Can You Put Lime & Grub Control Down at the Same Time?

When to Lime

• Lime may be applied to the lawn anytime that the ground isn't frozen. Limestone raises the soil's pH, making it less acidic, so that grass can absorb the soil's nutrients. Planting grass on soil that is outside of its preferred pH range causes unhealthy grass. Most grass types grow in a soil pH range between 6.0 and 7.0. Test your soil's pH to find out how much limestone needs to be applied. Excessive limestone applications cause the grass to burn.

Liming and Grubs

• Applying limestone aids in healthy grass growth, because the turf is able to absorb nutrients when the soil is at the proper pH. Healthy lawns are better able to survive grub damage. Based on your soil test, apply the right amount of lime. For example, lawns that have a soil pH range between 5.6 and 6.0 should have 50 lbs. of limestone spread per 1,000 square feet. Water the lawn after the limestone application to help the soil amendment sink into the ground.

When to Apply Grub Control

• Grubs are the larvae of Japanese, European and Asiatic garden beetles, to name a few. Beetles lay their eggs twice a year on well maintained lawns. Once eggs hatch, larvae feed off the root systems of grass. The best time to apply grub control is in the fall, and varies by region -- between Aug. 1 and Sept. 15 in New England, for instance, according to the University of Rhode Island. Spring grub control is generally not effective, because grubs have already completed most of their damage.

Grub Control

• Apply lime and grub control products on different days to prevent harming grass already undergoing stress. Grass is prone to pesticide injury if excessive amounts are used or the lawn is water stressed. If using trichlorfon, wait several weeks to lime before and after using the product to prevent chemical degradation. Gardeners may use a pesticide that contains carbaryl on grass that has recently been limed or should be limed. Reapply the pesticide according to the manufacturer's direction.