You’ve probably heard that in order to have the prettiest, greenest, healthiest grass, you need to add lime to your lawn. You may be wondering just what it does for your lawn, and how you should apply it. Of course, you want a healthy lawn as much as the next homeowner; so, it may encourage you to know it really isn’t that hard to add lime to lawn.
To make sure you feel confident in the process, let’s cover the details of what it means to add lime to lawn and what the benefits are.
Why Lime the Lawn?
First things first, you must have an idea of what makes a healthy, well-balanced lawn. It all starts with the pH of the soil. The pH scale is a measure of acidity or alkalinity. Zero to 14: 7 is neutral; while everything under 7 is acidic, and everything over 7 is basic. All life forms have an ideal pH level or a level at which they are happiest and healthiest. In the same way the human body needs a pH of roughly 7.4, different varieties of turf grass have ideal pH levels as well. These are usually slightly acidic, ranging from between 5 and 7.
The reason to add lime to lawn is that most soils are naturally acidic and become more so as alkaline nutrients leach out of them or get used by plants. To keep the soil at the right pH levels, it helps to add alkalizing lime to your grass. Lime offers the following advantages to your lawn.
- It helps it grow healthier and more vibrant.
- Lime keeps acid-loving moss and weeds away.
- It helps fertilizer function, which won’t happen on soil that is too acidic.
When to Add Lime to Lawn
If you have seen certain signs of an unhealthy lawn, such as an abundance of moss and weeds, ineffective fertilizer, or sickly looking grass, you probably need to add lime. The good news is you can add lime to the lawn any time of year; so if your grass is suffering, don’t wait. However, as a routine maintenance step, it is best to add lime in the fall. Winter weather helps to work the lime into the soil most effectively.
How to Add Product to Your Yard
While you can take a rigid mathematical approach with the process, you can also take a more laid-back approach. We recommend roughly 25 pounds per 1,000 square feet of lawn space until your lawn seems to be responding. This will look like fewer weeds, less moss, brighter color, and increased response to fertilizer. At that point, you can start using slightly less lime during your annual maintenance. Or, you can add more if you still need the full amount.
For expert help, call (615) 439-3113 to reach our professional lawn care service in Nashville, TN to reach our friendly team at Think Green. We are glad to help you create a regular lawn maintenance and weed control routine that keeps your grass happy and healthy year-round.
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