Food Plot Lime Calculator (Pelletized or Ag Lime)
Turn your soil test's lime recommendation into pounds and bags of the lime you can buy.
Plot size to calculate bags for
From your soil test report
Example: $3.75 per 40-lb bag
Leave blank if buying bagged lime
Advanced settings (Lab basis & aglime comparison)
Lime needed
2,222 lb (56 × 40-lb bags)
51.0 lb
90.0 % RNV
Formula: 1 t/ac rec × (100% lab basis ÷ 90.0% RNV) = 1.11 t/ac.
Start from your soil-test lab's recommendations and your state extension's planting dates. Always follow product labels.
Divide the recommended rate by your lime's relative neutralizing value. MSU's example: a 2 ton/acre recommendation needs 2.67 tons/acre of a lime with 75 % RNV, or 3.03 tons/acre at 66 % RNV. For a plot, multiply by its acres; for bags, divide the pounds by the bag size and round up.
Worked example
MSU: CCE 92 %, 94 % passing 10-mesh, 50 % passing 50-mesh → RNV 66.2 %. 1 ton/acre with pelletized lime at 90 % RNV → 2,222 lb/acre = 56 × 40-lb bags; at $3.75 a bag that is $210 per acre (MSU P3102).
How it's calculated
Relative Neutralizing Value (RNV): When sieve data is provided, RNV is calculated using Mississippi State University Extension Publication P3762: RNV = CCE × [0.5 × (% passing 10-mesh − % passing 50-mesh) + % passing 50-mesh] ÷ 100.
Product Rate: Adjusted rate (tons/acre) = recommended rate × (lab basis % ÷ product RNV %). Total plot pounds = product rate × 2,000 lb/ton × plot acres.
Bags Needed: Bags = ceil(total plot pounds ÷ bag size in pounds). Cost = bags × price per bag, or (total pounds ÷ 2,000) × bulk price per ton.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between RNV, CCE, and ECCE?
CCE is purity; RNV/ECCE also credits fineness — coarse particles act slowly.
What if my lab assumes a different value?
Most labs assume 100 % RNV; check your report.
How many 40-lb bags in a ton?
50 bags. One short ton equals 2,000 pounds, so 2,000 ÷ 40 = 50 bags.
Sources
- MSU Extension P3762 — Agricultural Limestone's Neutralizing Value
RNV formula, rate adjustment, cost per effective ton, worked examples
- MSU Extension P3102 — Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck: Liming and Fertilizing Wildlife Food Plots
Pelletized vs bulk lime, $210 example, pH below 6.0, re-test at ≥ 4 tons
- Alabama Cooperative Extension — Soil Testing, Liming and Fertilizing Wildlife Food Plots
pH 6.0–6.5, lime timing, pelletized lime notes, legume 30 % rule, 0-46-0 example
Last reviewed: 2026-10-26
Built and maintained by Numberwright. The formulas come from university extension publications (Mississippi State, Clemson, Alabama Extension) and USDA NRCS, linked below. Found a mistake? Contact details coming soon.
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