Lime testing by UGA

I have seen this before but didn’t keep up with the actual figures.
March 23, 2017 I got soil report on a half acre “ new ground “ plot. It was as expected very low on Phosphorus, moderately low on potassium and a ph of 5.8.
The recommendation for line was 2 tons per acre. So half acre needs 2000 lbs , right.

I know from experience that the pellet line gets better results. At least IMO.

During the summer last year I spread 27 of the 40 lb bags on this half acre with my cone shaped pto spreader. This was1080 lbs.

Planted radishes, peas, soybeans, and wheat in early October. As expected all is gone but the wheat which is eaten to the ground.

Got a new sample last weekend and took it to county agent. P and K are in much better shape due to several bags of triple 19. But here is the point of my post. The ph is now 7.1 The half ton of pellet lime either did this or there was an error in the test.

How deep did you sample and how many locations?

doomtrpr_z71 said:

How deep did you sample and how many locations?

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Samples taken with small garden spade from 12 locations in the plot. Same way both times. Mixed thoroughly.

Granted I don't have your test results from before but my guessing/calculations call for 1000lbs per acre not 2000. Maybe it should have been a half ton and it was a typo. Put the extra like is probably the culprit, plus at that high of a salt leaching is possible, especially with the rain we have had as of late and that could cause the pH to bump up 0.3.

I had very similar results at another plot a few hundred yards away. Same scenario just smaller plot.

As stated in the OP I have seen this before when I went into a new spot. The half acre in the OP is red clay in the pines. Loading dock area.

I see what your saying now, pellet lime rates should be reduced to 75% of the recommendation and it is indeed faster acting. The ton of lime recommendation seems off though, did you have a pH goal of 7? It should have only taken half a ton to raise it to 6+. Regardless, you should be good for a while.

doomtrpr_z71 said:

Granted I don't have your test results from before but my guessing/calculations call for 1000lbs per acre not 2000. Maybe it should have been a half ton and it was a typo. Put the extra like is probably the culprit, plus at that high of a salt leaching is possible, especially with the rain we have had as of late and that could cause the pH to bump up 0.3.

Click to expand...

No
The recommendation in 2017 was 2 tons per acre. I put only 1/2 ton on the half acre and now it tests at a ph of 7

I'll take a 7.0 ph all day over a 5.0-6.0 ph.

Milkman said:

No
The recommendation in 2017 was 2 tons per acre. I put only 1/2 ton on the half acre and now it tests at a ph of 7

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I am saying that the lab must of had a typo, it doesn't take 2 tons to raise the ph of soil if its 5.8. Unless you specify alfalfa or similar the goal ph is 6. In a worst case scenario it would only take 1.5 tons to raise the ph from 5.8 to 7. In the same scenario it only takes 2.5 tons to get from 4.8 to 7.