Liming

 

Liming Your Lawn

 

Liming is one of the most important things you can do in caring for your lawn.  If the pH is not correct, the soil, in a sense, is "locked up" and will not allow the fertilizer to be released for its maximum performance and the grass to be healthy, green and disease and drought tolerant.

 

Application

 

Addition of lime may be needed to neutralize soil acidity. An acidity test should be carried out to see if the pH is below 5.5. If these signs are present, apply ground limestone at any time but autumn or winter is best.

 

Soil Types

 

Different soil types have different degrees of being “locked up”. The type of soil on your property will determine the rate and volume of the lime application. Sandy soils, as an example, are looser and more porous. Getting this type of soil back to a more neutral level takes less lime than other soil types. Loam soil, on the other hand, requires more lime. Clay soil needs the most lime; more than twice as much as Sandy soil.

 

How Often

 

An application to bring the soil back to a more neutral state should last four to six years. Over time and with the use of nitrogen based fertilizers, soils tend to become more acidic. Nitrogen fertilizers, poor drainage, evergreen needles and pets all contribute to higher acid levels in the soil resulting in more frequent lime applications. As a “general” rule, pH level testing is appropriate every other year, with lime applications  as the levels fall below 5.5.

 

 

the Grass Care Professionals