Fall Plowing

[Bluestreak 0]

I decided to lime and plow under the garden today after work. Daylight was fading fast so I only took a few pictures. This is the first time I've plowed the entire garden with the big ten. I don't think it turned out too badly. I'm gonna have to work on straight lines. :D

I plowed most of it in 1st, but made one or two passes in 2nd. 2nd gear really pulls the RPM's down fast but it turns the ground over a little bit nicer.

[FastPaul 0]

Nice Pics. Looks like a lot of fun !!:D

[MarksA-C 93]

Cool! dOd Just asking...what does lime do? I hear alot of people talking about it but I can't ever figure out what its for.

[Willy 2]

Looks like you took her down pretty deep,nice job. The old foot dragger's getter done. Oh by the way Mark Lime sweetens up the soil,it's used to control acidity,enhances the soils nutrients. When you drive down a gravel road notice the crops closest to the road look the best because the road lime works the same way.

[Chris727 1,844]

Cool, I love plowing pics!

[Scott Salmons 7]

Mark I believe lime changes the PH of the soil.

[Tacey 0]

Amazing little machines, eh? Nice work, and nice pics. Thanks for posting 'em. Tacey

[johnmonkey 4]

real heavy duty looking machine, nice pics. jh

[PatRarick 1]

Mark, soil needs the proper ph level to release nutrients to the plants. Depending on your region, the natural soil is either acid or alkaline. Some plants require a more acid soil, and some require a more alkaline soil. Lime is used on acidic soil to bring down the acidity of the soil Aluminum sulfate or sulfur are used on alkaline soil to raise the acidity of the soil. Where I live in Northwestern Minnesota, our soil is about right for most vegetable gardens, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, dry beans, soybeans, corn, and sunflowers. Lime, amuminum sulfate, or sulfur are rarely used. Blueberries are something we can't grow here because they require a more acidic soil. If we want to grow blueberries, the easiest way is in pots, where you can "micro manage" the soil acidity. Few do so as there are areas very close where the soil acidity is right for blueberries.

[skunkhome 0]

quote:

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Originally posted by Scott Salmons
Mark I believe lime changes the PH of the soil.

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MarK, Most food crops like a neutral or slightly acid soil pH 6.5 to 7. Lime raises the pH of the soil or sweetens it as Willy stated. However, in some areas of the country the pH of the soil has a tendency to rise over time as the water used to irrigate is full of lime. In those areas it is common for farmers to apply sulfur or sulphate compounds (acid compounds) to reduce the pH. Some crops such as blueberries may also require acidification as they like acidly soil pH's in the 4.5 to 5.2 range.