Is Lime Good for Bell Pepper Plants?

Soil pH

• The pH of soil is the measure of its acidity or alkalinity. A low pH--6.5 or below--indicates acidic soil, while a pH of 7.4 or above is alkaline. A pH of 6.6 to 7.3 is considered neutral. Soil's pH is affected by a range of factors, including climate, mineral content and microorganisms in the soil.

Bell Peppers

• Most garden vegetables grow best in soil that is neutral to slightly acidic. Bell peppers are no exception, and they grow best in soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8. If the pH of your soil is too low, lime is a common way to raise it.

Lime & Raising pH

• Lime is composed of mostly calcium carbonate, which raises the pH of acidic soil by neutralizing the acid. Dolomite and crushed limestone are among the most common liming materials. Alternative liming materials like wood ash, ground egg shells and crushed oyster shells are also effective, although they contain less calcium carbonate and must be used in higher quantities. The best time to incorporate lime into your soil is in late fall, the year before you intend to plant peppers or other vegetables.

Lowering pH

• If you have alkaline soil, lime may actually do more harm than good. Lowering pH is more difficult than raising it; but incorporating sulfur into your garden soil can temporarily lower pH. Mixing in nitrogen fertilizer also helps; the activity of bacteria breaking down the fertilizer may lower pH over time.