Mistakenly added lime to dragons eye pine soil: what should I do?

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Merlin9 Jul 17, 2016

Hi there, I recently planted a few dragons eye pines and threw in a few handfuls of lime in with the topsoil and a bit of bonemeal. I later learned that lime neutralizes the soil and that pines like a more acidic soil. What should I do? Will the lime affect the pines growth negatively over he years? Should I dig it up and move the trees to a different location where there is no lime added to the soil and they might do better?

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kittriana Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a) Jul 18, 2016

Depends on what your soil was to begin with. Pines can actually grow in any soil conditions. Lime is used to suck moisture from soil, and to assist in the uptake of nutrients in soils like Tn has, or in fields that are continuously planted. You do not say where you are, so anything could be a guess. I do know pines like iron and if you are planting in an area that has less iron available in the soil you may have problems. A couple of handfuls in a hole is a bit much. Did you mix it? What else did you throw in? How deep below the roots is it? (So you don't shrivel your roots before the plant gets going)

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ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) Jul 21, 2016

First: do no wrong.

Don't add anymore of anything. Collect samples of your unadulterated soil and - separately - collect samples of the soil amended for planting your pine. Have these samples analyzed by your local Cooperative Extension Service to determine what your soil pH and nutrient levels are. That is the only information-based way you will know what you should do.

I agree with kittriana that lime is usually a broadcast application over a larger growing area, like a garden plot or agricultural field - almost never directly in a planting hole.

Post back here after you get your soil test results. Then, more helpful directions can be offered.

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kittriana Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a) Jul 21, 2016

Chuckl, thanx VV! Agreed wholeheartedly!

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