Food Plots Soil Test results - Ugh

[LanceS4803]

I am putting in a small 1/4 plot on a logging road, never planted or plowed. Lots of oaks surrounding the grassy strip.
Got my soil test back and looks like this is going to take some work!
Low or very low in almost every category and pH of 4.9
Was planning on planting clovers and wheat mix.

I plan on adding the lime ASAP, but any other advice for first time novice?

 

[Mike Belt]

You can almost bet that anywhere you go in Tn you're going to need lime. Going in blind with no soil test here in west Tn you can't go wrong with adding 2 tons/acre and that may not be enough. The downside to testing now and liming is that bulk lime won't break down enough to aid the soil by Fall when your crop should be at it's peak. Granulated lime breaks down much faster but is cost prohibitive and doesn't last as long. Your ground should be good to go for next year though. Whatever you may skimp on don't skimp on lime. All the fertilizer in the world won't do you any good if the pH has bottomed out.

 

[LanceS4803]

You can almost bet that anywhere you go in Tn you're going to need lime. Going in blind with no soil test here in west Tn you can't go wrong with adding 2 tons/acre and that may not be enough. The downside to testing now and liming is that bulk lime won't break down enough to aid the soil by Fall when your crop should be at it's peak. Granulated lime breaks down much faster but is cost prohibitive and doesn't last as long. Your ground should be good to go for next year though. Whatever you may skimp on don't skimp on lime. All the fertilizer in the world won't do you any good if the pH has bottomed out.

That pH is good for growing azaleas and rhododendrons.
As this is only a 1/4 acre, I may look at granulated, just to get me over the Fall hump.
Is granular the same as pelletized?

 

[Mike Belt]

The same.

 

[Hunter 257W]

It can be sobering to read a soil test. I got some surprisingly low pH numbers from some low spots in my pastures where the lime trucks would often not run because it was too wet. When I decided to put food plots there I was shocked that I had pasture soil that bad off.

I've gotten away with planting very soon after liming in the past. I know the text book answer is to lime 6 months or more before you intend to plant but I've pushed it to no delay at all after liming with fairly good results. We tend to not want to wait and since we aren't trying to make a living off of a food plot, I say lime it according to the test and put out some seeds.

 

[nwsg76]

Add the lime this fall and top sow some wheat. Save your dollars until you get the pH increased. Stick with annuals until you get pH corrected. That will take a couple years.
There is some fertility in the soil right now. Add your fertilizer to plot next fall when the pH is going the right direction.

 

[poorhunter]

Just curious. Why not burn the field then plant? The hay field next to me burned last fall, and when sprin came, you couldn't find a turkey or deer within a mile except in that field.

 

[LanceS4803]

This professor from MSU's Deer Lab is a huge proponent of burning. Even doing research papers to determine the exact time of year is the best. He said historically, natural burns were very important in the southeast.
I've had no training in it, but I would like to try it to increase browse.

 

[Boone 58]

Lime asap anyway, and don't bother with the fertilizer this year as it wont be unlocked in the acidic soil. Wheat will do better than most things and this is also typical in Wayne county soils so we planted anyway but lime should be first priority. will take 8 months to have best effect has been my experience when it tests this low. I put two tons on this field last spring of 16 and this year we should see excellent results.

 

[LanceS4803]

Good info, thanks!
This is going to be a long process, but I have nothing but time.