Lime/fertilizer question

Southtowns27 · Oct 28, 2009

Hey all, next spring I'm planning on putting in a small truck patch. It's about 60'x500'. It was a hay field and I plowed under the patch yesterday. The soil is very acidic (5.8pH) so should I lime it now, or wait until spring?
Also, I'm sure it will benefit from some kind of fertilization be it manure or chemical. Should fertilization be done now, or in the spring? I can't seem to find anywhere local that can do a soil test for me, so is there kind of a "universal" chemical fertilizer that can be recommended?

relaurain · Oct 28, 2009

I would have put lime down then plowed it in.
Lime needs to work for a year or so.
Look on-line for soil testing sites that you can send your sample too.
You could have put Urea on and plowed that in to help break down the hay residue but now or in the spring you could fertilize.
Get the lime in now though!
Universal fertilizer like DAP or 19-19-19?

kyhayman · Oct 28, 2009

Lime reacts over time. A pH of 5.8 isnt horrible and if you lime early in the spring, right after you disc the first time and then mix it in you should be ok. You will be going into a soil with a rising pH. If you are raising a crop that is really pH sensitive you might want to use a pelleted lime product at a low rate in addition to your regular lime.

Local or area Extension office should be able to do soil tests. As to independent labs, A and L is always my first choice. I've attempted to attach a link to their web site.
Untitled URL Link

hayray · Oct 28, 2009

I would follow your advice. I would be real concerned about waiting until spring to apply lime on a 5.8 PH., that is really low for my area. I wonder how he got the PH result with out a soil test? Fertilizer may not work well with that low of PH. You can take your own soil sample and send it in to a lab. I send my samples to Litchfield Analytical, Litchfield, MI. I get my results back within a day after they recieve a sample.

showcrop · Oct 28, 2009

Hey, it's a good thing you got it done yesterday. I had no idea it was going to rain anything like it has today.

Southtowns27 · Oct 29, 2009

(quoted from post at 22:55:09 10/28/09) Hey, it's a good thing you got it done yesterday. I had no idea it was going to rain anything like it has today.

Yeah, no kidding. The weather has been ridiculous. It didn't rain for 4 days, so I figured I better get to it. It was still a wet sloppy mess in places. I had a 2-14 behind my MF165 and had to keep the posi locked most of the time. Some spots were so heavy I nearly stalled it a few times, but it looked impressive making all that black smoke lol.

The local feed mill did the pH test for me, but that's the only test they can do. I would have limed before I plowed, but it "was now or never" in that case.

Lime/fertilizer question

Southtowns27

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relaurain

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kyhayman

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hayray

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showcrop

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Southtowns27

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