Lawn lime is a proven and inexpensive means of keeping the lawn healthy and green and keeping moss away. In this article you will find out why this assumption is not always correct and when it actually makes sense to whitewash the lawn.

Lawn lime is not always healthy for the lawn

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. What is lawn lime?
  3. Types of sod lime
  4. Application of lawn lime
  5. frequently asked Questions

    6. 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 for lawns is between 6.2 and 7, depending on the soil type.
    • Use carbonated lime whenever possible, as this is less problematic than quicklime or caustic lime.
    • Lime is best in autumn, but no later than early spring.

    What is lawn lime?

    Lawn lime is available 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 commercial name for it, especially since there are usually no differences to, for example, garden lime (€9.70). However, this only applies if it is a product without any additives - i.e. made of pure calcium carbonate.

    Lawn lime is sold in powder or granular form and is white in color. It is a natural material that occurs in various sedimentary rocks (e.g. limestone or marble) as well as in organic substances such as mussel shells, snail shells, eggshells, etc. Strictly speaking, limestones are just fossils of organic, calcareous material - just mussel shells or snail shells.

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    Calcium carbonate should not be confused with the highly alkaline quicklime (also known as quicklime or calcium oxide). Although this is also suitable for neutralizing the garden soil, it is dangerous and above all it leaves unsightly burns in the lawn.

    What does lawn lime cause?

    If moss and other typical indicator plants such as wood sorrel, meadow sorrel, barnacle sorrel and daisies develop splendidly on the lawn, then the pH value of the soil is probably too acidic. With a standard pH quick test or - if the soil composition is to be analyzed more intensively - a soil analysis, you can check whether your lawn really 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 stimulates 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 strong plant cell walls. But be careful: Don't be too wasteful with lawn lime, because over-calcification inhibits the absorption of nutrients, especially iron and various trace elements.

    The pH is measured before liming

    That's why the previous pH measurement is so important so that you don't just start liming on suspicion. The presence of the indicator 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 heavily compacted soil promotes growth - in these cases liming does not help, you have to take other care measures instead.

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    Lawn lime against moss? How to get the moss out of the lawn

    Moss often grows on acidic soil and can therefore be combated by liming. However, this does not always help, because even heavily compacted, damp and / or insufficiently nitrogen fertilized lawns are susceptible to moss growth. You should therefore scarify the lawn, remove thatch and mow it regularly - but never too short! In addition, a balanced fertilization with nitrogenous fertilizer makes sense. However, liming should only be carried out after a pH test, which confirms the necessity of the measure.

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    Types of sod lime

    Some gardeners only know quicklime and garden lime - however, the range of products for lawn lime is significantly larger. We have summarized the most important types in this table for you.

    Lime type description particularities
    algae lime Rock flour (€14.13) with 80% lime content, carbonate of lime from petrified coral and algae deposits also contains important trace elements and magnesium
    quicklime quicklime delete before use, see quicklime
    quicklime unslaked lime, works very quickly only suitable for heavy soils, unfavorable influence on soil life
    dolomite lime carbonate of lime with high magnesium content well suited for light soils, use with simultaneous magnesium deficiency
    fertilizer lime Mixture of different types of lime Collective designation, no particular benefit
    rock flour finely ground rock flour Depending on the type, it also contains many minerals and trace elements, prefer products made from lava stones
    limestone powder finely ground limestone, carbonate of lime well suited for use in autumn
    slaked lime see quicklime see quicklime
    Thomas flour waste product of ore smelting contains a lot of phosphorus, manganese and other trace elements, very good for acidic soils
    vital lime carbonate of lime with proportions of magnesium, trace elements, soil-active Azotobacter bacteria and peat specially developed for lawns - 10 kilograms per 100 square meters

    Lawn lime or dolomite lime? What is better?

    Which lawn lime is most suitable depends on various factors

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

    • Soil type and its humus content
    • soil pH
    • other existing deficiencies in nutrients or minerals
    • time of liming

    The table above shows when which lime is most suitable. Basically, if there are mineral deficiencies - which can occur in addition to the acidic pH value - a corresponding rock flour should be used instead of pure calcium carbonate. However, keep in mind that these act very slowly and are therefore not suitable for quickly eliminating the existing deficiency.

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

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

    Alternatives to lawn lime

    Instead of the lime, which is often problematic, you can also simply spread mature compost on the lawn in autumn, possibly mixed with some rock dust. This measure not only raises the pH value of the soil, but also adds valuable humus to it - instead of using it up like pure calcium carbonate does. In this way you kill two birds with one stone and also avoid overcalcification.

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

    “In most cases, liming is completely unnecessary, even harmful! Always determine the pH of the soil first.”

    Before liming, the soil is first tested for pH to determine the actual requirement. Liming only needs to be done if this value is below 6.5 for light, sandy soil and below 5.5 for heavier soil - the optimal value for a lawn area is exactly within this range. If the pH value is above this, you must not lime under any circumstances! In this case there is a risk of overcalcification with the result that the plants then only poorly absorb nutrients - there is a risk of deficiency symptoms and lawn diseases.

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    Lawn lime is applied after scarifying

    Once the pH value has been determined and the soil's need for lime has been determined, do the preparatory work first. To do this, you should mow the lawn to a cutting height of about four centimeters so that the lime actually ends up 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 begins to grow properly. You can either use a scarifier (€84.00) or simply a rake.

    By scarifying you not only remove the thatch, but also a lot of foreign growth - such as moss, which has grown diligently over the winter months. This measure ensures that the lawn is aerated and the grasses have enough space, light and air for new growth. Only now do you apply the lawn lime. It is advisable to spread the product with a spreader for a more even distribution. 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.

    The best way to spread the spreader is as follows:

    • Mow the lawn four inches high.
    • Scarify the lawn thoroughly (this works best with a rake).
    • First run the lawn lengthways with the spreader.
    • It is best to mark expired strips, for example with stones or a piece of string.
    • Then spread the lime on the horizontal stripes as well.
    • This ensures better and more even coverage.

    After liming, the lawn must be thoroughly watered so that the agent quickly penetrates the soil and gets to where it can be effective. Therefore, it makes sense to apply lime shortly before an expected downpour. Then let the lawn rest for about four weeks, which means: neither fertilize nor mow!

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    How to determine the pH of the soil

    You can easily test the pH of the soil yourself, for example with the help of a soil or quick test from the garden store. These pH tests are easy to use. They are available in different price ranges from different manufacturers, although you can also choose a cheap no-name product from a discounter without hesitation. Alternatively, a professional soil test in a specialized laboratory makes sense, especially since such a test provides you with precise instructions for the right fertilization adapted to your garden soil.

    Lawn lime - when to spread?

    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 carbonated 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 used to neutralize acidic soil, it makes little sense to supply the lawn with fertilizer at the same time - especially if it is a nitrogenous fertilizer. On acidic soils, the nutrient uptake of the plants is inhibited so that they cannot benefit at all from the supplied nutrients. Liming should therefore be carried out first and the first fertilization only at intervals of at least four weeks. However, you must not forget these under any circumstances, as lime removes nutrients from the soil - these must of course be added again. Compost or humus soil are very suitable for this purpose.

    How much lawn lime is needed?

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

    soil type dosage
    Light soil 6 to 8 kilograms per 100 square meters
    middle bottom 8 to 13 kilograms per 100 square meters
    heavy soil 12 to 18 kilograms per 100 square meters

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

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    Be careful with neighboring plants that are not lime-tolerant

    Not all garden plants tolerate lime - and some of them grow in close proximity to the lawn. So that these plants are not damaged by the liming and the resulting higher pH value, you should keep an appropriate safety distance and also pay close attention to where the rainwater drains - this can wash the lime into the bed with the conifers or the ericaceous plants .

    frequently asked Questions

    Is lawn lime poisonous?

    Lawn lime can lead to allergic reactions in humans and animals

    Whether lime is toxic or not depends on the type of lime used and any additives it contains. In any case, the material is questionable and can cause skin irritations, for example if a small child runs barefoot across the lawn. The same goes for pets like dogs and cats. Furthermore, it is better not to inhale the fine lime dust, as it can get stuck in the respiratory organs. Thus lime is quite harmful for children and animals. The limed area should not be walked on at least until the next heavy rain shower so that the material can seep into the ground.

    Does moss really only grow on acidic soil?

    Many a gardener is quick to hand the lawn lime as soon as moss grows in the lawn. Moss is often seen as an indicator of soil that is too acidic (pH below 5), but growth can also have completely different reasons. For example, compacted or too moist soil and a lack of nutrients (especially if too little nitrogen has been fertilized!) lead to increased moss growth. Here, too, the rule applies not to start liming immediately, but to determine the pH value first.

    Does lime also help with clover in the lawn?

    Most types of clover, such as red and white clover, prefer to grow in neutral to alkaline soil, so 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. However, there is one exception: sour clover, as the name suggests, prefers an acidic environment. It is therefore worthwhile to determine the specific type of clover or simply to determine the pH value of the soil.

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    You can buy both fine dusty and granular lawn lime in the shops. While the former is more easily absorbed by the ground, the latter is easier to spread. However, be sure to wear long clothing, safety goggles and respiratory protection - the fine powder easily penetrates the respiratory organs and causes irritation there.

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Garden design