Why should you lime meadows?
Liming ensures that soils that are too acidic are upgraded. If the pH of the soil falls into the acidic range, the meadow plants can no longer grow and are displaced by other plants that are used to more acidic soils. Above all, dry and poor meadows require liming, although you should not limewash into the blue, but rather determine the actual need based on a soil sample. So-called pointer plants such as field horsetail provide an initial indication of a need for lime. sorrel, wild growing Pansy and especially moss. If, on the other hand, you can find dead nettles, nettles or shepherds' purse in your garden, this is an indication of a more alkaline soil with a high pH value.
also read
- Liming the vegetable garden once a year - this is how it's done
- Liming the tree trunk and protecting it from diseases
- Mulch meadows or not? Pros and cons of mulching
Caution: do not lime every meadow!
Not every meadow may be whitewashed, because many a living space is permanently disturbed by this measure. The prohibition applies in particular to all wet and swampy meadows, because the more boggy subsoil needs an acidic pH value so that the plants specially adapted to these environmental conditions thrive can. Limescale, on the other hand, is particularly useful on poor and fat meadows as well as on meadows used for agriculture.
When and how is whitewashed?
Liming is done about every two to three years, preferably in spring or autumn. If fat meadows are limed, then at the same time no animal manure such as liquid manure etc. be applied. Otherwise the nitrogen will not end up in the ground, but will simply escape into the air. Depending on the type of lime used, the treated meadows may then not be grazed for at least four weeks - depending on the frequency of rain - in order to avoid poisoning the animals. However, this only applies to quick lime, which is also known as quick lime.
What types of lime are there?
There are basically three different types of lime. Carbonate of lime is the gentlest here because it only releases the active ingredients very slowly. With this lime, over-lime formation is as good as impossible. Etching or Quicklime works much faster, however, due to its caustic effect on humans, animals and plants, it is not recommended for the home garden. In addition to the two types mentioned, there is also mixed lime, which - depending on the type and supplier - can be composed in very different proportions.
Tips & Tricks
As with liming, the same applies to Fertilize of meadows that not every meadow should be fertilized. In particular, poor meadows should be fertilized little or not at all due to the sensitive ecological balance.
