Soilman

Not much straightening out needed. You guys are very close. Lime is not an instant fix. It will take at least 1-2 years to fully react and neutralize the pH. Haystack is right, you need to get it on as soon as possible, and work it in well. I suggested a corn/oat/soybean in 09 to give the lime a chance to react this year. Next year you should have better luck with a perennial like clover. It will have a tough time overwintering with a low pH. The pH of the soil affects how available soil nutrients are, and different plants need soil nutrients in different amounts. The amount of lime needed is really dependent on the organic matter of the soil. Organic matter has a lot of reserved acidity to react with lime. Dark black soil needs a lot of lime, light colored sand can be neutralized with very little lime. That is why I asked about the organic matter. MdDave,what color(black, brown, white, red) is your soil if they did not give you a percent organic matter? If you know the soil name, even better. For the record, pH = -log[H+].

MdDave

no they did not give me an organic matter... the color of the dirt isnt real dark.. they did list the nutrients in the dirt.

Soilman

Since your soil sounds "average," the lime rec is probably OK. CCE is a measure of how much acid neutralizing ability the lime has. Yes, different suppliers have different quality of lime, so you will need to read the bag. I am very glad you didn't say you had dark black soil, it would have made your lime rec useless and your lime bill sky high! Out of curiosity, what are your P and K values. Are they in ppm or lbs/A?

MdDave

P is 40 lb/acre, k is 156 lb/acre

i know what they read but dont know what it means for my soil...

Soilman

The P is good. K ison the low side for perennials (OK for soybeans/corn). The good part is, more P and K will become available as the lime raises the pH. Those numbers are not bad, so you will be able to have good results by adding reasonable amounts of fertilizer. Once you decide on a crop for 09, fertilizer choice and timing will be more clear.

MdDave

http://www.whitetailinstitute.com/products/extreme/

whats your opinion on this soilman?

Soilman

"while Extreme can withstand lower pH levels than other perennial food plots, it performs even better at levels from 6.0 to 6.5."

I think it would be fine next year. This year, I would plant an annual crop.I am not saying it can't work, but I do think it will work better in 2010. Let the lime work, and control your weeds in anticipation of planting this next year. My 2 cents worth on it.

farm hunter

Sounds like your on the right track. Don't get sidelined by Extreme. Like soilman said - it probably cannot hurt to plant it this year - because you need to work on that soil anyhow- but don't get sucked in to thinking that Extreme compares to a good clover plot -its not even close in nutrition, or edible biomass. Planted side by side - the deer will skip the dandelions. These plots are designed for guys that don't want, don't care, or don't have the means to get their soils up to speed.

We've found the more you work the soil, especially early on - the better. You incorporate organic matter into the soil, and each years turned over crop - and it helps put the right nutrients back into the root zone. A soil doesn't have to be 7.0 to be productive...... something that sometimes gets overlooked. If you can get over 6.0 and approach 6.5pH - most of your deer plots will do great.

FH

MdDave

how bout turnips..whats the ground gotta be like for them to be planted...

haystack

MdDave,
Turnips, are not hard to please. They will grow almost anywhere. But do deer like them ? In my area not at all. Yet 20 miles away they love them. The reason is I live in a agricultural area, and the deer have a large variety of plants to chose from, kinda spoiled. 20 miles away there is nothing but woods and mountains and those deer can not afford to be finicky. Turnips can be planted in the spring time but they dont like high temperatures, by the 1st of July, they will be done for. But planted in August, they will be maturing in cooler weather and take light frost well also.