I can't answer your specific questions. Maybe you could call customer service if there are any phone numbers on the bag. I have used Solu-Lime. I like that it's faster acting. For regular lime, you should not put down more than 50 lb./1000 square feet in one application. Read the Solu-Lime bag to find the maximum amount per application. You can reapply lime every 90 days during the growing season. If you have high magnesium, you should avoid dolomitic lime and stick to calcitic lime.

Thanks for the response, becky. The pelletized lime in my first post is marked "calcitic", but then includes the three forms of Mg. And I don't know if those percentages equate to "a lot" of Mg, or just a minimal amount. I guess I should avoid adding any Mg at all since I've already got high levels. Do you know if there is regular pellitized lime (not the fast acting Solu-Lime/Encap/Peningtons, etc.) that have zero Mg? That way I could use Solu-Lime for a fast fix, plus have the ongoing slow release of "regular" lime w/o adding any Mg.

I'm not a lime expert. Maybe you can get some advice from an extension office (here in VA each locality has a VA Tech extension office--other states with land grant universities may have something similar). I would be concerned about putting two applications down at the same time. It would be better to do them 90 days apart. Since you need a lot of lime, you will likely be putting lime down 2-3 times a year for several years.

>>Does the Solu-Lime contain any magnesium at all?

Trace amounts, certainly, but not enough to list. It's derived from calcium carbonate.

>>The ag lime list three types of magnesium: magnesium, magnesium oxide, and magnesium carbonate. What's the difference?

The chemistry differs. Oxides are much slower to react and can take years, carbonates are very fast (and have an enhanced neutralization effect as the carbonate is, ultimately, an alkaline in and of itself).

>>Which is the type I don't want if I already have high magnesium?

Dolomitic lime would be the worst choice at anywhere from 15-30% total magnesium. Really, without seeing the soil test, it's hard to say. What would be tolerable on a normal Mg load wouldn't be on a very high one.

>>Do I add up the three percentages to get "total magnesium"?

Just use the 3.1%. Essentially, there's ten times more Ca than Mg--again, depending on your soil test, that might be just fine or not recommended.

>>Is the percent magnesium in this ag lime considered "a lot of magnesium" to add to my lawn, or is this not that much magnesium?

Again, it's going to depend on your soil test. On my soil, it would be marginal. On some I see, it would be OK and I'd adjust around it.

Morph, thanks for checking in and offering your expertise.

Here are the actual soil test results, from Va. Tech. Their recommendation was for 220 lbs. lime/K. If seeing the test results allows you to give any other specific advice, I'd be most appreciative.

(Side question: Is Southern States' Solu-Lime pretty much equal to Encap/Mag-I-Cal/ Penningtons? I've been assuming it is, but maybe I'm wrong.)

So roughly, your calcium is way low, while Mg is OK. I'd avoid magnesium. Period.

I'm not directly familiar with the Solu-Lime, but would say it's an acceptable product. It may not be as fast--it depends on the sieve sizes--but it'll work.

Here's info from the bag: 100% passes 50 mesh sieve, 95% passes 60 or 100 mesh, 90% pases 200 mesh. Recommended rate for maintaining ph is 6 lb/1000 sq ft, for raising pH is 12 lb/1000 sq. ft. Analysis: calcium 36%, minimum calcium carbonate 91%, calcium carbonate equivalent 91%, effective neutralizing value 88.7%, minimum ECCE 88.72%. Derived from calcium carbonate. Meets WV fineness classification for pulverized. Also contains 2% polyhydroxycarboxylic acids from plant extracts (act as a complexing agent), 8% lignin sulfonate as binding agent. I suspect that it is the same product as SoluCal, just with a different brand name for Southern States distribution.

VA Tech recommended 220 lb/1000 sq ft. That's of regular lime. The most you can put down in any one application (regular lime) is 50 lb/1000 sq ft and applications can be done once every 90 days during the growing season. I also have to use lime regularly. I use the fast acting limes, either Solu-Lime or Pennington or MagiCal, and just expect to keep doing it until the annual soil test tells me to stop. They are easier to apply, besides being faster acting.

Thanks, Becky! So moderately fast lime, but not extremely fast (a near-100% amount passing sieve 200 would do that).

I'd apply 5 pounds per thousand square feet in spring, 5 pounds in fall, and test again in very early spring of 2017 (using Logan Labs this time to get a more complete test). The CEC says quite sandy, so adding more at once would be pretty useless--it'll just wash out.

Thanks both of you. You are right, it is sandy (although it doesn't look it). Jar test says 60% sand, 20% silt, and 20% clay. Guess only organic matter will help that.

Morpheus, what would you advise about using regular calcitic lime on this soil? Headmotty was thinking about using it (in addition to Solu-Lime) to have it last longer (Solu-Lime for fast, regular for slow). Two applications at once seemed too much, I thought, but alternating would be okay. But maybe not on this soil? Also, why not do another application in June? It seems he needs lime as often as he can put it down, as much as can be done at a time. Headmotty, what are you doing about the potassium shortage?

I went ahead and put down one bag of Solu-Lime (50 lbs., works out to 6.7 lbs./K), and was actually thinking of waiting a month and applying regular calcitic lime to get the continuous slow-release going. And then thinking ahead...another bag of Solu-Lime in late summer, followed by another application of regular lime in fall to slow-release over the winter. Does that sound OK?

Since I'm low in potassium (and even lower in phosphorus), I'm planning on applying a balanced (19-19-19) fertilizer at rate of 1 lb. of N in early May. Does a balanced fertilizer sound correct for my current situation, or should I go with some other formulation?

Fast/slow is more about how quickly it works, not how long it lasts. The calcium ions will bind quite happily to the soil particles (and organic matter particles kicking around in there), so in either case, both will hang around for about the same amount of time.

I'd use the fast stuff for a year and see how it turns out.

Even fast lime takes about six months to settle down, and application too much faster than that runs the risk of setting off a high-pH zone at the top of the soil (while still having a low-pH band below that). Plants aren't thrilled by that sort of thing, nor is the soil biology, so a slower change is always advisable.

For this year, I'd ride the potassium levels and work on the calcium instead. While (s)he could certainly add in 1 pound per thousand of potassium sulfate per month for three months, it's not necessary. K levels are a little low, but not unreasonable and not deficient.

>>I went ahead and put down one bag of Solu-Lime (50 lbs., works out to 6.7 lbs./K), and was actually thinking of waiting a month and applying regular calcitic lime to get the continuous slow-release going. And then thinking ahead...another bag of Solu-Lime in late summer, followed by another application of regular lime in fall to slow-release over the winter. Does that sound OK?

In a word, no. You're going way over the top on lime application. As I mentioned above, it'll set off a high pH zone up top, and damage the soil biology (it'll recover, but it takes six months to adjust or a year to repair if damaged).

At this point, I'd apply 1 more bag of Solu-Lime in late September to early October and call it a season. At that point, you're maxing out on the amount of calcium you should add--and well over the top already on a sandy soil, which doesn't take much in terms of resources to shift.

>>Since I'm low in potassium (and even lower in phosphorus), I'm planning on applying a balanced (19-19-19) fertilizer at rate of 1 lb. of N in early May. Does a balanced fertilizer sound correct for my current situation, or should I go with some other formulation?

Sure, if you like! That'll target 1 pound of P and K as well, which is fine. With amounts that low, I don't have to give you my potassium chloride lecture, which will probably be the K source--I have no objection to doing this once.

OK, I'll go ahead with that fertilizer, but back off the lime until fall.