How to lime your lawn

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Melissa - Lawn Care Support Blogs

Most varieties of lawn grows best in slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6 and 7. If your soil pH is below 5.5, your lawn won’t thrive. Don’t expect an extra application of fertiliser to help because highly acidic soil can’t absorb nutrients effectively.

Do You Need to Lime Your Lawn Grass?

If you live in a dry, desert climate, there’s a chance your soil is alkaline and you may not need to lime your lawn grass. If you live a rainy, tropical area, your soil is likely to be acidic and may benefit from lime lawn treatment.

The only way to find out for sure is to undertake a soil pH test. Liming a lawn that doesn’t need it is a waste of time and money, and liming soil that is already highly alkaline may affect soil health and result in an unhealthy yellow lawn.

Test each year to be sure you aren’t adding too much lime. Once the proper pH is established you will probably need to lime only once every few years.

Best Time to Lime a Lawn

Many lawn owners prefer to lime at the end of summer so that the lawn has the cooler months to absorb the lime. Don’t spread lime on a dry, wilted lawn or a soggy, wet lawn.

If you haven’t installed your lawn yet, apply lime to the soil just before you lay the lawn.

How to Lime your lawn

Before you begin, a few liming lawn tips should be considered:

There are several types of lime and your local garden centre or lawn care specialist can help you determine the best type for your grass, soil type and climate. However, most lawn owners find that pellet forms are easier to apply than powders. Once you’ve decided on the best type of lime for your lawn, refer to the label to determine the proper amount, which will depend largely on your soil pH level.

Depending on the type of lime, you can use a drop-style or rotary spreader. A spreader is the best tool for applying lime. Apply half of the recommended amount of lime by walking back and forth horizontally with the spreader and then add the second half by walking vertically. This way, your criss-cross pattern ensures the grass is evenly and completely covered.

Water your lawn lightly after your lime lawn treatment to help the soil absorb the lime.

Contact Harden Park Lawns if you need additional advice on how to lime your lawn.