Wisconsin's land-grant extension doesn't use a one-size-fits-all number — it uses a published method. UW Madison Extension A2809 (Laboski & Peters 2012, ch. 5 reviewed Jun 2024) — combined source v2.0 (2026-05-27). Lime block: Table 5.1 full 9 target-pH equations verbatim (5.2 → 6.8), constant + buffer_slope·BpH + water_slope·WpH form; Table 5.2 plow-depth multipliers (1.00/1.15/1.31/1.46 for 0-7/7.1-8/8.1-9/>9 in); Table 5.3 elemental S to lower pH (3 ΔpH × 6 SOM brackets). 60-69 NI calibration midpoint. Floors 1.0-2.0 t/A; caps 8 t/A potato + 12 t/A other. 0.2 pH unit deadband. No-till >5yr surface-only override (1 t/A topdress). Enter your soil-test values in the free calculator and Zone Forge returns tons of CaCO₃-equivalent per acre, ECCE-adjusted, with the citation.
Published source: UW Madison Extension A2809 — Nutrient Application Guidelines for Field, Vegetable, and Fruit Crops in Wisconsin
It depends on your soil's buffer/acidity reading and your target pH — Wisconsin publishes a method, not a single number. UW Madison Extension A2809 (Laboski & Peters 2012, ch. 5 reviewed Jun 2024) — combined source v2.0 (2026-05-27). Lime block: Table 5.1 full 9 target-pH equations verbatim (5.2 → 6.8), constant + buffer_slope·BpH + water_slope·WpH form; Table 5.2 plow-depth multipliers (1.00/1.15/1.31/1.46 for 0-7/7.1-8/8.1-9/>9 in); Table 5.3 elemental S to lower pH (3 ΔpH × 6 SOM brackets). 60-69 NI calibration midpoint. Floors 1.0-2.0 t/A; caps 8 t/A potato + 12 t/A other. 0.2 pH unit deadband. No-till >5yr surface-only override (1 t/A topdress). Enter your values in the free Zone Forge lime calculator for tons of CaCO3-equivalent per acre, with the citation.
UW Madison Extension A2809 (Laboski & Peters 2012, ch. 5 reviewed Jun 2024) — combined source v2.0 (2026-05-27). Lime block: Table 5.1 full 9 target-pH equations verbatim (5.2 → 6.8), constant + buffer_slope·BpH + water_slope·WpH form; Table 5.2 plow-depth multipliers (1.00/1.15/1.31/1.46 for 0-7/7.1-8/8.1-9/>9 in); Table 5.3 elemental S to lower pH (3 ΔpH × 6 SOM brackets). 60-69 NI calibration midpoint. Floors 1.0-2.0 t/A; caps 8 t/A potato + 12 t/A other. 0.2 pH unit deadband. No-till >5yr surface-only override (1 t/A topdress). Source: UW Madison Extension A2809 — Nutrient Application Guidelines for Field, Vegetable, and Fruit Crops in Wisconsin.
Zone Forge computes every Wisconsin recommendation from that state's own published land-grant method — lime, soil-test fertilizer, and full variable-rate prescriptions. See the science →