I'm not gonna say I have any idea what I'm talking about but I do troll alot :innocent . Everything I've ever heard says to take a sample and check it out with a ph test. Either buy a kit or take it to the local Ag extension and they will do it for free. If you're gonna plant in a row of pines you're gonna need to lime it big time. From my experience if it gets plenty of shade it will look good but not be near what it could be. Pick out 3 or 4 different samples at each spot you want to plant and do a ph test. Even asking the locals what they think will be 10 times better than not doing anything at all. I've always been told to lime it 6 months or so before it kicks in. I'd till it, lime it and set a feeder for now. Plant a fall plot and watch it grow from there. JMO.
If you are doing a plot that small..
You can get pulverized lime (I believe they are 40# bags, MAYBE 50#) for $2.97/bag at Lowe's. Yes you can get it cheaper in bulk at a feed store, but the bags are easy to carry in the woods. I would go with 5 bags at least.
Also, you are gonna need a bag of fertilizer.Go to a feed store and get a bag of 13-13-13. You can't get a bag of decent fertilizer in the box stores with a high phosphorous # anymore (The middle number). The govt thinks we as homeowners are killing the rivers and lakes so they took out the P of our fertilizers. Highest you can get is 6-6-6-.
**REMEMBER** the higher the middle number in fertilizer (p2o5) is the nutrient that is gonna help antler development the most
Spread all that out, then disc it in. I usually make a couple passes with the disc first, then throw down lime/fertilizer then disc in again.
If you can get that done soon, then your soil will be prepped, then you can plant soon. Its really a bit early yet. we can still get freezes any time for the next few weeks.
The seed mixes like Rackmaster (which I love) should be less than $50/bag. However, a 50# bag is gonna be WAYYY too much for a small spot like that. You're better off buying various seeds at a feed store and building your own. Since its never been planted, i would highly suggest having buckwheat in the mix. Buckwheat is very good for the soil once you till it back in for the fall planting.
Throw your seed by hand or use a hand spreader, and drag in ( a piece of chain link fence or a pallet works best)....AND PRAY FOR RAIN before the turkeys eat it all
Crock- I think without a PH test the overall recommendation for Florida soils in a tri-county area where your lease is would be around 2,000 to 2,200lbs of lime an acre to raise the ph from a acidic level to a neutral level. My dad always goes by 2,200lbs an acre and never uses ph tests. I would use the powdered lime like iluv2hunt said.
