How to neutralize acidic soil & prevent weeds

the essentials in brief

• Lawn lime should only be used to neutralize acidified soil.
• A quick pH test is essential to determine an actual need. The optimal pH value for lawns is between 6.2 and 7, depending on the type of soil.
• If possible, use carbonate of lime, as this is less of a problem than quicklime or quicklime.
• It is best to lime in autumn, but no later than early spring.

What is sod lime?

Lawn lime is offered in powder or granulate form

Lawn lime is by no means special lime for the lawn - instead, you use conventional calcium carbonate (the chemical formula is CaCO3). This is also known as carbonate of lime. Lawn lime is basically just the trade name for it, especially since there is usually no difference, for example, to

Lawn lime is sold in powder or granular form and is white in color. It is a natural material that can be found in various sedimentary rocks (such as limestone or marble) as well as in organic materials such as mussel shells, snail shells, egg shells, etc. occurs. Strictly speaking, limestones are only fossils of organic, calcareous material - mussel shells or snail shells.

What does sod lime do?

If there are moss and other typical pointer plants such as Wood sorrelSorrel, sorrel and daisies develop splendidly on the lawn, then the pH value of the soil is probably too acidic. You can use a commercially available rapid pH test or - if the soil composition is to be analyzed more intensively - a soil test to check whether your lawn actually needs lime. This is the case when the measured pH value is below 5.5.

Advantages and disadvantages of sod lime

Lime is immensely important for the fertility of the soil, because it invigorates the microbial life in the soil, improves the crumb structure and ensures better root development in plants. The mineral is also important for healthy and firm plant cell walls. But be careful: Don't be too wasteful with sod lime, because over-lime deposits inhibit the absorption of nutrients, especially iron and various trace elements.

The pH measurement comes before the limescale

This is why the previous pH measurement is so important in order not to simply limescale on suspicion. The presence of the pointer plants mentioned above, such as moss or daisies, does not necessarily mean that the soil is acidic. In the case of moss, for example, too much moisture or a highly compacted soil promotes this Growth - in this case, liming does not help, instead you have to take other care measures seize.

Digression

Lime against moss? This is how you get the moss out of the lawn

Types of lawn lime

Many a gardener only knows quicklime and Garden lime - However, the range of products on offer for lawn lime is significantly larger. We have summarized the most important types for you in this table.

Lawn lime or dolomite lime? What is better?

Which lawn lime is best depends on various factors

Which type of lime you use depends mainly on these factors:

• Soil type and its humus content
• Soil pH
• other deficiencies in nutrients or minerals present
• Time of liming

You can find out when which lime is best in the table above. Basically, if there are mineral deficiencies - which can occur in addition to the acidic pH value - a corresponding one Rock flour can be used instead of pure calcium carbonate. Please note, however, that these work very slowly and are therefore not suitable for quickly eliminating the existing deficiency.

In addition, quicklime (and other types of unslaked lime) should only be used on heavy soils, if at all. These types of lime are problematic for other reasons as well, for example, in contrast to carbonate of lime, they do not have a positive effect on soil life. Therefore, you should better avoid these types.

Algae lime - in contrast to pure calcium carbonate - can basically be used all year round. Therefore, the product is very suitable for liming in between.

Alternatives to sod lime

Instead of lime, which is problematic in many cases, you can also simply use ripe compost in autumn, possibly with something Primary rock meal mixed, spread on the lawn. This measure not only raises the pH value of the soil, but also leads to valuable soil humus to - instead of consuming them like pure calcium carbonate does. In this way you kill two birds with one stone and you also avoid over-calcification.

Application and application of lawn lime - that's how it's done

Before every liming, a pH test of the soil is required to determine the actual need. In principle, liming only has to be carried out if this value is below 6.5 in light, sandy soils and at heavier soils is below 5.5 - the optimal value for a lawn is exactly in this area Frame. If the pH value is higher, you must not limescale under any circumstances! In this case, there is a risk of over-lime formation, with the result that the plants will then only absorb nutrients poorly - deficiency symptoms and Lawn diseases threaten.

Spread lawn lime

Lawn lime is applied after scarifying

Once the pH value has been determined and the soil's need for lime has been determined, first do the preparatory work. To do this, you should cut the lawn to a cutting height of approx. Mow four centimeters so that the lime actually lands on the ground and not on the grass. It is also important to scarify the lawn and remove thatch. This is best done in early spring, before the grass really begins to grow. You can either use a Scarifier(€ 98.00 at Amazon *) or just use a rake.

By scarifying you not only remove the felt, but also a lot of foreign growth - such as moss, which has been growing diligently over the winter months. This measure ensures that the lawn is aerated and that the grass has enough space, light and air for new growth. Only now do you apply the lawn lime. For this it is advisable to use the product for a more even distribution with the Gritter to spread. When applying by hand, there is a risk that too much or too little of the agent will end up on the lawn in places.

It is best to proceed as follows when spreading the spreader:

• Mow the lawn to a height of four centimeters.
• Thoroughly scarify the lawn (this works best with a rake).
• With the Gritter first run along the lawn.
• At best, mark any stripes that have expired, for example with stones or a string.
• Then distribute the lime on the horizontal strips.
• This makes for better and more even coverage.

After liming, it is imperative to water the lawn thoroughly so that the agent quickly penetrates the soil and gets to where it can take effect. It therefore makes sense to apply lime shortly before an expected downpour. Then let the lawn rest for about four weeks, which means: Don't fertilize and don't mow either!

Digression

How to determine the pH of the soil

Lawn lime - when to sprinkle?

Lawn lime is usually applied in autumn, but no later than four weeks before the first fertilization in spring. The main reason for this early fertilization is simply that carbonate of lime develops its effect only very slowly and therefore needs sufficient time.

Can you apply lawn lime and fertilizer at the same time?

Since lime should only be applied to acidic soils for neutralization, it is a simultaneous Supplying the lawn with fertilizer makes little sense - especially if it is a nitrogenous fertilizer acts. In acidic soils, the uptake of nutrients by the plants is inhibited so that they cannot benefit at all from the nutrients administered. Therefore, the liming should be carried out first and the first fertilization only after an interval of at least four weeks. You must not forget these, however, as lime removes nutrients from the soil - these naturally have to be added again. Compost or Humus soil are very suitable for this purpose.

How much lawn lime is required?

How much lime you need to apply depends on a number of factors. The most important determining factor for the dosage is the type of soil:

If that seems too much - after all, such amounts are quite serious Interventions in the soil life - the lime can also be spread over several dates and less lime use. For example, you can lime in both spring and autumn. If, on the other hand, the soil is only slightly acidic and should only be raised from a pH value of 5 to 6, spread about 400 grams of carbonate of lime per square meter of lawn. The values ​​given relate to the amount of lime required per year.

Digression

Be careful with neighboring plants that are not compatible with lime

frequently asked Questions

Is sod lime poisonous?

Lawn lime can cause allergic reactions in humans and animals

Whether or not lime is toxic depends on the type of lime used and any additives it contains. In any case, the material is questionable and can cause skin irritation - for example when the small child walks barefoot across the lawn. The same goes for pets like dogs and cats. Furthermore, it is better not to breathe the fine lime dust, it can get stuck in the respiratory organs. Thus, lime is definitely harmful to children and animals. The limed surface should not be stepped on until at least the next heavy rain shower so that the material seeps into the ground.

Does moss really only grow on acidic soil?

Many a gardener is quickly with the lawn lime to hand Moss in the lawn grows. Moss is often viewed as an indicator of too acidic soil (pH value below 5), but growth can also have completely different reasons. For example, a compacted or too moist soil and a lack of nutrients (especially if too little nitrogen was fertilized!) Lead to increased moss growth. Here, too, the rule is not to start liming straight away, but to first determine the pH value.

Does lime also help with clover in the lawn?

Most Clover species like red and white clover grow preferentially in neutral to alkaline soil, which is why liming against clover is of no use - the soil already contains too much lime. The measure would therefore be counterproductive and would only promote the growth of the clover plants. There is one exception, however: Wood sorrel, as the name suggests, prefers an acidic environment. It is therefore worthwhile to determine the specific type of clover or easy to determine the pH of the soil.