I have a 1/2 acre corn FP planted by a local farmer. Did my soil test, got the recommended fertilizer and lime (pelletized) purchased. Due to life/work/etc, wasn't able to get the lime spread before planting. My question, is topdressing lime while the corn is still short going to provide a measurable yield benefit? Or should I just spread it on one of the fall plot spots?
Lime to the soil is never going to hurt anything, worse case scenario is it will sweeten the soil for future use. I'd say it's benefit to this year's corn would be minimal, but other factors like how much moisture it will see to dissolve into the soil and be utilized by the corn or time of lime you use...up to you bud.
I've always heard it takes 6 months for lime to take full effect and longer for pellitized. Your not going to hurt anything tho, just getting it there for the fall and next springs crops.
if the soil was really acidic it would help the corn more than if its alreaddy close to neutral. It does take around six months for it to fully raise the Ph though. It would help. I notice an immediate differnece on my plots that I plant to brassicas where i spread lime vs. where i didn't. Good luck Hope it turns out awesome!
thanks guys! Just stopped out to my plot yesterday. I've got a small hunting parcel, a 1 acre hunt plot is the rent payment for haying the alfalfa field and old CRP. Turns out the farmer planted the whole plot in corn/beans together, was going to be 1/2, 1/2 (bout an acre), appears to be coming up well. Pretty nice guy to do that (more seed/work). I ended up spreading the lime on 1/2 the plot, I kind of want to see what difference it makes on half of the plot, this year. Anyone have any tips for corn/beans mixed? I've never tried it and am not sure
