Got my soil test back from UGA

bigdawgfan24 · Jul 14, 2017

Can you guys help me out making sense of it and let me know what fertilizer and how much needs to be applied? Also lime recommendations? After asking questions earlier I was told a mix of clover and cover crop would be the best the plant in my areas and with my food plot size of .25 acres. Thanks for any help or tips guys, it helps someone who loves hunting but has never messed with food plots.

BCPbuckhunter · Jul 14, 2017

First you need to work on getting your ph out as soon as you can. It takes a little while to start working. I would not worry about wasting your money on fertilizer with a ph that low because it will not be available for the plants to uptake the fertilizer. I am no expert but I have learned that lesson the hard way too. If you are worried about getting something down I would get the lime down and then plant wheat to help build your soil and give them something to eat.

Canuck5 · Jul 14, 2017

Yup, get your lime down first! Under recommendations ....... Limestone, how many tons/acre are the recommending?

PappyHoel · Jul 14, 2017

I'm no expert but it all looks good to me? Isn't the ph level supposed to be between 4-5?

Canuck5 · Jul 14, 2017

PappyHoel said:
I'm no expert but it all looks good to me? Isn't the ph level supposed to be between 4-5?

Yes, if you're growing blueberries!

bigdawgfan24 · Jul 14, 2017

2.25 tons per acre. Is that calculation the same for pelletized lime?

Canuck5 · Jul 14, 2017

bigdawgfan24 said:
2.25 tons per acre. Is that calculation the same for pelletized lime?

For all intent and purpose on your 1/4 acre plot ... yes!

So you will put down (2.25 x 2000 lbs/ton) 4500 lbs / 4 = 1125 lbs of lime, or 28, 40 lb bags. Get it worked in to the top 4" of soil, if you can, as soon as you can.

Canuck5 · Jul 14, 2017

Putting lime down will be one of your best investments and likely will last you 3 years or so. Take another soil test in 3 years and see what you might need, again (likely not as much).

Canuck5 · Jul 14, 2017

Just for reference ..... plants and the ph they prefer. I assume you'll be planting in a more shady area, being a 1/4 acre plot?

bigdawgfan24 · Jul 14, 2017

Here's a pic of the area I will be planting. Scratch that the pic is failing to upload but it is relativly open for a .25 acre area.

Milkman · Jul 14, 2017

This must be an area that was in woods up until now.

bigdawgfan24 · Jul 14, 2017

Milkman said:
This must be an area that was in woods up until now.

It has been cleared for some time now

Milkman · Jul 14, 2017

Milkman said:
This must be an area that was in woods up until now.

bigdawgfan24 said:
It has been cleared for some time now

A new ground is usually low ph is the reason I said that.

T.P. · Jul 14, 2017

100lbs of 19-19-19 or 200lbs of 10-10-10 will get you close.

NE GA Pappy · Jul 14, 2017

get the lime out now and give it time to work. It will make the biggest difference in how the plants grow.

carver · Jul 14, 2017

I didn't understand the soil report so I contacted the county extension agent for my county,he was more than helpful explaining it in a way that made it very easy to understand.

Forest Grump · Jul 14, 2017

T.P. said:
100lbs of 19-19-19 or 200lbs of 10-10-10 will get you close.

Not on 4.7 pH ground. Of that 20 lbs of P & K, very little will be plant available, & virtually all of the P will tie up within a month, especially using 10-10-10.

Apply your lime now. By now, I mean as soon as you have time to go do it. Your (apparently Sandy?) dirt is so very acidic you need to start asap on dealing with it. Retest it no later than 2 years for pelletized product; Ag lime takes 3 years to break down fully, but pelletized is more finely ground, so it reacts quicker & is used up quicker too. Pelletized lime is dolomitic (contains Mg); which will help too.

I'd lime now, fertilize as recommended in your test this Fall, then test again next year & see what you have accomplished. Be sure to tell them next year that you limed to "x tons/ac" this year. Ideally, using pelletized lime, spread it, let it rain one time, then incorporate it, for maximum effect. It is designed for surface application, & to get ideal mixing getting it out of pellet form is best (says so on the bag...).

bigdawgfan24 · Jul 15, 2017

Forest Grump said:
Not on 4.7 pH ground. Of that 20 lbs of P & K, very little will be plant available, & virtually all of the P will tie up within a month, especially using 10-10-10.

Apply your lime now. By now, I mean as soon as you have time to go do it. Your (apparently Sandy?) dirt is so very acidic you need to start asap on dealing with it. Retest it no later than 2 years for pelletized product; Ag lime takes 3 years to break down fully, but pelletized is more finely ground, so it reacts quicker & is used up quicker too. Pelletized lime is dolomitic (contains Mg); which will help too.

I'd lime now, fertilize as recommended in your test this Fall, then test again next year & see what you have accomplished. Be sure to tell them next year that you limed to "x tons/ac" this year. Ideally, using pelletized lime, spread it, let it rain one time, then incorporate it, for maximum effect. It is designed for surface application, & to get ideal mixing getting it out of pellet form is best (says so on the bag...).

Thanks for the help Gump and everyone, it is really appreciated. This will be a learning process i am sure. Rest assured I will be asking for questions as I go.

T.P. · Jul 15, 2017

Forest Grump said:
Not on 4.7 pH ground. Of that 20 lbs of P & K, very little will be plant available, & virtually all of the P will tie up within a month, especially using 10-10-10.

Apply your lime now. By now, I mean as soon as you have time to go do it. Your (apparently Sandy?) dirt is so very acidic you need to start asap on dealing with it. Retest it no later than 2 years for pelletized product; Ag lime takes 3 years to break down fully, but pelletized is more finely ground, so it reacts quicker & is used up quicker too. Pelletized lime is dolomitic (contains Mg); which will help too.

I'd lime now, fertilize as recommended in your test this Fall, then test again next year & see what you have accomplished. Be sure to tell them next year that you limed to "x tons/ac" this year. Ideally, using pelletized lime, spread it, let it rain one time, then incorporate it, for maximum effect. It is designed for surface application, & to get ideal mixing getting it out of pellet form is best (says so on the bag...).

What would you put out in terms of fertilizer? Isn't what I suggested close in relation to what his soil teat recommended?

Forest Grump · Jul 15, 2017

T.P. said:
What would you put out in terms of fertilizer? Isn't what I suggested close in relation to what his soil teat recommended?

I would apply enough lime to correct the pH first, otherwise whatever you applied, most of it would be unavailable. (What I meant to convey was that if you don't correct the pH, most of what you apply would be wasted so it would take more).

If you were to try to fertilize in excess to allow for 70 or 80% tie up, you'd have to apply at least 3x the recommendation, or use split applications. The recommendation assumes you will apply the lime & the pH will come up in time for the plants to use the nutrients. Using the 19-19-19 you suggested would be better than 10-10-10 simply because of the components of the fertilizer used to formulate it. (At least all I have seen down here ).

Got my soil test back from UGA

Member

Attachments

Senior Member

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !

Senior Member

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !

Member

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !

Attachments

Member

Deer Farmer Moderator

Member

Deer Farmer Moderator

Banned

Mr. Pappy

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Banned

Senior Member

Similar threads

Share this page