Liming acidic soil before planting !!

[BruceWayne]

Need some advice for liming soil for tree planting.

 

I am going to plant 2 year old trees in soil which is a bit acidic. I was thinking of mixing lime with the soil used for filling up holes when planting. Or will it a better option to spread lime around the land as a whole ? Area is spread around 2-3 hectares.

Edited Saturday at 15:21 by BruceWayne

[Stere]

What tree species?

 

Some like acidic

 

[Steven P]

If your soil is too acidic now for what you want, got to also consider reapplying the lime every few years.

[Tree monkey 1682]

Why not plant a more suitable species? 

[BruceWayne]

7 hours ago, Stere said:

What tree species?

 

Some like acidic

 

Walnuts 

[nepia]

Soil always reverts to type when treated to combat acidity or alkalinity, hence Steven P's assertion that re-applying lime every few years will be necessary to maintain the raised pH.

So if you're determined to grow walnuts you will probably have to treat the ground every few years but long term the sensible thing is to grow a species more suited to the prevailing soil pH, as also said!

[Stere]

Rough guide is 2t a acre to raise pH 0.5 & would need reapplying every few yrs.

 

Walnuts may be ok anyway unless pH is very low if your soil type is suitable

[nepia]

Quite.  Don't let the books suggest that pinpoint pH is vital.

What's more important to the OP than slight acidity is drainage; walnuts won't stand in wet ground.

[markieg31]

Bit like farming and spreading lime. Better of accepting a lower productivity and saving the money!

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, markieg31 said:

Bit like farming and spreading lime. Better of accepting a lower productivity and saving the money!

That says something about the profitability of growing food nowadays.

 

When I started work I would often see a Bedford MK lime spreader on the road to and from the water works, collecting lime  which came up from the aquifer with the water, or spreading it in a field.