Quote:
Originally Posted by brownrexx
Lime will change your pH very slowly so I would not retest before Spring. It also works best when incorporated into the top 2 inches of soil, not just sprinkled on top.
Your pH is low and it takes a lot of lime to raise it one whole point so don't be afraid to apply it.
I would aim for 6.5 - 6.7 as that is optimum for most vegetables.
Take it from someone who has worked in a Chemistry lab for 20 years - DO NOT waste your money on an at home pH meter. They are notoriously unreliable.
In our lab we calibrated ours with standard solutions every 8 hours to assure accuracy.
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I plan on ripping up the garden when things cool off in the fall, so plenty of time. Still have some haggard plants with small green tom's that might pull through if conditions improve.
Thanks for the Ph meter fallacy in modern market. The test is free at the extension, so can provide another sample in March before I make a strong run for springtime planting.
A call to the local farmer's coop discloses a litany of lime options, to include mechanism of delivery. Pellet, dust, granular, rock, etc.... and make 12 different classifications (carbonite, dolomite, etc...)
40# bag as cheap as $4.29 - 7.99 on average.
Really wanting to put my foot into next year and apply my learnings from t-ville.
On a side note:
The recent 8"+ of rain that fell on the natural state wrecked havoc on crops. Reported that some areas had 90% damage to cotton, late corn crops decimated, and soy beans shriveled in the pod.
It has been a rather unusual year. When the guy wearing the mesh crowned john deer ball cap says it is the worst he has ever seen, I tend to believe.