Everyone wants a lush green lawn, but soil tends to get in the way of a healthy lawn. Adding lime to weedy soil is an excellent way to raise soil pH while stimulating optimal development.

Lawn lime is made from natural limestone. The rock is finely ground before being used as a substrate for lawns, gardens and other landscaped areas. Limestone is rich in natural magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate, which can be used to neutralize acidic soils.

So if you’re looking for a way to boost your lawn, keep reading!

What is lime?

Lime is a soil supplement derived from powdered limestone that naturally contains calcium and magnesium carbonates. When lime is added to soil, these molecules work together to raise the pH of the soil, making it less acidic and more alkaline.

Although lime contains calcium and magnesium, both essential elements for good plant development, it is not a substitute for fertilizers. The primary function of lime is to change soil pH and balance acidity, thereby increasing the availability of plant nutrients.
Lawn Lime – What is Lime?

Why do we need to use lime on lawns?

The soil beneath your lawn is rich in important macronutrients that help your lawn grow. Potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, iron, boron, zinc and other nutrients.

If you want lush green weed, you need a precise mix of essential nutrients. When soil pH exceeds 6.5, nutrients begin to degrade, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies.

Without it, not only will your weeds not thrive, but the soil will become toxic and die completely.

If you see dead grass blades, yellow areas in the grass, slow weaving sod, or a general decrease in sod density, your soil may be acidic.

Any kind of external variable can cause acidity. Too much rain can lead to alkali runoff, increased acidity, and even over-fertilization. Whatever the reason, lime treatment will improve your weeds.

When acidic soil is neutralized by lime, your grass is healthier, more attractive, and grows faster. Lime also has a positive effect on the general structure of the underlying soil.

This increases moisture retention while increasing ventilation. Not only is lime good for your lawn, but it also helps improve the quality of your garden soil.

How do I know when my lawn needs lime?

When soil becomes too acidic, turfgrass suffers, and plants that thrive in acidic soil take its place. For example, the growth of lawn moss indicates that your soil pH has dropped too low for vigorous, healthy grass growth.

Increases in typical lawn weeds, diseases and pests are further early warning indicators. Many weeds prefer acidic soil, and low soil pH can reduce the effectiveness of some herbicides and pesticides.

If the soil is too acidic, the grass will not respond to a good lawn fertilizer because they will produce the robust, lush growth you expect.

Why is soil testing important?

Soil tests provide an accurate reading of the soil’s current pH as well as other parameters such as: B. Soil type, which affects how much lime or other soil amendments are needed.

Without a soil sample, you won’t be able to properly assess your lawn’s needs. Using lime when it’s not necessary, or using too much, can do more harm than good to turfgrass.

If your soil is very acidic, retest annually until the proper balance is restored. Established lawns should be inspected every three to four years. Your county extension agent can provide you with information and testing tools.
Why does soil pH keep changing?

Soil pH can fluctuate for many reasons, including the addition of lime or other materials. Calcium naturally leaches out when rainwater flows through the soil in places with high rainfall.

The pH of the soil will decrease due to the loss of calcium, and over time, the soil will become acidic. These areas often require lime to maintain a healthy lawn. Calcium is not available where there is little rainfall, and the lawn will become too alkaline.

Proper lawn care will naturally lower soil pH over time. Regular fertilization, proper watering, and increased activity of beneficial soil microorganisms all contribute to the typical progressive soil pH reduction.

When is the Best Time to Apply Lime to Your Lawn?

When plastering your lawn, timing is everything. Lime needs time to break down in the soil and change the pH.

The duration of the deacidification process depends on soil conditions, the type of lime used, the method of application and the effective embedding in the soil.

Working with a professional lawn care provider can speed up the process, as they will know which type of lime to use and how to use it based on your unique soil conditions.

Generally speaking, fall is the best time for lime lawns. This gives the lime enough time to transform the acidic soil before the next planting season.

Since the chemical reaction of lime in the soil is gradual, you may want to consider replacing the soil if you want immediate benefits for your weeds.

The worst time to paint a lawn is in midsummer. High temperatures disrupt chemical processes, causing pH levels in the soil to become more unbalanced.

Also, avoid liming the lawn when frost is expected. Freezing effectively stops the chemical reaction, moisture will dilute the lime and prevent proper pH neutralization.
How to use lime on lawns?

Dolomite lime is the type of lime most commonly used by grasses. You can hire a professional lawnman to mow your lawn, or if you have experience, you can do it yourself.

Lime for lawn maintenance is available in granular and powder forms. Both are equally effective at stabilizing soil pH. Lime is applied to the grass using a rotary tiller or box spreader.

This will ensure that the lime is applied evenly and that no areas receive too much lime. The finer the ground lime, the faster it will react in the soil.

We recommend hiring an expert to mow the lawn. The process can be messy and can be dangerous if you inhale the lime powder.

Wearing a commercial respirator can help reduce exposure, but it is important to clean surrounding surfaces after placing it on the lawn.

Lime powder often sticks to paved surfaces and can damage the plastic if not cleaned properly. Most lawn care companies use lime pellets to avoid many of the cleaning and breathing difficulties associated with lime treatment.

Another benefit of using lime granules is that they are designed for timed release. This ensures that your entire garden is adequately covered.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lime for Lawn
lawn lime

Can lime and fertilizer be applied at the same time?

Fertilizing the grass and adding lime to the soil at the same time is not recommended. It’s a good idea to test your soil before liming weeds to determine which product is most needed.

A professional lawn or garden contractor can test the soil before treating your grass, or you can get a soil test kit from your local hardware store. Both lime and fertilizer are growth nutrients, although they serve very different functions.

Your fertilizer helps provide the nutrients your plants and weeds need to grow. Lime, on the other hand, is used to reduce the acidity of the soil, making it easier for nutrients to be absorbed. Knowing the pH of your soil can help you decide which actions to take first.

If you test your lawn and find that the soil acidity is too high, your lawn will not benefit fully from fertilizer. In this case, it is important to lime the lawn first.

This avoids the accumulation of unabsorbed nitrates that increase soil acidity. After the lime has balanced the pH of the soil, you can apply fertilizer to support grass growth.
What if I use too much lime on my lawn?

Limeing your lawn is an effective way to help the soil return to a healthy pH, resulting in a healthier lawn. Lime should always be left to the professionals, but if you do it yourself and have problems, you may have used too much lime.

Too much lime on your lawn can leach acidity from the soil, but it can also make the soil too alkaline for grass to thrive. This results in the grass turning yellow and also unable to absorb vital water and nutrients from the surrounding soil.

A professional lawn care company can evaluate the soil and apply specific treatments to correct excessive calcification. You can also dilute the lime by covering it with new organic material for several weeks. As a last resort, you can add horticultural sulfur to weeds in an attempt to counteract scale and restore soil pH.
Is lawn lime harmful to pets or humans?

Lime comes in different forms; those used for lawn care are usually in powder or granular form. While liquid lime can be used for weeds, it is rarely used outside of professional services.

Although lime is natural, it is not suitable for human consumption. It is critical that employees wear heavy duty masks when working with lime powder.

It is important not to allow the ingestion of lime pellets by dogs or small children. They can cause skin, eye, and stomach irritation, but limes are not dangerous unless intentionally ingested.

Make sure the lime is fully mixed into the soil before letting your pet roam free. People should also avoid soil until the lime has had a chance to soak in completely.
How much does a 40-pound bag of limes cover?

Lime bag coverage depends on several factors: product type, application method, and application surface.

In general, a 40-pound bag of dry slaked lime will cover about 600 square feet when using a spreader. This coverage can be as high as 800 square feet per bag when lime is applied using a drip or rotary spreader.

There are many different types of lime today. Each has its own unique characteristics that determine the coverage they provide. For example, calcium hydroxide is more effective than dolomite because it contains more calcium and less magnesium.

Dolomite also has a higher density than most other types of lime, which means it takes up less space in the bag and weighs more per cubic foot (40 pounds).
Can lime and grass seed be applied at the same time?

The answer is yes and no. It depends on what you want to achieve.

Lime is the way to go if you’re looking for a lush green lawn and want to plant grass seeds in the spring. However, if you want to get rid of crabgrass and other weeds in the fall, consider using a pre-emergent herbicide instead of lime.

Lime is an important part of any lawn care program because it helps balance the pH of the soil and ensure it’s in the optimal range of 6.5 to 7.0. If your soil pH is too high or too low, it can affect the uptake of nutrients by the grass and cause other problems like yellowing leaves or stunted growth.