super low ph question

[jpe40]

trying to help a friend put in a small plot. told him in the spring to get a soil test and lime. went out today and my buddy told me he didn't put any lime down. soil test read 4.5 ph with a recommendation of 5tons per acre. my question is it worth trying to lime now and plant brassicas or should he lime now and just start with rye/oats in the fall. the location is around a pond with clay soil
thanks
jpe

 

[Early Bird]

I would put as much lime as possible out ASAP. 2000 lbs will help a lot. I would forget the oats and plant rye heavy 150 lbs acre and maybe 5 lbs of med or mammoth red clover. Then I would soil test again after season and see what your progress is. I did exactly this with a ph of 5.3 and had a great food plot and the rye really helped the soil. The deer used it very well.

Ray

 

[yoderjac]

trying to help a friend put in a small plot. told him in the spring to get a soil test and lime. went out today and my buddy told me he didn't put any lime down. soil test read 4.5 ph with a recommendation of 5tons per acre. my question is it worth trying to lime now and plant brassicas or should he lime now and just start with rye/oats in the fall. the location is around a pond with clay soil
thanks
jpe

I would lime it now. Lime moves through clay very slowly and it will take time to amend the soil. If it were me, I'd forget the brassica. I'd also check the recommendation. I have heavy clay soils. I typically need 4 tons/ac to amend a new field, but they say not to apply more than 3 ton/ac at once as plants don't won't respond. They say to amend twice about 6 months apart.

You did not mention your location. I'd suggest you put your USDA zone and general location in your profile. If it were me, I would probably plant medium red clover with a WR nurse crop this fall. Medium Red is a short lived perennial and I usually get about 2 years out of it. In my area, I'd probably plant after labor day as soon as you get rain in the forecast.

Next spring, I'd top dress the field with the second dose of lime.

Don't use traditional tillage. While tilling in lime is a common practice and can make it amend a little faster, it will do far more harm to your soil. Use a T&M type planting technique. After the second year of the Medium White, the pH should be amended enough to plant your brassica.

Thanks,

jack

 

[SD51555]

I'd get another soil test and get a buffer pH reading before the side dump came out.

 

[MRBB]

I have planted many food plots that needed almost that much lime per acre and it took YEARS to correct PH, so, the sooner you get lime down the better,
you can STILL plant things, just don't expect super takes on thing, but a LOT will grow, as long as weather cooperates!
I would also maybe stick to brassicia/rape that doesn't make a bulb/turnip, so that they need less quality soil to grow in!
or been my experience that , them with bulbs/turnips, need better soil to fully mature and grow well in!
but I would plant, just maybe buy cheaper seeds than higher priced BRAND names for the first few plantings!, as again, its going to take a while for that soil to adjust and get into a good level, and its most likely NOT going to be a ad lime once and done game here, but going to need several applications of lime and then more lime to maintain things, another reason to really look hard at finding a place that does bulk lime and spread it for you!, as doing things this much by the bag SUCKS< and I HAVE done it 2+ tom an acre on 6 acres, was FAR from fun, I think it took me about 2 months after that to stand up straight again and taste food right LOL
bulk lime spreading is cheaper, faster and way easier on body ! Highly recommend it when ever possible

and at your rate, it would n;t be a bad idea to put down HAL LIME, then disc it , and then disc some more, and then add second half and repeat the disking game, to try and mix it as best you can!