[bashfullnb]

Based on last year's soil tests I've decided that I've got to do some liming. I remember from school that nutrients in the soil may not even be used by plants if the pH is off. So, I'd like to rectify this. I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for a lime product to use and what time of year is best?

[TrickyDick]

If you have a place to store a pile you may be able to get crushed agriculural limestone which is good because it hasboth slow release chunks and powder the will act faster.

We use pelletized lime. Easiest thing to spread, no dust.

If you need to lime then you will probably need to do it every year. Make it a part of your fertilizer program.

[bashfullnb]

How many times in a season would you lime? I've got lawns where the pH is around 5. Just to get it to 5.5 I'd need a lot.

[rhunt13]

jonathan green has a product called mir-a-cal that is pretty much a lime concentrate. one bag is equal to about 10 bags of your average pelletized lime. food for thought.

[TrickyDick]

How many times can you get paid to do it? With a pH of 5 twice a year would be great but at the amounts you have to put down it can get pricey. Most people do it once a year.

[Dollar Spot]

Iwouldn't put down more than 50#/m2 of lime per application. You want to adjust the pH slowly so the soil micro-organisms can adjust to the change. You also need to stay on a schedule whether it's yearly, twice a year, ect., until you reach your target pH and then test to make sure you stay there.

[FungusMudGrub]

Also check the magnesium levels on the soil test report. If you don' t need additional magnesium, use the calcitic lime. If you do need magnesium too, use the dolomitic lime.

[sandim]

I agree with Dolllar Spot. Where we send our soil samples they say put no more than 100 lbs/square foot down, then apply the rest a few months later. We lime in the spring and the fall every year (unless for some bizarre reason the client doesn't have a low pH...but this is CT so that never happens) and we bill for it twice a year. Take another soil sample the year after next early spring and see where your pH is.