Lime is a great way to help your lawn thrive, provided it’s used properly. Lime is an alkalizing soil treatment that is made from ground limestone rock. Using magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate, this product reduces your soil’s acidity and increases its pH.
First and foremost, you must determine the current pH level of your soil to assess whether or not you are in need of lime on your lawn. This can be done by using a soil pH testing kit. Lime can be used in vegetable gardens, flower beds and, of course, on your lawn. Some visual signs of a high acidity in your lawn are yellow spots, moss and weeds, grass blades wilting and leaf blight (which is a fungal disease). However, these symptoms can be the result of other issues as well. The acidity level of your lawn can only be known by performing a pH test. These tests are useful because they reveal more than the pH level of your soil, they also inform you of any nutrient deficiencies. A healthy pH balance for a lawn is between 6.0 and 7.0.
Liming is not a treatment that should be done regularly like other products. It should only be used following a pH test that proves the acidity to be high. Your lawn should be assessed and lime should only be used when needed. Using lime on a healthy lawn can result in tampering with balanced soil and damaging it, which can take years to rectify.
Lime should only be applied on a dry lawn and by using a spreader, which is a piece of equipment that distributes fertilizer or different types of treatment to your lawn. There are both hand-held versions of spreaders and ones which you walk behind and push. Never apply lime by hand. Begin by using half of the amount recommended by the product packaging. Using your spreader, apply the treatment by walking vertically in columns across your lawn from one end to the other and then apply the other half of your treatment by walking horizontally in rows to apply the rest. This will ensure you have spread the lime evenly over the area needed. Once this has been applied, you may lightly water your lawn to activate the lime and assist your lawn in absorbing the treatment.
If you find that you are in need of lime treatment, be sure to find all of your lawn care supplies here at Hewlynn Home & Garden Center. We hope you enjoy our blog and come back each month for useful tips, tricks, hacks and more for your home and garden care!
