Fertilize and lime the lawn at the same time? What is recommended

Creating a beautiful garden with healthy grass takes a lot of work. However, with the right fertilization and liming, you can achieve good results. Not all soils require lime, but in many cases they create the conditions for a healthy, growing lawn. In principle, simultaneous fertilizing and liming is possible, but should be avoided if possible.

What nutrients does the lawn need?

Fertilizing is essential for a beautiful lawn with a dense, green grass cover. However, you shouldn't just use any fertilizer you like, you should composition based on the composition of your garden soil and the needs of your plants decide by vote. Not every lawn needs the same nutrients, instead different types of grass and their mixture require an equally individual nutrient composition. In principle, however, all plants need the same six nutrients for strong and healthy growth:

• Nitrogen
• phosphorus
• potassium
• oxygen
• carbon
• hydrogen

There are also various minerals and trace elements, which are only required in small amounts, but are nevertheless indispensable for the metabolism and nutrition of the plants.

Why targeted fertilization is so important

As a rule, grasses, like all other plants, obtain the components carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from the air or from the air through photosynthesis. the sunlight. The remaining required nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are in the soil. While air and sun are always present, the latter substances do not regenerate without action. Year after year, plants use up these nutrients without returning them to the cycle in any way. Targeted fertilization replaces the consumed ingredients. Both undersupply and overfertilization have serious consequences for plant health.

The role played by the various nutrients in fertilizer

Each of the nutrients mentioned has a very specific task in the metabolism of the plant.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a major component of chlorophyll and therefore an essential part of the photosynthetic process. A balanced nitrogen balance leads to thicker and taller grasses with healthier leaves. Nitrogen can also accelerate the growth of plants.

phosphorus

Phosphorus is also a component of chlorophyll, which is so important for the plant organism helps develop firmer and stronger thanks to the increased production of starches and oils Root. In addition, the substance strengthens the plants in their resistance to many diseases.

potassium

Potassium is another important element with a variety of benefits that contribute to the overall health quality of the plant. Potassium improves and strengthens root growth, is essential for building important proteins and fights harmful diseases.

Benefits of Fertilizer

Fertilizer not only supplies the soil with the main nutrients mentioned, but also allows the soil to be better aerated and increases its ability to store water. Fertilizers also provide plants with other important nutrients such as calcium, sulphur, magnesium, boron, copper and iron.

acid soil

However, the numerous benefits of fertilization can only be felt if the soil has the right degree of acidity. Its acidity is a measure of the amount of hydrogen present and is classified according to pH, which is measured on a logarithmic scale ranging from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is considered neutral, less than 7 is acidic and more than 7 is alkaline. basic. Most soils have a pH of 5.5 to 10. A pH value between 6 and 7 is recommended for healthy plant growth. When soil pH falls below 6, various harmful side effects occur, including:

• Aluminum toxicity: Aluminum becomes soluble at low pH values. Aluminum restricts root growth and limits water and nutrient availability.
• Nutrient Availability: With high acidity, plants cannot absorb nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This inhibits proper growth.
• Microbial Activity: Under acidic conditions, bacteria and fungi cannot break down organic matter and circulate nutrients through the soil.

You can easily determine the pH of your soil with a commercially available strip test. A soil analysis carried out in the laboratory is considerably more expensive, but also produces more precise results.

How fertilizer affects soil pH

The more hydrogen the soil contains, the more acidic it is. At the same time, its acidity will steadily increase due to nitrogen-based plant nutrition, especially if you are using or using an ammoniacal nitrogen-based fertilizer. overdose this. Over-fertilization always leads to acidification of the soil, which is why you must first determine the concrete need by means of a thorough soil analysis.

Mowing the lawn also acidifies the soil

Furthermore, regular mowing of the lawn also leads to soil acidification. The plants themselves are slightly alkaline and have a higher pH than the soil. In a natural environment, dead plant matter in the slightly acidic soil will decompose, restoring a healthy pH balance. If the crops are now mown, the cycle is broken and the balancing act is never performed. Therefore, the soil always remains slightly acidic.

Lime reduces the acidity of the soil

In order to neutralize the soil and restore pH balance, the gardener needs to apply calcium from time to time. The easiest and cheapest way to do this is to lime the soil. Lime is made from ground limestone, a gray sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. The components calcium and magnesium neutralize the acidity of the soil by interacting with the acidic Constituents hydrogen and potassium react and instead neutralize clay, carbon dioxide and water leave behind.

How is lime used?

Dolomitic lime is the most common type of lime sold for lawns and is available in either powder or pellet form. Lime powder is exactly what it sounds like: a fine, white powder that you sprinkle over your lawn. The finer the lime is ground, the larger its surface area. This increase in surface area in turn results in a faster reaction time with the ground. Definitely do not apply the lime powder on a windy day while wearing a face mask. However, less dirt causes lime in pellet form, which you simply distribute evenly on the floor and which fulfills the same function as the powder.

Should you apply lime or fertilizer first?

In general, it is best not to apply lime and fertilizer at the same time. But what criteria do you use to decide whether to apply lime or fertilizer first?

The pH balance of your soil will largely determine which of the two products is applied first. Note the goals of any growth supplement: Fertilizer is added to the soil to increase the level of nutrients available to plants. Lime, in turn, is said to reduce the acidity and thus make the nutrients more accessible to the plants. When deciding between lime and fertilizer, it is therefore important to consider the pH of the soil.

When should lime be applied first?

If your soil has a high acid content, you should lime it first and only fertilize after a certain waiting period. Limescale takes time because the process of deacidification is not quick. The finer the lime is ground, the faster it reacts with the soil and the less time has to elapse between liming and fertilizing. If your soil is highly acidic, apply about 100 pounds of lime for every 100 square feet of lawn. If lime is only added to maintain pH, it is recommended to use a smaller amount - around 20 kilograms of lime per 100 square meters.

The best time for liming

Autumn is generally considered the best time to apply lime as it allows ample time for the slow chemical reaction. You should also avoid applying lime in extreme heat or frost, as this significantly reduces its effectiveness.

When should the fertilizer be applied first?

If you are planting new grass seed, on the other hand, you should apply the fertilizer before the lime. If there is a lack of nutrients in the soil, the seeds cannot germinate and grow effectively. No matter what the acidity of the soil, if there are no nutrients in the soil, plants will not reach their full potential. Wait at least a week to 10 days before finally applying lime. Allow the plants the necessary time to absorb the nutrients contained in the fertilizer. The addition of lime increases the effectiveness of the fertilizer already present in the soil. The roots of the plants, which should be starting to grow at this point, will benefit from the extra boost from the lime.

Under what conditions can lime and fertilizer be applied at the same time?

If the soil pH is already neutral, there is no need to apply fertilizer and lime at different times. To save time and money, you can do both at the same time. The fertilizer provides the soil with nutrients immediately, while the lime is slowly released over time and maintains the pH. Apply fertilizer and lime separately so that both are evenly distributed over the entire lawn. First go over the lawn with the fertilizer and then lime.

Overdose leads to disease

If your turf or crop field already has a neutral pH, you only need to apply lime every two years. Excess lime can lead to iron chlorosis, resulting in yellow or even dead grass. Over-application of fertilizer can cause chemical burns, thatch build-up, and an increase in pests and diseases in your lawn.
Tip: Some gardeners swear by mature compost for neutralization instead of lime, which also raises the pH value. Compost also has the advantage that it supplies the lawn with valuable nutrients at the same time.

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