QTompkins2005

I just got my soil test back from the white tail institute. I am somewhat confused. There are to boxes at the top, one says what is in the soil, one says lime requirements - see table 3 for recommended lime requirements.

Ok all is good.

Then I read the paragraph "If your wildlife plot is over one acre you may want to purhase fertilizer from your local farm center. Refer to table 1 for recommendations for each nutrient of pure products. IF jusing bagged fertilizer refer to table 2 for application ammounts.

I'm not sure which I will use so I first look at table 1: Fertilizer to aplpy for bulk application
lb/acre lime 3000, nitrogen 30, phosphate 60, potash 120, magnesium 0

I then look at table 2: NPK Fertilizer to apply when using bagged fertilizer
3-9-9 lbs/acre 1000
8-24-24 lbs/acre 380

Now table 3: Lime to apply
Apply 3750 lbs of lime per acre

So now seeing the quantities I suspect I will have the coop come spread this stuff, so I'll use the bulk application, very good. But my quesiton is, how much lime do I need? table 1 says 3000 lbs/acre for bulk application, but the thing at the top says to see table 3 for recommended lime requirements and table 3 states 3750 lbs/acre. So do I need 3000, 3750, or 3000+3750=6750?

Also, any idea on how much all this is going to cost me?

Thanks for the help.

QTompkins2005

Follow up, I'm planting 1 acre

psandhu

have 3 tons of lime applied. you are paying mostly for their time. the actual product is cheap. you could spread a few tons of lime yourself for less than a dinner for 2 at applebees.

QTompkins2005

Isn't is possible to put too much lime on and have too high of a ph level?

Hawgnman

Don't worry about applying too much lime. Either have the coop do it. Tell them you want 2 tons/acre. They can set the applaciation rate to that. Or load it in a pickup (may take multiple trips) and have a buddy blow it out on the plot as you drive around the plot.

Lime should be applied about 6 months before planting to be effective.

psandhu

don't forget, the recommendation for lime is assuming it is 100% pure. around here it is 62% at a quarry. if the soil report says to apply 2000 lbs, you really need to apply 3225 lbs of what you can buy.

nchawkeye

You will be hard pressed to apply too much lime, farmers around here apply lime every 3 years...as stated, apply
anywhere from 3-4000 pounds per acre, or just take to Co-OP and let them tell you...

CO-OPs around here will not apply unless at least 8,000 pounds will be bought, so you might end up having to buy pellet lime and apply yourself....