Newbie plot help

[DanH]

Got my soil test back today. I'm at a 5.5 ph. I attached my report and a satellite view of property. It is a small piece of property but has high deer traffic all year long. My equipment is limited I do everything with my atv. clay type soil.

Looking for advice on a timeline to start everything for spring plot. Plot size is about 1-1 and a half acres so how many bags of Pelletized lime would I actually need to get it up. I am looking to do southern states spring mix and possibly doing some clover in the fall. Any help/suggestions appreciated.

 

[jug]

I am trying to figure out why you did not use NCDA soil test results?
Plan on using 2 pallets of pellet lime for starters and continue to add lime each month till you get your ph up to 6.

 

[Eric Revo]

I'd look for a coop to deliver your lime if possible..it would be cost/time effective for you.

 

[Cootmeurer]

If the cost of lime (and you need a lot) is too much all at once, you might break your plot into segments. Take a 1/3 and heavily lime, plant to soybean. Take another 1/3 and like with whatever $$ you have left and plant to some sort of a mix, or black oil sunflower - something that tolerates mediocre soil. On the last 1/3 wait till fall, hit with some 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 and seed with small grains (wheat, oats, rye - whatever is cheap).

Next year heavily lime the mediocre plot, and put your left over $ I to the small grain plot. Year 3 rotate again.

 

[stilker]

If it was me I'd lime it and plant peas/cowpeas around June,then hit it with oats Crimson clover this fall.

 

[DanH]

Thanks for the ideas guys. Last year I just mowed, sprayed and disked it and threw out a couple bags of 7 card stud. Turnips came up great and they got mowed down by the deer but most of the other seeds didn't take very well so looking to do something different this year.

 

[Ncfish001]

How's the fishing in your pond?

 

[sky hawk]

If you can get a big truck in there to spread aglime, that's the way to go. It's much cheaper. If not you gotta go with pelletized. 2 tons/acre is the max of what you are supposed to apply at one time, and that's what I would do if the budget allows. 1 pallet of pelletized is 56 bags (50 lb.) = 2800 lbs. Every little bit helps, so if you want to do 1 ton this year and 1 ton next year, that's ok. Then you can soil test again if you want.

I just spread 50 bags week before last.

 

[bwfarms]

Call Southern States, some stores may vary on price and have a minimum. $48-50 a ton spread on a 10 ton truck. Most quotes are by a minimum amount of acres unless your application rate is sufficient. Ask for 2-2.5 ton per acre and they will gladly send a full truck. Some are also willing on partial loads with a minimum fee. If they require a full load, have them spread your other fields or donate to a farmer. It will improve your property and still be cheaper than pelletized.

I would ignore the willy nilly advice and hone in on specific advice. You have a soil sample that tells you what you need for your target forage. Just 'hitting' with Triple 10 or 12 is not going to do you any good especially if you're not told a specific rate to put out. That's like expecting to land a job you're not qualified for. If you spread 100 pounds of Triple 10 per acre, you're only putting 10 pounds of actual Nitrogen/Phosphorus/Potassium per acre, well short of your target. When you see the numbers of N-P-K, it means blank % of 100 lbs. Your case you have several blends of forage to choose from, in a crop removal situation you need to add nutrients. Being a little extra on phosphorus and potassium is okay. Appears you are planting mostly legumes, you won't need much Nitrogen. You are not likely going to have a large enough order for a special blend but if you can get it made 10-25-25 at 350 lbs per acre will get you 35 lbs of Nitrogen and 87.5 pounds of phosphorus and potassium per acre. $445 a ton was my quote for that blend. You can buy 50lb bags of Triple 17 and apply 200lbs per acre for 35 lbs of each nutrient per acre and then find straight phosphorus and potassium fertilizer or some type of yard blend that is higher in P and K but low on N. Can always buy straight 34-0-0 if needing more nitrogen.

Break the top 6 inches of soil, have Southern States spread the lime. Incorporate the lime into the soil with a disk. Cultipack to firm up seed bed and smooth the plot some. You will want to put a cover crop this spring that will help the soil. Wheat, oat, rye, or triticale (even a combination of it all) and clover if you wish. If the clover takes, it will add nitrogen to soil. Broadcast it and cultipack it in. You may choose to fertilize this as it establishes, this is fine because lime is incorporated in the soil. In a no till operation, you want to wait 6 months and sufficient rainfall before applying fertilizer. You will want organic matter to help with microbial functions before planting your desired crop and this is what the cover crop is for along with keeping the nutrients.

 

[DanH]

How's the fishing in your pond?

It's decent got a bunch of small to medium bass a couple decent ones. According to the neighbors there was damage to the drain a few years back and they pretty much had to empty it so it is getting back to normal. Wish I could figure out how to prevent the runoff from turning the water brown every time it rains. Been working on clearing some of the edges for better access this year.

 

[DanH]

Bw lots of information there. Some of it I understand some I will need to research a bit. I appreciate all the info. I could get a small truck in there not sure if a big spreader truck can go over the dam by the pond. It's the only access.

 

[Eric Revo]

Bw lots of information there. Some of it I understand some I will need to research a bit. I appreciate all the info. I could get a small truck in there not sure if a big spreader truck can go over the dam by the pond. It's the only access.

Southern States spreader trucks can pretty much go anywhere ...their tires displace their weight well. You can rent their trailer as well with the slinger attached.

 

[bwfarms]

Soil amendments can be confusing.

 

[jug]

Southern States spreader trucks can pretty much go anywhere ...their tires displace their weight well. You can rent their trailer as well with the slinger attached.

Except Northern Rockingham county..... They will NOT go on hilly pasture land. My neighbor, Mr Claybrook died from his tractor running over him from behind. Unless it's easy terrain .... the Southern States up my way ain't gonna do jack.