Ashburn, GA, (very close to Heaven!) | While I readily confess that our sandier type soils are probably much differently structured than those some of you deal with, I can say that our stip till systems, over a period of time, after ten years of working with them as a consultant, and fourteen more in the seed and retail business before that, need less lime to maintain a 6.2 to 6.5 pH. Sandy soils in so many ways are "easier to fix", as they are by nature poorly buffered and low in CEC.
> The key is to have them in good shape when you move to conservation tillage.
> Be proactive in correcting marginal pH situations.
> Set a higher target pH, say 6.7 instead of 6.5.
> Lime at 6.2 instead of 5.9 or 5.7.
I give credit to improve filtration by having some residue on the soil surface at all times. Additional credit goes to decreased runoff. Can you apply these same principles to silt or clay soils higher in organice matter? With modifications, I think so.... |
Lime application
