Earth Sciences Commons^™

Liming Of Vineyard Soils, Thomas J. Rice

Earth and Soil Sciences

Liming vineyard soils to increase soil pH and raise calcium levels has been practiced for centuries in the humid areas of the world where soils tend to be more acid. Today, liming is increasingly practiced in the semiarid central coast regions of California, where liming of vineyards was unheard of even a decade ago.
Past agricultural practices, such as the addition of sulfur, acid-forming nitrogen fertilizers, and organic soil amendments, have caused soil acidification. Previously, most of these lands were either open space, range lands, or planted to grain crops.
To avoid unnecessary expense and protect the soil from environmental …