Hillhntr

You guys have been good enough to inform me that I need a ph of arround 7, now for some pretty fundimental questions. How does lime affect ph will it raise or lower it? The area I have decided to plant has a fair amount of sage brush growing on it. I have always been told with our pasture that sage indicates a need for lime. Does any one recomend burning off the standing sage or will tilling it under suffice? We ae experiencing an early warm up here in NE Ark. I have a lot of work to do before I can plant, I dont know if I can get it in soon enough. One more thing the planting recomendatons on the clover plus says to plant in the spring up north and fall in southern areas. Im kinda in limbo here on the Ark Mo line, I sure would like to get it in this spring though. But if anyone has any reason to delay till fall Id rather not waste the seedn. thanks again...................hill

Dan O.

Limestone raises the pH. Although everyone says to aim for a pH of 7, that is a goal that you should aim for but you will still get clover growth at other levels. The pH requirements for alfalfa are 6.3 - 7.5, red clover 5.8 - 7.5 and white clover 5.7 - 7.5. If you were planting corn you would want a pH lower than 7.0.

The only way to know what your pH is, to decide if you need lime, is to properly test the soil.

Dan O.

Edited by - dan o. on 02/02/2002 18:04:49

BBHPete

You can usually get your soil tested at your county CO-OP for about $10.00. Tell them what you are planting and they can give you recomendations on how much lime and fertilizer to use.

lunchbucket

Hilly,,, Lime will increase the pH value. 7.0 is neutral and for every point drop you soil is 10 times more acidic... every point over 7.0 is more base/alkaline. Example, if you soil is a 6.0 then you soil is 10 times more acidic than 7.0. If you soil is a 5.0 then your soil is 10 times more acidic than 6.0 BUT 100 times more acidic than 7.0.... Most plants cannot tolorate a pH over 8.0. In response, we always suggest that you do a soil sample and while you are waiting for the results you should start spraying the area with Round-Up or some other non-lingering/disapating broad sprectrum herbicide. Usually the herbicides require about 10-21 days, always read the directions, after being sprayed to be pulled into the root system and kill off the plant. By that time you soil test should have returned. If you are planting an area with grasses/weeds you should mow the area first, this will stimulate growth, then rake the area off. Larger areas may require a hay rake... Give it until after the next rain and respray 1-3 days later. This growth spurt should suck in the herbicide right into the root system. Spraying when the plant is dry will not allow the plant to fully absorb the herbicide. It is possible to kill the leaf but not the plant/root. If the root system is not destroyed then you have done nothing and may expect major problems in the future from the re growth from the not dead root system. The same thing is true of fertilizers, no mater which one you use. This will allow for a removal of thatch and the seed/spore that was hung up on the thatch will have soil contact and hopefully germinate. This will allow for a more through eradication of noxious growth. After tha plants/weeds/grasses die off then, if possible, do a slow burn against the wind... BE CAREFUL... Get some help and check local ordinances... The phosphrous in the ash should assist in some natural fertilizer back into the soil. Soil prep is the most important part of planting. If you can screw up, this is the area where it happens most. You may need to wait until the next planting season in order to do a good job of soil prep. We suggest that if you have to raise you soil pH value over one point that you lime and wait until the next planting season or hit the area with some liquid lime. Just don't be in a hurry to fail... The only dumb question is the question not asked...

RonM

Sage grass also indicates low fertility If it were mine I would not burn it, rather moldboard plow it to turn it under then lime and fertilize it, disc it in work it good, plant it in the spring, then maybe lime it again next fall, after you see some results.