Insidious acidification and signs of fatigue in the garden soil cause considerable problems in the growth of ornamental and useful plants. With natural lime you have an effective soil conditioner in your hands that restores the natural balance in the soil. This guide explains how to identify a calcium deficiency. Get to know the best lime fertilizers with practical tips for professional dosing in your garden.

Lime should not be used as a fertilizer too often

Recognizing a lack of lime - this is how it works

If you regularly observe which plants will establish themselves in your garden, you will receive valuable information about the soil quality. Indicator plants for lime deficiency in the early stages are moss, hare clover, sorrel, sand pansy and field horsetail. In the advanced stage, calcium deficiency causes growth disorders in numerous plants, such as dried-up leaf tips or yellowed leaves.

A pH value test from the garden center or hardware store provides the last guarantee. The following results are desirable for a healthy garden soil:

  • Clay soil with a small amount of sand: 6.5 to 7.0
  • Sandy loam soil: 6.0
  • Pure sandy soil: not less than 5.5

If these values are not reached, you should lime your garden. An exception applies to rhododendrons, hydrangeas, heather and other plants that only thrive in acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 and lower.

Recommended lime fertilizers for your garden - a selection

If you have come to the realization that your garden needs lime fertilization, there are various products to choose from. The following lime fertilizers (€9.70) conform to ecological principles in ornamental and vegetable gardens that are cultivated in a manner that is close to nature:

  • Algae lime, consisting of 70 percent calcium carbonate, 20 percent magnesium carbonate and valuable trace elements
  • Dolomite lime (carbonate of lime) with a high magnesium content, primarily suitable for coniferous trees
  • Rock flour, depending on the source rock with different duration of action
  • Lime marl, with 70 percent carbonated lime and 30 percent clay, ideal for light sandy soils

Quicklime and slaked lime are not recommended for liming in the garden. Both products are highly corrosive and pose a health hazard in private ornamental and kitchen gardens.

Dose and administer lime correctly - you should pay attention to this

Please pay special attention to the dosing of lime. The more carbonate of lime is administered, the more valuable humus is broken down. In the short term, your plants will benefit from the rich supply of nutrients. In the long run, however, the soil leaches out. Therefore, an old farmer's saying warns that lime makes fathers rich and sons poor. The following guidelines have proven themselves in practice:

  • 150 grams per square meter every 3 years to keep the lime content stable
  • 250 to 500 grams per square meter to raise the pH by one point

Use less lime on light sandy soils than on heavy clay soils. If dosage more than 500 grams per square meter is required, please administer carbonated lime in two stages with an interval of 6 months.

tips

After scarifying in spring, your lawn is particularly receptive to lime. Since you have combed out moss and weeds, the minerals reach the roots of the noble grass directly. Ideally, apply lawn lime with a spreader and then sprinkle the lawn thoroughly.

Category:

Garden design