Lime is the best method for fighting weeds and controlling broadleaf plant species in lawns. However, there’s no one-size-fits all recommendation on how much lime to apply per acre or even when to start applying it.
The “pelletized lime application rate per acre” is a question that has been asked before. There are many factors to consider when applying lime, such as the type of soil, pH levels and even rainfall.
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Lime, commonly known as calcium carbonate or limestone, is an excellent fertilizer for lawns. It aids in the neutralization of soil acidity and elevates the pH to a slightly acidic level, which is ideal for most turf grasses.
Testing the soil and following the lime application recommendations will guarantee that you are applying the lime in the most beneficial method to your grass.
Why Do You Need Lime in Your Soil?
The optimal pH level for most varieties of grass is between 5.8 and 7.0, which is slightly acidic. Some grasses thrive in higher pH environments, whereas others thrive in lower pH environments.
Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, and fescues, for example, are cool-season grasses that prefer a little higher pH, indicating that the soil is more alkaline.
Warm-season grasses, on the other hand, require a lower pH that is more acidic. When the pH of the soil gets excessively acidic, the nutrients that grasses need for optimal development, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, are no longer accessible for the grass to thrive.
When lime is applied to the soil, it helps to raise the pH and make those nutrients accessible to your grass.
Check the pH of your soil
To determine if you need to add lime, you may purchase do-it-yourself soil pH test kits or soil pH meters, but they will not tell you how much to apply.
Most state or county cooperative extension offices will come out and test your pH and analyze your soil to determine how much lime to apply to boost the pH level of your soil.
Not only do you get reliable test results, but you also get a suggestion from them so you can use the right quantity of lime.
When Is the Best Time to Add Lime to a Recipe?
Lime may take many months to break down and modify your soil’s pH level. The optimum time to test your soil is in the spring, when the earth is just starting to warm up. Lime may be used now and again in the autumn.
There is a cycle of freezing and thawing throughout the autumn and winter months, as well as lots of rain and snow. These occurrences will aid in the breakdown of the lime, allowing it to act to elevate the soil’s pH level.
Always remember to avoid applying lime to a grass that is dormant or stressed.
What Kind of Lime Should I Purchase?
Calcitic lime and dolomitic lime are the two forms of lime. Calcitic lime contains calcium, which is beneficial to plants and hence is healthier for the grass. Calcitic lime comes in a variety of forms, including the following:
- Agricultural limestone on the ground
- Limestone pulverized
- Limestone that has been pelletized
Both pelletized and Limestone pulverized change the pH of the soil quickly and Limestone that has been pelletized is the easiest to apply. The soil test results will recommend how many pounds of pure calcium carbonate to apply.
To identify the calcium carbonate equivalent of the limestone you purchase, check on the bag label.
How to Apply Lime in the Best Way
To begin with, lime should only be used on a dry grass. The lawn should not be strained or dormant. The simplest way to modify the pH of the soil is to do it before planting grass seed or laying sod.
If feasible, you should combine the limestone with the top five inches of soil. You may not need to add lime for many years if you do this.
If you’re planning to add lime to an established lawn, you’ll need to use a core aerator to aerate it first. The lime will be able to combine with the soil in this manner. The limestone may then be applied to your lawn using a rotary spreader. To ensure that the yard is completely treated with lime, you should traverse it in perpendicular directions.
The findings of your soil test will indicate how much lime should be put, and it is critical that you follow their instructions. You’ll need to apply half of the lime in the spring and half in the autumn if your soil requires more than 50 pounds per 1000 square feet.
After you’ve applied the lime, be sure to water your lawn to eliminate any remaining lime.
You should test your soil again after a few months. You won’t need to do anything else if your soil pH is where it should be, but you’ll find out if you need to apply extra lime.
Once you’ve gotten your soil’s pH level to where it needs to be, you may check it once or twice a year to make sure it’s remaining there. The most essential thing to keep in mind is that you should test your soil before adding lime.
Limestone Types
There are different Limestone Types and it is important to understand them so that you can choose the right lime for your yard. They all have the same goal of raising the pH of the soil to the neutral range so that the nutrients in the soil will be available to plants and grass.
Take a look at some of the different Limestone Types:
- Ag Lime: Agricultural lime is a form of lime that is best used for agricultural purposes rather than gardening. It’s a coarse limestone that takes a lengthy time to decompose. It should be used in locations where crops are sown in huge quantities.
- Pulverized Lime: Limestone pulverized is a powdery form that is made by crushing limestone rock. The benefit is that it breaks down very quickly and raises the pH level. However, it is very dusty and difficult to transport.
- People created a pelletized version of crushed lime to ease the challenge of transporting it. Pelletized lime that has been improved with polymers, organic acids, and micronutrients is available. It is simpler to carry and disperse pelletized lime. It may assist maintain nutrients in the coil where they are required if it is improved. However, to guarantee that the pelletized lime accomplishes its work, it is essential to get a high-quality product.
Lime (liquid) vs. Lime (dry)
Liquid lime is utilized in a variety of industrial settings, such as on the sides of roadways or on golf courses. It makes it simpler to apply over vast areas, but it may not provide the precise quantity of lime that the soil need.
Dry lime can be spread more uniformly and is more dependable.
Dolomitic Lime vs. Calcitic Lime
There are two types of lime: calcitic lime and hydrated lime. Calcitic lime is preferable because it contains calcium. Because calcium is a key macronutrient for plants, it acts as a neutralizer and improves both soil and plants.
Magnesium-deficient soil benefits from dolomitic lime.
The Advantages of Using Lime on Your Lawn
Taking care of a lawn entails a variety of procedures. The grass must be fed, seeded, weeded, and mowed. You won’t get lush green grass if you do all of those things but the pH levels of the soil are wrong.
To enable grass to acquire critical nutrients from the soil, you must assess the pH level of the soil and ensure that it is in the proper range. The grass will not absorb all of its nutrients if the pH level is wrong.
Applying lime to your grass has a number of advantages, including the following:
- It helps to keep the soil’s pH in check.
- It gives grass calcium and magnesium so that it can develop and endure adverse conditions including drought, severe heat, snow, and significant rains.
- It enriches the soil with nutrients.
- It aids in the development of stronger grass roots.
- Herbicides and fertilizers are more effective as a result of it.
- It aids the rooting and growth of fresh seed or sod.
- It aids the soil’s beneficial bacteria.
- It keeps the soil in good shape and recovers it.
Per acre, lime
It is critical to get your soil tested in order to establish your soil’s specific requirements. The agency will inform you how much lime you need to put per acre once the test results are in.
In general, it takes 1.2 tons of agricultural Per acre, lime to raise the pH of the loam soil by one point. It is half that for sandy soil and almost double for clay soil.
You’ll need to know your soil’s composition and pH level, and it’s better to get a test done by a competent soil-testing firm to get an accurate advice.
In average, 48 standard 50-pound bags of ground agricultural limestone equal 1.2 tons of lime. It would take this much to increase the pH of loam soil by one point.
“How much pelletized lime per square foot” is a question that has been asked by many homeowners. The answer to this question, is based on the soil type and the amount of water in the soil. Reference: how much pelletized lime per square foot.
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