Adding Lime During the Summer
Filed under: Ask Grant, Food Plots
This past season we were unable to apply any lime to our fields for pH control/adjustment and they do need lime. Are there any negative aspects of applying lime in the summer? I would like to have this complete by July or August to allow it to begin working by October, unless there is no real benefit or there is a negative effect of applying at this time. Please let me know your thoughts on lime application in the summer months.
Thank you,
Darren
Darren,
Standard agricultural lime reacts very slowly to change the soil’s pH. The only potential negative to adding lime during the summer is it can stress forage plants if it stays on the leaves for long periods of time. This is a small consideration compared to the benefit of improving the soil’s pH. If you have a beautiful crop of soybeans or other forage and no rain is expected, then I might consider waiting until rain is predicted to apply the lime. Otherwise, the sooner the better!
Growing Deer together,
Grant
