Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Quality Deer Management Lime question

We can't get a lime buggy on all our green fields. If we spread 40 lb bags of Farm Pellet lime from ATV spreaders about two months before we disk and plant, will the lime penetrate into the soil even though it was put down on grass. We will cut the fields before we put the lime down, but there will still be grass in them.
I just saw a price of $5 a 40 lb. bag for Farm Pellet Lime at a Rual King store that just opened up in Prattville Al

Unless you are on heavy clay, top spread pellet lime will infiltrate just fine. But I prefer to lime in spring if possible as it takes roughly 6 months, on average, to achieve full effect. Also I prefer to put down no more than a ton per acre at a time so I split applications if needed.

We will cut the fields this weekend hopefully and put the lime down the middle of June if we can determine that will work. I just have never put it down from ATV'S like this on ground that still had grass. Just trying to get option's if it will work or not to improve soil for fall planting.
I am in Coosa County and soil is not clay

Stoney when you say cut do you mean cut with a mower or do you mean disk them?

Lime particles in pelletized lime are generally much smaller than AG lime and will incorporate into the soil much quicker. 3-6 months for full effect on the pelletized vs 6-12 months on the AG.

$5/bag is not a bad price. I like to use 800 lbs/acre initial then 400 lbs/acre each year until pH stabilizes around 6.5. I got test results today on a small plot that hit the 6.5 threshold. It’s only 1/2 acre and not easy to get a buggy in.

This is my understanding too.

I cut the fields with a tractor with a bush hog.

Just got soil test results back. On a site initially tested Nov 2022 and 5.2 is now 6.5 May 2026. CEC range is 7-7.7 so not real heavy texture. It’s cost me about $50-75 per year to do this.

Hey k bush, how much bagged lime will you add per year to keep it at 6.5?

Our problem is we have 24 green fields on about 1900 ac. Hard to get a lime buggy to them and extremely hard to get enough lime to them on ATV spreaders. I guess I need to find a good seed blend that doesn't have to have a 6.5 ph. I want to plant fields that are good for the deer, not just attract them.
Kind of between a road and a hard place.

Stoney, cereal rye is very forgiving on pH and oats aren’t quite as picky as wheat in my limited experience. But they’ll all grow just fine at 6.0 or even under if you put extra fertilizer to them OR you have good, living soil rather than overworked dirt. A few clovers are much better than others for pH also but they aren’t always well represented in the bagged mixes you find for food plots. Several good options for summer plantings as well if you feel like spending the money but it’s not like you need to plant all 24. I’d do summer plots in maybe half, if you aren’t already and maybe rotate them year to year. Plant fall/summer on half and fall only on the rest and let them go fallow all summer. Then switch the next season. It’s a great way to build soil organic matter without excess inputs. If you have two quads I’d think about getting a small ATV trailer. I put 400# in mine to move it places that I can’t get my truck.

It’s a 1/2 acre plot so maybe 5 bags.