When should I apply lime?

Lime should be applied at least 2 weeks before the crop and worked into the soil. Ideally the lime should be applied at least 1 month before planting the next crop. Soil testing straight after harvest and then applying lime straight away after you get your soil test results back is a good option where farmers are growing one main crop a year in a rain fed situation. This give the lime more time to react in you soil before planting, resulting in bigger crop responses.