Do you want to have a lawn you are proud of? one with colorful, lush grass that makes your neighbors wonder how you did it? You can realize your dreams with our assistance. By adjusting the pH of your soil, adding lime to your lawn will produce slightly acidic soil that will be beneficial to your lawn’s growth.

Lime restores balance in overly acidic soil to bring pH back to optimal growing levels. Lawn moss and poor grass growth are indicators that lime application is necessary.

Read on if you’re interested in learning how to apply lime yourself or understanding how it would appear if we applied lime for you. Fuller, richer, greener grass is in your future.

What Does Lime Do for Lawns?

5.8 to 7.0 is the pH range needed for healthy grass. Depending on the type of grass you grow, there is a perfect location within that range. Cool-weather grasses require a pH that is slightly higher, while warm-weather grasses require a pH that is slightly lower. Unsure of which one you possess? Contact us for a lawn consultation!

The grass cannot absorb the nutrients from the soil when the pH is too low. When this happens, grass stops growing and serious lawn issues start. Lime is a soil amendment that maintains the ideal pH range for grass growth. The grass can grow fuller and thicker when the soil’s pH is at the ideal level because more nutrients from lawn fertilizer are then available.

What Are Signs You Need to Lime Your Lawn?

A soil pH test is always required to determine if lime is right for your lawn, but here are some other indicators your yard needs help:

There are a lot of weeds – When your soil’s pH is too low, a lot of weeds will grow because many weeds prefer acidic soil. In most cases, weeds can be eliminated naturally by healthy lawns.

Fertilizing does not have an impact – After fertilizing your lawn, if it doesn’t green up, the pH of the soil may be too acidic. The lawn will become dull and eventually turn brown if the soil’s pH is too acidic because the roots will not be able to absorb nutrients.

Too Many Lawn Pests – Pests are managed by healthy lawns. It may indicate that the lawn is not thriving if there are too many lawn pests that start bothering you or the lawn.

Drought and Stress – During a drought, most grasses slow production so that only the most essential part of the grass receives nutrients. Applying lime to your lawn during the rainy season can aid in the recovery of your lawn from the effects of drought.

Lime Lawn Application

Applying lime to lawn correctly is essential to maintaining the safety of people who use the lawn — kids, adults, and pets — and for those who apply the lime to the lawn. Use a qualified landscaper to apply your lime to ensure that the safest practices are followed.

How to apply lime:

Test your soil pH – You must be aware of the pH of your soil in order to apply the appropriate quantity of lime. You can buy a soil pH tester at a nearby garden center, or you can test the soil in Charlotte by requesting a pH kit from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services and sending a sample of your soil to the county. The county will then give you a thorough soil report that is much more precise and accurate than a pH kit you can buy at the store.

Aerate your lawn – The soil can absorb lime by aerating your lawn, which is especially beneficial for Charlotte’s clay soils. Lime must penetrate deeply into the soil rather than settle on the grass surface or thatch because it improves the efficiency of the grass roots.

Apply the lime lawn treatment – Lime must be applied to dry lawn and mixed into the top 5 inches of soil, where the root zone for grasses is located. The best tools to use are either a drop or rotary spreader.

Never manually sprinkle lime on your lawn. Lye within the lime can burn you if it touches your skin. To avoid getting dust in your lungs, you should also wear safety gear like a respiratory mask. Use a landscaping specialist with access to the right safety gear for the safest lime application.

Water the Lime In – Finally, you must immediately rinse any extra lime off the blades of grass so it doesn’t cause them to burn.

When Should I Lime My Lawn?

Timing is crucial when lime-treating your lawn. Lime takes some time to decompose in the soil and change the pH. The soil’s condition, the type of lime you use, how it is applied, and how well it has been incorporated into the soil will all affect how long the deacidification process takes. Working with a professional lawn care company can make the process quicker since they will know the best type of lime and how to apply it according to your specific soil concerns.

Generally speaking, fall is the best season to lime your lawn. This will give the lime plenty of time to change your acidic soil before the following growing season. If you want your lawn to grow quickly, you may need to think about replacing the soil because the chemical reaction of lime in the soil is relatively slow. Your lawn should not be limed in the middle of the summer. High heat can negatively affect the chemical process and cause the pH levels in your soil to become further imbalanced. When there is a chance of frost, you should also avoid liming your lawn. Freezing pretty much brings the chemical process to a standstill, and the moisture may also dilute the lime and prevent proper pH neutralizing.

How Often Should I Lime My Lawn?

Follow these tips to successfully maintain your lawn after an initial lime treatment:

• The pH of your soil should always be tested first. Making your soil’s pH too high with lime application will cause your lawn to suffer.
• Apply no more than 50 lbs of lime per 1,000 square feet of lawn during the initial application. Apply the lime twice if you need more than 50 lbs to completely treat the soil. Ahead of the following fall or winter, in the early spring.
• Check your lawn’s soil pH every 1-2 years. When the pH is dropping, repeat the lime treatment as necessary.)

Can I Apply Lime and Fertilizer at the Same Time?

Technically you can apply fertilizer and lime at the same time. However, it is preferable to fertilize the lawn initially before applying lime. After allowing the lawn’s irrigation system to cycle through several times, start applying lime. You can also fertilize, wait for a good rain, and then lime the lawn after the rain.

Use granular lime instead of powder if you decide to fertilize and lime at the same time. Do not forget that the lawn won’t be able to absorb fertilizer if the soil pH is too acidic. Always let the soil pH test indicate your best course of action.

What Happens If You Use Too Much Lime on Your Lawn?

The preferred pH range for lawn grass exists. If you apply too much lime and the soil becomes alkaline, then the grasses will not be able to uplift nutrients, such as nitrogen, to the blades. Too much lime alters the pH of the soil and moves it into an unfavorable region for grasses to grow. The lawn will turn yellow and the grass could die if you do not discover this error right away.

Benefits of Working With MetroGreenscape for Lime Lawn Treatment

Dealing with the chemistry and chemical balances in the soil can be challenging when it comes to lawn care. Particularly with lime, which can be risky and requires extensive knowledge to be effective.

Lime comes in a variety of forms, including fast-acting and time-release. Based on your grass type, we will evaluate your lawn and decide which to use. Along with knowing how to spot the warning signs and symptoms of low soil pH and applying the remedy safely and effectively, we also have all the required tools on hand.

What Happens If I Use Too Much Lime?

The soil can be effectively helped to return to a healthy pH by adding lime to the lawn, which will result in healthier grass. Although liming is best left to the pros, if you did it yourself and noticed a problem, it’s likely that you used too much. If you apply too much lime to your lawn, the soil will lose its acidity but become too alkaline for grass to grow in. Due to its inability to absorb essential moisture and nutrients from the soil around it, this will result in yellowing grass.

The best way to correct an over-liming is to have a reputable lawn care business analyze the soil and apply a special remedy. You can also spend several weeks mulching in fresh organic materials to help dilute the lime. As a last resort, you could try applying horticultural sulfur to your lawn in an effort to neutralize the lime and bring your soil’s pH back to a healthy level.

Is Lime Harmful to Pets Or People?

There are various varieties of lime, but those used for lawn care typically come in the form of powder or pellets. Although it is also available, liquid lime for the lawn is typically only applied by professionals. Lime is natural, however, it is not intended for consumption. For people, it is important to wear a heavy-duty mask when working with powder lime. It’s crucial to prevent small children or animals from eating the pellets when using pellet lime. Lime is safe unless intentionally consumed, but it has the potential to irritate the skin, eyes, and stomach. Before allowing pets to roam freely, always make sure that the lime has been properly incorporated into the soil. Humans should stay away from the soil until the lime has had time to properly absorb into the soil.

Conclusion

Lime is a soil amendment made from ground limestone rock, which contains calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, and is recommended if the pH of your lawn soil is too low.

If you add lime to your soil, the pH will rise, making the soil less acidic and more alkaline.

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