Applying Lime During Winter

[nrowles]

Is applying pelletized lime when the ground has a crusted snow a waste of lime / time? I would assume yes. I wanted to get some lime down before winter but it didn't happen. Went to do it yesterday and my plot still has some crusted snow. Not sure if it will melt off before we get more snow. Should I put the lime down first thing in the spring?

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

If the ground is hard enough to get it in there now I wouldn't worry about it much. At least that was it is done for spring when it might be a muddy mess to haul a load.
A few years back we had a hot stretch in January and I was able to spread 750 pounds on a small plot and plow it in 2 inches. Weird winter.
I supposed runoff might be a factor but I wouldn't be scared to spread it now.

 

[yoderjac]

I would be much more worried about the harm done to the soil by getting on wet soil than any runoff. I'd apply it as soon as possible but when the ground is frozen hard. If things are melting and wet, stay off of it with equipment.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[nrowles]

I'm only doing 400lbs on small 1/10 acre plot. Guess I will just do it now.

 

[yoderjac]

If you are spreading by hand without heavy equipment, just get it done.

 

[Bigshooter19]

We always spread ours when there is snow on the ground(as long its not to deep). We do what we can in the winter time because we have time. Spreading lime working ground if we can hinge cutting moving stands.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

My sons and I spread pelletized lime about 15 years ago on top of 8" of snow at camp. It was in a " sour " field that hadn't been worked/planted in years. We tried it just to see what would happen. We could see where we spread because the snow made it stand out. In spring, after the lime soaked down from snow-melt, we got " wild " clover to sprout and grow without any fertilizer. The field had been tough, wirey grass and moss / lichens. Just adding the lime on the snow did that. After that spring, we hammered the lime on it and it's been a great food plot ever since. That lime-on-snow taught us a great lesson.

 

[bigboreblr]

I spread lime today around my new trees and food plot at home. pH said 5.8 for the plot, and 5.5 for the apple trees.
s of
Put about 1/2 ton/acre in the plot and 3/4 ton/acre in the apple trees areas. Dairy one soil testing surprised me a bit. They said to put 6 tons /acre into a new apple tree area, with tillage. I am adding more lime to where I rototill a planting spot, but overall area between trees is not going to be tilled. Foodplot I put in as rye cover crop as a planting code. They said 1/2 ton/acre each year for 3 years.

I double checked this forum for liming in the winter. It's commonly done on AG fields here. Got raining and 40's coming in a few days. Spread 6 bags of powdered and 25 bags of pelletized lime. Pelletized lime was cheaper here locally. Foodplot was a bit low on magnesium and the orchard area said it was ok.. So, the magnesium in the soil couldn't hurt. Spread the bags of powered in the orchard, those bags had alot less magnesium than the pelletized. Both test results said calcium levels were good.

 

[omicron1792]

I spread lime today around my new trees and food plot at home. pH said 5.8 for the plot, and 5.5 for the apple trees.
s of
Put about 1/2 ton/acre in the plot and 3/4 ton/acre in the apple trees areas. Dairy one soil testing surprised me a bit. They said to put 6 tons /acre into a new apple tree area, with tillage. I am adding more lime to where I rototill a planting spot, but overall area between trees is not going to be tilled. Foodplot I put in as rye cover crop as a planting code. They said 1/2 ton/acre each year for 3 years.

I double checked this forum for liming in the winter. It's commonly done on AG fields here. Got raining and 40's coming in a few days. Spread 6 bags of powdered and 25 bags of pelletized lime. Pelletized lime was cheaper here locally. Foodplot was a bit low on magnesium and the orchard area said it was ok.. So, the magnesium in the soil couldn't hurt. Spread the bags of powered in the orchard, those bags had alot less magnesium than the pelletized. Both test results said calcium levels were good.

I did same today in small plot I have here at my house.

I did think of something good about a home plot. I have a hose and sprinkler. Gonna look like a (deer) park!

 

[TreeDaddy]

I did same today in small plot I have here at my house.

I did think of something good about a home plot. I have a hose and sprinkler. Gonna look like a (deer) park!

........or a hog park if you are blessed to have them in your area

bill

 

[omicron1792]

........or a hog park if you are blessed to have them in your area

bill

Ha. I’m in the city. No hogs here.

Everywhere has hogs around my farm except my farm. I know I shouldn’t speak it but I’ve never seen a hog in person in 6 years there, and I saw one male running through on camera one time. Don’t know what it is but I’ll take it!

 

[bigboreblr]

I did same today in small plot I have here at my house.

I did think of something good about a home plot. I have a hose and sprinkler. Gonna look like a (deer) park!

Yeah I got a hose too. Watering 20 new trees last summer. Seemed like my 2nd full time job.