Lime for lawn: Why, How and When to apply lime on the lawn?

Let’s dive right in.

lime?

Lime can be divided into hydrated lime (Ca(OH)2 ) and quicklime (CaO). Here we are going to talk about quicklime (often referred to as lime). It comes from high-quality limestone that is crushed and calcined. The main component of quicklime is calcium oxide and a trace of other substances such as magnesium oxide. When lime is added to the soil, these substances will undergo a series of reactions to restore the soil pH value.

Alkaline substances in the soil are easily dissolved and washed away by water. Heavy rainfall or too frequent irrigation will result in the continuous loss of alkaline components in the soil, so the pH value of the soil will slowly decrease. In addition, long-term large-scale use of chemical fertilizers, especially physiological acid salts, is also an important reason for the acidification of lawn soils.

What are the benefits of putting lime on your lawn?

Disinfection and sterilization: Lime is an alkali that effectively kills fungi, bacteria, and pests. Therefore, the purpose of brushing lime water on the trunk in winter is to prevent pests from eroding the trunk.

When quicklime meets water, it will release a lot of heat. Sprinkling quicklime on the lawn in spring can increase the soil temperature and help kill bacteria.

Reduce and prevent turf soil compaction: When quicklime meets water, it releases heat and gas, which can effectively thaw the frozen soil that formed in winter, reducing and preventing soil compaction.

Stimulate soil microbial activity: Lime can neutralize the, which is conducive to enhancing the activity of beneficial microorganisms in the soil, accelerating the digestion and decomposition of microorganisms, thereby increasing the nutrient content of the soil, and further improving the yield of crops.

Increase lawn soil nutrients: Quicklime contains calcium oxide and magnesium oxide. Applying an appropriate amount of quicklime to the lawn can increase the content of calcium and magnesium in the lawn soil to ensure that the grass has an adequate supply of calcium and magnesium.

Improve Appropriate amount of quicklime is applied to the soil. When the quicklime meets with water, calcium hydroxide is formed. Calcium hydroxide can promote the aggregation of soil colloids and make the soil more likely to form agglomerated structure. This can improve soil viscosity, maintain soil moisture, and improve soil permeability, which is more conducive to crop growth.

How do I know if the soil needs lime?

There are many ways to judge that the soil pH value is too low.

Observe the growth of lawn grass. When the soil is too acidic, lawn grass struggles to grow, and vegetation that prefers acid soil takes its place. For example, the appearance of lawn moss indicates that the soil is too acidic to inhibit the growth of grass. In addition, if the lawn grass suffers from diseases, pests, and weeds, it also implies that the lawn soil is too acidic.

Acidic soils are generally darker in color, mostly dark brown. If the soil color is observed to darken, it indicates that the pH value of the soil has decreased.

Take a small amount of lawn soil into distilled water and dissolve it for a while. Then put the PH test paper into it for a few seconds, and then take it out for comparison with the colorimetric card.

The above methods can roughly know the change of soil pH, but to get the specific soil pH value, you need to go to the local soil testing agency for professional soil testing. The test results will tell you important information about the lawn soil, such as the type of soil, the current pH value, and the amount of lime required.

Apply lime before the rain? When do I apply lime?

When to sprinkle lime on the lawn is very important. It takes time for the lime powder to decompose in the soil and change the pH value of lawn soil. Usually, autumn is the best time to apply lime on your lawn.

Lime your lawn in the fall so that the lime has enough time to improve your acid lawn soil before the next growing season. Don’t lime the lawn in midsummer. The high temperature will negatively affect the chemical process and cause the pH of the soil to be further imbalanced. Also, avoid liming the lawn when there is a risk of frost. Low temperature will almost stop the chemical process, and the melted water after frost may also dilute the lime, failing to achieve the desired effect.

Again, be sure to perform a soil test before liming the lawn.

After liming the lawn, measure the pH value of the lawn soil every 2 to 3 years. The measurement result determines whether topdressing is needed and the amount of topdressing.

What happens if I apply too much lime on the lawn?

Applying lime on the lawn is an effective way to help the soil restore to a healthy pH value so that your lawn grass will grow healthier and stronger. However, applying too much lime will make the soil excessively alkalized and compacted, which will cause the grass to turn yellow and inhibit the roots from absorbing important nutrients and water from the surrounding soil.

Do I need to fertilize the lawn after using lime?

Fertilization is required after lime is applied to the lawn. Although lime contains calcium and magnesium, which are essential nutrients for the healthy growth of plants, it cannot replace fertilizer. The main function of lime is to change soil pH and offset soil acidity.

It should be noted that fertilizer and lime cannot be applied at the same time. There must be at least 4 weeks in between.

Because of the mixed application of lime fertilizer and ammonium nitrogen fertilizer, decomposed organic fertilizer, and water-soluble phosphate fertilizer can easily cause the loss of nitrogen and the degradation of phosphorus, resulting in reduced fertilizer efficiency.

In addition, lime is alkaline, and it reacts with water to exothermic. Elevated temperature and acid-base imbalance can easily lead to the loss of fertilizer efficiency. Therefore, it is recommended not to sprinkle lime and fertilizer together.

How do I apply lime on the lawn?

Lime for lawn care comes in granular and powder forms. Both are equally effective in balancing soil PH. Most people recommend using a rotary spreader because it spreads more evenly and more comprehensively, and does not cause too much clogging or agglomeration. It is also suggested to use a drop spreader to lime the lawn. Do not sprinkle lime on the lawn with your bare hands.

Note that inhaling lime powder can cause harm to the body. It is recommended to wear a commercial-grade breathing mask to reduce contact with lime powder.

Adding the right amount of lime to lawn care has many benefits. Therefore, in recent years, lime has gradually become the savior and guardian angel of lawns. The demand for lime powder is also gradually increasing. You can't help but wonder where to get lime?

You can buy lime powder directly at bakerlime

If you are interested in the production process of lime or want to invest in a lime powder production line and make a profit, you can read the article Lime Production Process and Required Equipment.

Lovers of beautiful and exotic minerals.