," he said.

There are four major cations which effect soil structure pH – calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. For example, in areas where mag-lime has been continually used on heavier soils, excess magnesium can lead to a sticky heavy, soil which is difficult to cultivate.

"The soil pH might be at the target of 6.5 but is still short of calcium. Where soil calcium levels are balanced, it creates pore space which helps water percolation, root penetration and allows the soil to function aerobically as it should," he argued.

"By not using a quality liming product, soil pH levels could fall below pH6, whereby 48% of phosphate is locked up and 11% of nitrogen is wasted. When used correctly, a lime application which optimises pH could give you a payback of up to 4:1.

"For example, a case study conducted on the use of Calcifert lime on grassland silage in Scotland saw a spend of £1440 over two years on the product lead to an increased profit of £5760 on increased silage bale production over the same period.

"Therefore, the key to maintaining soil health is having the soil results interpreted correctly and not applying the same fertiliser year on year. Ensuring the right type of AQS (aglime quality standard) liming material with a high reactivity is key to keeping your soils at the optimum pH 6.5," he said.

The cornerstone of Calcifert lime’s manufacture is its particle size (150 micron) within the granules. This ensures 100% reactivity of the product and the rapid lift in soil pH when applied.

Ensuring a farm’s soil has an optimised pH and nutrient levels will promote healthy soils, plants and animals, he added.