Can I Plant Grass With Lime?

Getting started-Testing Your Soil

• Before applying any type of fertilizer or amending your soil with lime, test your soil's balance. Contact your local county extension office and provide them with a sample of your soil. They will test it and advise you on how to properly treat it for acidity or alkalinity. They will also be able to tell you how much lime to use in the application if needed. If you would like to test it yourself, soil test kits are available at home improvement stores and generally cost less than $20. However, if you test yourself, you will have to calculate how much lime you will need to properly amend your soil. Once your soil has been tested, you can decide how much lime to apply and how often. The lime that you purchase will have instructions on the bag about how much to apply.

How to Use Lime

• Lime can be applied virtually any time of year, but should only be applied every three to five years depending on the acidity of your soil. Soil is said to be acidic if it has a pH level of over 7.0. The ideal pH balance is between 6.0 and 7.0. Lime absorption is best in the fall, early winter and spring when freezing and thawing of soil aids in its distribution. You can purchase lime in pellet form (slightly more expensive) or in granular form. Pellet lime is easily distributed with a spreader and reduces dust produced in spreading.

Applying Lime to Your Lawn

• You will need a spreader to apply lime to your lawn. These can be purchased at your local home improvement store. Before you begin your application, be sure that your lawn is not wilted and is not frost covered. Spread the lime evenly using your spreader. Thoroughly irrigate your lawn after application using a sprinkler or your sprinkler system to insure that the lime begins to enter the soil.

Be Careful

• In our zeal to have a beautiful lawn, we sometimes over treat. Over treatment with lime can result in a damaged lawn. Follow instructions on your lime purchase to insure that you do not apply too much. Applying over 150 lbs. of lime per 1,000 feet is too much, so gauge your application accordingly.