Lime Recommendations

Limestone recommendations are made based on the pH goal and the amount of exchangeable acidity measured by the Mehlich Buffer soil test.

The pH goal varies with the crop. The pH goal is given on the crop sheet for each crop in this handbook. If the soil pH is already at or above the pH goal, no limestone is recommended. If the soil pH is below the pH goal for the crop, look in the left hand column and find the acidity as reported on the bottom of the soil test report then go across to the appropriate "pH Goal" column to determine the limestone recommendation. The recommendations are given as pounds of calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) per acre. If the limestone to be used is significantly different from 100% CCE, the recommendation must be adjusted for this difference. ST-2 "Liming Material Conversion Table" explains how to make this adjustment.

Table 1. Lime Recommendation (lb CCE/A)
Acidity
(meq/100 g)		 pH Goal 7.0 pH Goal 6.5 pH Goal 6.0 pH Goal 5.5 pH Goal 5.0
2.0 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
2.6 3,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
3.3 3,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
3.9 4,000 3,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
4.6 5,000 3,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
5.2 5,000 4,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
5.8 6,000 4,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
6.5 7,000 5,000 3,000 2,000 2,000
7.1 7,000 5,000 4,000 2,000 2,000
7.8 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 2,000
8.4 8,000 6,000 5,000 3,000 2,000
9.0 9,000 7,000 5,000 3,000 3,000
9.7 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 3,000
10.3 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 3,000
11.0 11,000 9,000 7,000 4,000 3,000
11.6 12,000 9,000 7,000 5,000 4,000
12.3 12,000 10,000 8,000 5,000 4,000
12.9 13,000 11,000 8,000 6,000 4,000
13.5 14,000 11,000 9,000 6,000 5,000
14.2 14,000 12,000 9,000 6,000 5,000
14.8 15,000 12,000 10,000 7,000 6,000
15.5 16,000 13,000 10,000 7,000 6,000
16.1 16,000 14,000 11,000 8,000 6,000
16.8 17,000 14,000 11,000 8,000 6,000
17.4 17,000 15,000 12,000 8,000 7,000
18.0 18,000 15,000 12,000 9,000 7,000
18.7 19,000 16,000 13,000 9,000 7,000
19.3 19,000 17,000 13,000 10,000 8,000
20.0 20,000 17,000 14,000 10,000 8,000
20.6 21,000 18,000 14,000 10,000 8,000
21.2 21,000 18,000 15,000 11,000 9,000
21.9 22,000 20,000 15,000 11,000 9,000
22.5 23,000 20,000 16,000 12,000 9,000
23.2 23,000 20,000 16,000 12,000 10,000
23.8 24,000 21,000 17,000 12,000 10,000
24.5 25,000 21,000 17,000 13,000 10,000
25.1 25,000 22,000 18,000 13,000 11,000
25.7 26,000 23,000 18,000 14,000 11,000

Ag Analytical Services Lab

Address

720 Tower Rd
University Park, PA 16802
Directions

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Ag Analytical Services Lab

Address

720 Tower Rd
University Park, PA 16802
Directions

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM