Lime Application: What You Need to Know
When it comes to getting the right pH for a healthy lawn, lime is one of the key ingredients you need to get the soil acidity dialed-in to perfection.
Can Lime Hurt My Lawn?
Lime is essential in bringing the pH from acidic toward basic to achieve the optimal pH. However, lime can be a danger to plants that prefer a more acidic soil. If you’re growing flowers and shrubs that include azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas or camellias, consult your landscaper before adding lime, as these particular plants prefer a more acidic pH.
What is the Best pH for Grass?
If you’re working on a perfect lawn, your perfect pH will vary somewhere between 6.5-7.0. You don’t want the soil too basic or too acidic. Mildly acidic soils are ideal for grass — if the acidity goes to high, the grass won’t be able to absorb the ideal quantity of nutrients from the soil.
Check with your lawncare provider about what pH is best for your strain of grass. This is because there are differences between warm and cool season grasses.
When Should I Add Lime to My Lawn?
Before you add anything to your soil, get a soil tester and measure the pH. The common wisdom among farmers is that they prefer to lime their soil close to but before the first frost of autumn. This varies by region in the USA, so take a look at weather trends in your area to estimate when to expect frost.
How Is Lime Applied to My Lawn
Lime comes in a few different forms. There’s the traditional powdered lime, and there’s also lime that comes in pellet form.
Many prefer the pellet form because it’s less messy and easier to apply than the powders.
Lime is applied to the soil using a tool — a rotary or drop-style spreader. Generally, it’s recommended to crisscross the soil vertically then horizontally, spreading half the lime in one direction before switching to its opposite. This ensures that you’re keeping your lime even.
Should I Do it Myself?
The best way to ensure that you get the best results from your lawncare efforts is to hire a professional landscaping service. When you put the health of your lawn in the hands of a professional, you can rest easier knowing that the expertise they bring to the table will keep you out of any scrapes with misadjusting the pH of your lawn.
Call us today to locate a provider near you who can help you get the best lawn possible including lime application today.