Hi, I am new to this newsgroup and learning as I go I just received my
soil test back from UGA in Georgia and they show the following:

pH(CaCI2)-4.6
Potassium-low
Magnesium-low-Everything else is good/sufficient.
Texture is dark loose and grainy with no clay. Drainage is to good as it is
on gentle slope but tends to be dry towards hot days of summer and trees
sapping up moisture.

They recommended dolomite lime of course @ 60lbs per 1000 sq ft. (I knew my
soil was acid and have planted natural acid lovers shrubs/flowers etc) and
10-10-10 @ 2 cups per 100 sq ft. now and again in May and July

My question is do you think this will hurt my established plants mostly
Azaleas and Rodies Hostas and other shadelovers? It was a wooded lot
(150x200 ft) with oaks hickory dogwoods and couple of pines. I cleared out
smaller oaks and hickory for more sun and limbed up remaining but is still
mostly a shaded woodland garden in zone 7B.

Any advise will be greatly appreciated from you experts on soils!

Oh yeah one more question if you don't mind. I have just read from research
that hollytone lowers the ph and I am afraid I might have messed up using it
on the new Leyland Cypresses I planted on the street side of lot that
receives morning and afternoon sun. They were planted last year and so far
look to be healthy but should I lime heavy around them just in case? Thanks.

Elaine in Georgia

--
Elaine

Before anyone thinks I am crazy for the Leyland's it was for privacy from
the silly neighbors I have at my backyard. I had to plant a fast growing
cover between us due to the slope put me on display everytime I worked in
the new garden. LOL

Keep the lime away from ericacious plants they don't really need it.
Solve liming and potash with clean wood ashes which have both.

What are you trying to grow that needs neutral soil? It seems to me if you
have dedicated your yard to acid-loving plants, you don't need to lime it.
On the other hand, if you're trying to grow a lawn, vegetables, or the more
common perennials, yes, you will need lime or some other method of getting
your soil closer to neutral.
wrote in message
...
Hi, I am new to this newsgroup and learning as I go I just received my
soil test back from UGA in Georgia and they show the following:

pH(CaCI2)-4.6
Potassium-low
Magnesium-low-Everything else is good/sufficient.
Texture is dark loose and grainy with no clay. Drainage is to good as it
is on gentle slope but tends to be dry towards hot days of summer and
trees sapping up moisture.

They recommended dolomite lime of course @ 60lbs per 1000 sq ft. (I knew
my soil was acid and have planted natural acid lovers shrubs/flowers etc)
and 10-10-10 @ 2 cups per 100 sq ft. now and again in May and July

My question is do you think this will hurt my established plants mostly
Azaleas and Rodies Hostas and other shadelovers? It was a wooded lot
(150x200 ft) with oaks hickory dogwoods and couple of pines. I cleared out
smaller oaks and hickory for more sun and limbed up remaining but is still
mostly a shaded woodland garden in zone 7B.

Any advise will be greatly appreciated from you experts on soils!

Oh yeah one more question if you don't mind. I have just read from
research that hollytone lowers the ph and I am afraid I might have messed
up using it on the new Leyland Cypresses I planted on the street side of
lot that receives morning and afternoon sun. They were planted last year
and so far look to be healthy but should I lime heavy around them just in
case? Thanks.

Elaine in Georgia

--
Elaine

Yes after clearing weeds/vines and a good deal of trees (it was a heavy
wooded area) I seeded sun-shade grass to help with soil erosion since it is
on a gentle slope hoping to save the acid-rich woody humus topsoil. Some of
the larger felled trees I left on the ground to slow run off until grass
semi-established. I have allot of leaves in the fall which I mulch with lawn
mower, compost and otherwise get rid of as I still have so many large oaks.
My long term goal is to create more planting beds with anything that will
tolerate shade. I just had 30 more trees removed last summer so at this time
I am anxiously awaiting the remaining trees to puff out so I can see how
much sun I get this year. Before I break the budget on plantings (ornamental
shrubs and perennials mostly no vegetables in this area due to shade) I
wanted to have a good soil test. They are recommending target pH of 6.0 for
both. Mine is at 5.2.
I also need to increase K and Mg and some P.
So I would like to keep some grassy areas. Should I just treat the grass
area and go back to the beds with lime also?
It is still a work in progress and I am working my way around gradually
little at a time after all this is retirement and I always have to many
projects going at the same time!
I add good compost and manure to the beds as I develop them but I did not
lime. I did use slow release plant food as I planted and so far they are
making it ok. I didn't include that soil in my test however. Maybe I should
do the home kit on the beds to check.
Thanks for any advice you can offer. I have learned much just by reading all
the posts from everyone. I have always liked to garden just never had much
time before then I purchased the adjoining forest of 2 lots behind me.
Biting off more than I can presently chew methinks.

"presley" wrote in message
...
What are you trying to grow that needs neutral soil? It seems to me if you
have dedicated your yard to acid-loving plants, you don't need to lime it.
On the other hand, if you're trying to grow a lawn, vegetables, or the
more common perennials, yes, you will need lime or some other method of
getting your soil closer to neutral.
wrote in message
...
Hi, I am new to this newsgroup and learning as I go I just received my
soil test back from UGA in Georgia and they show the following:

pH(CaCI2)-4.6
Potassium-low
Magnesium-low-Everything else is good/sufficient.
Texture is dark loose and grainy with no clay. Drainage is to good as it
is on gentle slope but tends to be dry towards hot days of summer and
trees sapping up moisture.

They recommended dolomite lime of course @ 60lbs per 1000 sq ft. (I knew
my soil was acid and have planted natural acid lovers shrubs/flowers etc)
and 10-10-10 @ 2 cups per 100 sq ft. now and again in May and July

My question is do you think this will hurt my established plants mostly
Azaleas and Rodies Hostas and other shadelovers? It was a wooded lot
(150x200 ft) with oaks hickory dogwoods and couple of pines. I cleared
out smaller oaks and hickory for more sun and limbed up remaining but is
still mostly a shaded woodland garden in zone 7B.

Any advise will be greatly appreciated from you experts on soils!

Oh yeah one more question if you don't mind. I have just read from
research that hollytone lowers the ph and I am afraid I might have messed
up using it on the new Leyland Cypresses I planted on the street side of
lot that receives morning and afternoon sun. They were planted last year
and so far look to be healthy but should I lime heavy around them just in
case? Thanks.

Elaine in Georgia

--
Elaine

Most plants that you will want in your yard will grow at 5.5. It you got
the pH up too high the only thing that would grow there is weeds.
Blueberries want 4.5 to 6.0, and if your other plants look good, I wouldnt
change it.

Dwayne

wrote in message
...
Hi, I am new to this newsgroup and learning as I go I just received my
soil test back from UGA in Georgia and they show the following:

pH(CaCI2)-4.6
Potassium-low
Magnesium-low-Everything else is good/sufficient.
Texture is dark loose and grainy with no clay. Drainage is to good as it
is on gentle slope but tends to be dry towards hot days of summer and
trees sapping up moisture.

They recommended dolomite lime of course @ 60lbs per 1000 sq ft. (I knew
my soil was acid and have planted natural acid lovers shrubs/flowers etc)
and 10-10-10 @ 2 cups per 100 sq ft. now and again in May and July

My question is do you think this will hurt my established plants mostly
Azaleas and Rodies Hostas and other shadelovers? It was a wooded lot
(150x200 ft) with oaks hickory dogwoods and couple of pines. I cleared out
smaller oaks and hickory for more sun and limbed up remaining but is still
mostly a shaded woodland garden in zone 7B.

Any advise will be greatly appreciated from you experts on soils!

Oh yeah one more question if you don't mind. I have just read from
research that hollytone lowers the ph and I am afraid I might have messed
up using it on the new Leyland Cypresses I planted on the street side of
lot that receives morning and afternoon sun. They were planted last year
and so far look to be healthy but should I lime heavy around them just in
case? Thanks.

Elaine in Georgia

--
Elaine

Thanks Dwayne how did you know about the weeds?? LOL.

Anyway I did do some lime in some areas along with the 10-10-10 since the pH
was at 5.2 and maybe the acid lovers wont mind to much if some leaches into
their spot. Everybody looks contented for now.

The new beds are all getting compost, shredded oak leaves lime and slow
release so I can have a more "normal" garden even through it looks like it
will be dappled shade this year. The remaining trees are just starting to
phoof out. Let their be light or just a little more please?

Thanks everyone for your help with this. I guess I just really freaked out
when I saw the test results as I am really trying to make this a nice garden
to enjoy. I am sure I will ask for help again soon with something else!
"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
Most plants that you will want in your yard will grow at 5.5. It you got
the pH up too high the only thing that would grow there is weeds.
Blueberries want 4.5 to 6.0, and if your other plants look good, I wouldnt
change it.

Dwayne

wrote in message
...
Hi, I am new to this newsgroup and learning as I go I just received my
soil test back from UGA in Georgia and they show the following:

pH(CaCI2)-4.6
Potassium-low
Magnesium-low-Everything else is good/sufficient.
Texture is dark loose and grainy with no clay. Drainage is to good as it
is on gentle slope but tends to be dry towards hot days of summer and
trees sapping up moisture.

They recommended dolomite lime of course @ 60lbs per 1000 sq ft. (I knew
my soil was acid and have planted natural acid lovers shrubs/flowers etc)
and 10-10-10 @ 2 cups per 100 sq ft. now and again in May and July

My question is do you think this will hurt my established plants mostly
Azaleas and Rodies Hostas and other shadelovers? It was a wooded lot
(150x200 ft) with oaks hickory dogwoods and couple of pines. I cleared
out smaller oaks and hickory for more sun and limbed up remaining but is
still mostly a shaded woodland garden in zone 7B.

Any advise will be greatly appreciated from you experts on soils!

Oh yeah one more question if you don't mind. I have just read from
research that hollytone lowers the ph and I am afraid I might have messed
up using it on the new Leyland Cypresses I planted on the street side of
lot that receives morning and afternoon sun. They were planted last year
and so far look to be healthy but should I lime heavy around them just in
case? Thanks.

Elaine in Georgia

--
Elaine

If you make sufficient compost you can add the limestone to that and
reserve it for your "normal" beds.
My reccomendation for wood ashes is because they are faster than
limestone and provide trace elements and a good portion of K
Limestone as a surface application is going to take a few months to
show effect.
It's more about making nutrients available to the plants as many are
locked up as insoluble compounds in acid soils.
Did your soil test give you a percentage of organic content?

I have 2 compost piles about 6x6 ft going now plus alot of oak leaves and
aged sawdust I put through the chipper along with coffee/tea grounds egg
shells and anything else organic I even have my sweet neighbors saving
theirs for me in exchange for cut flowers when I have them! I have just
started mixing in lime also to be on the safe side as this is going in all
new beds from here on out and I add more at planting time.

But you know I just read after compost gets ready it is suppose to be fairly
neutral in pH is that true? Anyway as acid as my soil is extra lime sure
can't hurt. It is also sandy so I am mixing about half and half in the new
beds. Time to think about a better watering system besides the old hose I
think.

In answer to your questions..nope they didn't give a percentage on organic
content. (That would have been nice.)
It was the Mehlich I test then UGA gave me their Lime Buffer Capacity Method
test. My LBC was 541.

wrote in message
oups.com...
If you make sufficient compost you can add the limestone to that and
reserve it for your "normal" beds.
My reccomendation for wood ashes is because they are faster than
limestone and provide trace elements and a good portion of K
Limestone as a surface application is going to take a few months to
show effect.
It's more about making nutrients available to the plants as many are
locked up as insoluble compounds in acid soils.
Did your soil test give you a percentage of organic content?