Soil test results

[Jason W]

What is the difference between soil pH(5.6) and Buffer pH(6.4)
The man told me I need to put on 5 tons to the acre of lime to bring the pH up to the 6.5 to 7.0 range. everything else was good he said ( P 112 and K 544 )

 

[john250]

What is the difference between soil pH(5.6) and Buffer pH(6.4)
The man told me I need to put on 5 tons to the acre of lime to bring the pH up to the 6.5 to 7.0 range. everything else was good he said ( P 112 and K 544 )

It depends. What are you growing?

 

[Jason W]

Sorry, I am planting a new pasture. it is corn right now, planting a mix with white clover, perr. rye, fescue, and orchardgrass

 

[Herefordcross]

You could spread you lime applications out a little to save some money, I am no expert, but, what your talking about planting is fairly tolerant of different soils. Everyone wants an ideal soil but, it doesn't have to happen overnight.

 

[Angus Guy]

I wouldn't apply 5t of lime at one time. Instead apply 3t this fall and then retest in 2yr to see where you are at. Also without knowing the quarry and what type of lime they have it is hard to make a total reccomendation.

 

[donnaIL]

Anything over 4 tons per acre will not make a big change, and it does take years to improve the ph unless you work it in. We put 4 tons per acre (our soil tests said 6-8) 18 months ago retested and the only real significant change (in the test) was in the hay field we plowed, tilled and reseeded. We did notice an improvement in the grass.

One of the fertilizer companies around here sells a quick acting pelleted lime that you can spread in a spreader and has been recommended to me to get immediate results until the ag lime is absorbed into the soil. Thinking of doing that this fall.

 

[Herefordcross]

THat's mostly all we use here is quick release pelleted lime. It does a pretty good job of filling potholes in gravel roads as well.

 

[Angus Guy]

Donna

I'm in the fert business and would not reccomend pel-lime. I've been to several seminars about lime and the only real difference in the two is cost. Granted pel-lime is a finer grind and then prilled so that will release quicker. But ag-lime as just as many fines so you will get the same punch. To put a different way is lime is lime whether prilled or ground.

 

[hayray]

Anything over 4 tons per acre will not make a big change, and it does take years to improve the ph unless you work it in. We put 4 tons per acre (our soil tests said 6-8) 18 months ago retested and the only real significant change (in the test) was in the hay field we plowed, tilled and reseeded. We did notice an improvement in the grass.

One of the fertilizer companies around here sells a quick acting pelleted lime that you can spread in a spreader and has been recommended to me to get immediate results until the ag lime is absorbed into the soil. Thinking of doing that this fall.

That is because you need to incorporate the lime in, espescially if you are applying that much . If you just spread it on top of sod it will only effect the top 2 inches at most, so your soil test need to be the top two inches, not the traditional 8 inches, that is for fields you are tilling.

Also that quick lime that you spread in a spreader will only break down as fast as the other lime if it is measured to the same fines. Also, if you need 1 tons per acre that that quick pelleted lime gets really exspensive, it has no more calcium carbonate equivalents than the quarry or sludge lime, it is a rip off and a waste of time.

 

[hayray]

What is the difference between soil pH(5.6) and Buffer pH(6.4)
The man told me I need to put on 5 tons to the acre of lime to bring the pH up to the 6.5 to 7.0 range. everything else was good he said ( P 112 and K 544 )

I can't remember all my chemistry but the difference between 5.6 and 6.5 is tremendous. For every .1 change in the scale I think it is something like a hundred times more acidic. Put the five tons on all at once and it will only be effective into the root zone if you till it in. The lime will take a minimum of 6 months to start working and depending on what type of lime it will release over a 3 - 6 year period and probably will fully adjust your PH up to your target within a 3 year period. Don't even waste time planting those crops if your PH is that low, you will be really disappointed.

 

[Jason W]

What is the difference between soil pH(5.6) and Buffer pH(6.4)

 

[Bluestem]

Here is a good explanation. http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~blpprt/bobweb/BOBWEB8.HTM

 

[tytower]

I can't remember all my chemistry but the difference between 5.6 and 6.5 is tremendous. For every .1 change in the scale I think it is something like a hundred times more acidic. .

pH=-log10[H3O+]
Strong acid [HCl] ......0
Vinegar.....................3
Soda water................4.5
Cows Milk..................6
Pure Water.................7 [Neutral]
Sea Water..................8.5
Ammonia Solution......11
Strong Alkali [NaOH]..14

 

[donnaIL]

Donna

I'm in the fert business and would not reccomend pel-lime. I've been to several seminars about lime and the only real difference in the two is cost. Granted pel-lime is a finer grind and then prilled so that will release quicker. But ag-lime as just as many fines so you will get the same punch. To put a different way is lime is lime whether prilled or ground.

I was planning on using the pel-lime, a very small amount, 400 lbs per acre hoping it would help until the 4 tons per acre we had applied in March 05 penetrates and improves the soil. The cost of the 400 lbs is not as expensive and I thought it might help speed the changing of the ph. The other dilema around here -- central illinois -- is that spreading lime is a small profit compared to other fertilizers so it isn't the priority for the fertilizer companies. The wait for someone to spread lime can be from 6 months to 2 years.

I think you are saying pound for pound I would be spending much more on the pel-lime. My question is would it help speed the changing of the ph? or should I just be paitient and wait for the 2005 application ? Also my tests said I needed 6-8 tons per acre, so the 2005 application was less than really needed, but not recommended by the fertilizer company. Sorry for a long post. Thank, Donna

 

[dun]

Our local lime merchant doesn;t like to spread more then 3tons per acre. He equates it to eating a 2 pound steak. Better to eat a one pounder today and another one pounder later on.
I've found that frequently change over a couple of years is more then anticipated when the recommendations are made. Not a scientific theory, but I think that as the ph goes up, some of the other soil ingrediaents are freed up which may make the ph rise.

dun

 

[tytower]

Everyone is out for a quick buck these days and it stuns me that you might just accept that what a fertilizer rep is telling you .

He's not the slightest bit bothered about you or your farm or your soil health. He wants to sell fertilizer , that's what he's paid for .

At the very least halve the quantities they recommend and sensibly I would take a quarter of what they say , apply it and do it again in 2 years after you have assessed the result.

I spread two 40 lb bags of lime on about an acre and now the grass is great. I did the same thing with an acre next to it with double the rate and I can;t see the difference in the grass and if the soil is different you will see it .

Do you get Dolomite there ? This cold be a better choice . I use it and then use BD500 as a spray and have had great results .[/u][/b]

 

[MikeC]

Use "Basic Slag" sometimes to correct acidic soil. It goes to work right now.

There's over 4 million lbs of soil per acre X one foot deep. To properly neutralize the soil it would take approx. 20,000 lbs of lime to do the job as it should really be done.

By putting down 1 to 2 tons per acre, we are just putting enough down to get us by.

The proper way to do it would be to plow it in so that it doesn't wash away.

Nobody does it like it should be done. I know I don't. Too expensive.

 

[Angus Guy]

Donna
The lime that you applied in 05 is already working. The lifespan of lime is usually 4yr. 400# of pel-lime is only going to cost. There is no reason to add anything this fall. If you have any concerns about your ph not coming up retest this spring.
Also the lime in cetral IL is usually pretty good qualitiy. I'm assuming this comes from the quarries around Pontiac.

 

[dun]

Doesn;t everyones test results list the ENM of the lime in the recommendations?

 

[Angus Guy]

As far as know it needs to be requested.