Effects of Ph UPDATE!

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !
Just be cautious. Clover will grow on the side of the road that doesn't get limed. It doesn't actually need a ph of 6+, to grow (to thrive, yes). However the purpose of growing clover, is to provide the best and most nutritious plant, for our critters, this time of the year. In order to do that, it needs nitrogen. Nitrogen converts the amino acids in the plants, to protein and protein is what the deer need right now and why we grow it.

If IHunts innoculant was killed, because of low ph (5.5 ph or less will have an affect), it might be gone. No lime made it harder for the plants to pull nutrients out of the soil, from the fertilizer he applied.

Lime at Tractor Supply is going for $3/bag. Pretty cheap insurance, to do things right.
Durana 4-28-2019.jpg

https://www.cropnutrition.com/nutrient-management/nitrogen

Nitrogen is needed for protein.JPG

Nitrogen.JPG
 
UGA lab for soil samples test is not closed. Just got my soil sample report this morning by email. Dropped sample off at the Buena Vista Extension office 3/13.
 

Ihunt

Senior Member
Durana on a 200 yard section of road at a washed out creek crossing. No lime used. Very shaded. I think I like it. May even plow up a few hundred yards of pine rows and add a little lime this time.View attachment 1008504View attachment 1008505

Duranna does pretty good with a less than optimal ph. My “elaborate” experiment was to show how much better it does with a good ph.

If you have a new plot picked out for this fall lime half of it and not the other half. Line it now so it will be ready by this fall and see if you have the same results I would enjoy seeing the results.

Thanks
 

Ihunt

Senior Member
The kits work fine, but I find it very hard to believe that there is that much difference in the clover simply due to the lime. There are plenty of weeds that grow in acidic soil, so if it was simply a pH issue, there should be something else growing there. It looks more like a compact soil, shade, or tree root issue more than pH. When you have that one spot in the yard that won't grow even weed, much less grass, it isn't typically a fertilizer or pH issue. There is a reason nothing grows there.

I’m not disagreeing with you but both spots were sprayed with 2-4-dB and Cleth. The spots are also small enough that I’ll hand pull some of the stubborn ones. The total area for both spots is no larger than 1/8 of an acre and literally touch each other. I’m almost sure they were planted the same way but that’s the one thing I can’t be 100% sure of.

I have every intention of getting the ph tested.
 

Ihunt

Senior Member
UGA lab for soil samples test is not closed. Just got my soil sample report this morning by email. Dropped sample off at the Buena Vista Extension office 3/13.

Just heard that Macon is required to shut down everything nonessential and all restaurants will be drive through only. I doubt the UGA office will stay open.
 

XIronheadX

PF Trump Cam Operator !20/20
Duranna does pretty good with a less than optimal ph. My “elaborate” experiment was to show how much better it does with a good ph.

If you have a new plot picked out for this fall lime half of it and not the other half. Line it now so it will be ready by this fall and see if you have the same results I would enjoy seeing the results.

Thanks
I'm hopefully going to lime it this time. My Durana was a fall experiment in itself. I put it on this road, and in .3 acre plot. Wheat and turnips. I'll have to mow and spray the plot the sun gets to, because of the wheat, grasses, and weeds are actively growing. In this shady roadbed, it's like the wheat and weeds are nonexistent. And the Durana is doing much better than in the open area.
 

Ihunt

Senior Member
So I tossed out a little 34-0-0 on the spot that was not as good as the other. As you can see, it is doing better. It’s still not as good as the spot with the better ph but it’s doing better. Still not a substitute for lime but if you have to......

I do have some soil test kits ordered. Waiting on Amazon.
 

Attachments

  • E9A33995-561E-4CA7-88BF-A9496D0BEC13.png
    E9A33995-561E-4CA7-88BF-A9496D0BEC13.png
    1.8 MB · Views: 11
  • 3C646C4A-5E10-40D6-AC12-B884421411B0.png
    3C646C4A-5E10-40D6-AC12-B884421411B0.png
    1.9 MB · Views: 11

Ihunt

Senior Member
Top pic is the spot that was limed and bottom is the spot that I put some nitrogen on.
 

doomtrpr_z71

Senior Member
The soil lab is not closed, it's on limited hours, some extension offices are closed but you can still send the samples. The alternative would be to send it to waters lab. Those soil test kits are going to be hard to use to get a read on the soil ph.
 

Ihunt

Senior Member
The soil lab is not closed, it's on limited hours, some extension offices are closed but you can still send the samples. The alternative would be to send it to waters lab. Those soil test kits are going to be hard to use to get a read on the soil ph.

Oh boy. Let me just toss Caunuck way under the bus?. I asked and he said they had been ok for a ph reading. I wouldn’t expect it to be exact but was hoping to give me an idea.

My local extension office is closed but they did call me back and tell me I could mail it in. With all that’s going on, it’s honestly not that important
 

doomtrpr_z71

Senior Member
Oh boy. Let me just toss Caunuck way under the bus?. I asked and he said they had been ok for a ph reading. I wouldn’t expect it to be exact but was hoping to give me an idea.

My local extension office is closed but they did call me back and tell me I could mail it in. With all that’s going on, it’s honestly not that important
:ROFLMAO:it will just be hard to read to make an accurate determination.
 

Ihunt

Senior Member

Ihunt

Senior Member
Doom,

Thoughts? That $119.00 is pricey but if it works I would break even quickly and test a lot more.

Kdog,
I appreciate the links. I’ll study up on those. Have y’all had any issues with the more expensive one?
 

doomtrpr_z71

Senior Member
I'd have problems paying $119 for +/-0.2 accuracy, you can get the ph only one for $75. They don't have good accuracy in sandy soils.
 

GeorgeShu

Senior Member
I dropped of soil samples in Bulloch Co. on tuesday. They are answering the phone but no entry allowed. Had a table at the door and a drop box for your check. Also had extra bags at the table. Don’t know about the lab in Athens but you can get your samples into the system for processing.
 

Kdog

Senior Member
Doom,

Thoughts? That $119.00 is pricey but if it works I would break even quickly and test a lot more.

Kdog,
I appreciate the links. I’ll study up on those. Have y’all had any issues with the more expensive one?

It is not mine, but my uncle has had it for several years with no issues. It was spot on with our samples we sent in last year, but he has had it calibrated. The cheap one was very close, so I would probably get that one if it were me.
 
Last edited:
Top