In North Mississippi, lime can be necessary to raise soil pH and correct overly acidic soil. But it’s not always needed, so use it carefully.
The only way to truly know whether your lawn could benefit from lime is with a lawn soil test.
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Be wary of lawn care companies in New Albany, MS and North MS that want to do lawn treatments without scientific backing. Base your lawn decisions on what it actually needs, not what companies want you to pay for.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you should know about lawn lime, including how it works and when you might need it. This will help you better understand how to invest in your lawn’s health.
Lawn lime treatments are a type of soil amendment. These amendments raise soil pH through a series of chemical reactions that ultimately neutralize acidity by replacing hydrogen ions trapped in the soil.
Of course, we know that you don’t necessarily want a whole science lesson on how lime for lawns neutralizes hydrogen ions (which are found in abundance in acidic soil)...you just want to know what it’s going to do for your lawn…and when it’s necessary.
When soil becomes too acidic, it can prevent grass roots from absorbing nutrients and create a difficult growing environment for most grass types. Even if nutrients are present, your grass may not use them effectively.
That means your fertilization services might not be doing as much good as they should.
This would be a reason to correct your lawn’s acidity by raising the pH with limestone.
But keep in mind that it depends on your grass type AND what a soil sample shows. Although lime is often needed here in North MS, nobody should make a blanket statement that it’s always necessary. As with any situation, your lawn might be different from a neighbor’s.
Remember: Most soils in North Mississippi are acidic and need supplemental lime. Centipede lawns, however, thrive in slightly acidic conditions, so use lime with care. Centipede grasses usually don’t need limestone unless a soil test shows the pH has dropped too low for that grass type.
The biggest takeaway? Don’t start applying lime haphazardly, without knowing if it’s truly needed. That is why it’s essential to rely on a lawn soil test, which we’ll talk about next. Then you can make scientific decisions for your lawn instead of playing guessing games.
The only way to tell if you need lime for your lawn is with a lawn soil test.
Soil sampling is always the best way to decide what your lawn needs and what’s going on in the soil. You can’t tell just by looking. A lawn growing in acidic soil might be discolored, stunted, and patchy. But many other lawn problems can cause these issues, too.
At Lawn & Pest Solutions, we include soil sampling in our lawn care programs. We also provide a lab report with recommendations tailored to your lawn. Our focus is on customized treatments that are right for your lawn.
If we determine you need limestone, we use pelletized lime. Our high-quality pelletized limestone also includes calcium and gypsum. Calcium and gypsum make the lime act faster. Calcium also helps reduce soil compaction, which is a nice bonus. This is preferable to powdered lime, which is pretty dusty.
Lawn lime treatments are typically done with a lawn spreader, similar to how you apply granular fertilizer. Your lawn care technician will calibrate the spreader properly to ensure accurate lime application. The amount applied will depend on your lawn soil test results.
Your lawn soil test results will recommend a specific number of pounds of lime per square foot. Usually, lawn care professionals recommend no more than 50 pounds of lime per 1,000 square feet in a single application, which is the amount your soil can absorb at any given time.
If your soil test results require more, you’ll need multiple lime applications over time to ensure your soil gets the lime it needs to adjust its pH.
Some soils will respond better to lime than others, but typically, when the soil test report says you need a certain amount of lime per 1,000 square feet, that’s exactly what brings your soil to the proper levels.
Testing your soil again after a lime treatment should show improved pH.
Lawn & Pest Solutions tests soils every 2 to 3 years or, if lawn results decline, to ensure balanced soil chemistry. When a lawn is far out of balance, we recommend applying the prescribed amount of lime and retesting no sooner than 6 months later, since soil levels take time to balance.
What does lime do for your lawn?
Lime for lawns adjusts soil pH so nutrients (including those in fertilizer) are absorbed more efficiently.
Is lime good for your lawn?
Lime is good for your lawn if it needs it. If your lawn doesn't need it, applying lime can raise the soil pH too high. Soil pH that is too high (too alkaline) can also make it difficult for grass to access needed nutrients.
How does lime help your lawn?
Lime for lawns raises the soil pH, creating a better environment for grass to absorb nutrients. This can lead to healthier roots, stronger growth, and a greener lawn.
Why put lime on a lawn?
Apply limestone to a lawn if a soil test shows the soil is too acidic. For most lawns, soil is considered too acidic when the pH drops below 6.0. In North MS warm-season grasses, scores of 6.3 to 6.5 are ideal. And we typically have good, silty loam soils. When you see pockets of clay, you tend to see lower soil pH levels. Also, excavation and earthmoving work in new subdivisions can expose soil pockets that differ in composition from what was expected.
How do you tell if your lawn needs lime?
A lawn soil test is the only surefire way to know if your lawn needs lime. However, some early indicators that a lawn may benefit from lime include pale or yellowish grass, weak growth, thin/patchy areas, and increased weed pressure.
When should I put lime on my lawn?
Knowing when to apply lime matters. Fall is an excellent time since the chemical reaction in the soil has time to happen over the winter. However, there is no "bad" time to apply lime if your lawn needs it.
Can you apply lime and fertilizer at the same time?
Yes, you can apply limestone and fertilizer at the same time. These applications serve different purposes and don't interfere with each other.
How quickly does lime work?
How quickly lime improves the soil pH depends on where it started. The time it takes to change your soil's pH depends on how far off it is. Typically, this can take 1 to 2 years, since lime takes a full year to break down.
What happens if I don’t fix my soil pH?
If you do not take the steps needed to adjust your soil pH with lawn limestone, your grass will not be as healthy as it could be. Not only could your lawn lose color and vigor, leaving you with thin spots, bare areas, or an off-color lawn, but it can also encourage weeds to thrive.
Can you put too much lime on a lawn?
Yes, you can over-apply lime. Know the limits, or call the pros. Also, hydrated lime acts fast, but it can easily burn plants and turf. When we see this, it often looks like scorched grass. Limit use of that type of product to your garden.
Is lawn lime safe for dogs?
Calcitic and dolomitic lime are nontoxic to humans, pets, and wildlife. However, since lime dust can irritate your pet’s eyes, lungs, and skin, it’s best to wait until the lime application is incorporated into the soil before letting your pet use the yard.
It can be frustrating to feel unsure about lawn treatments. You want to make the right choices for your lawn…but you also don’t want to sign up for treatments you don’t need.
This is why it’s crucial to choose a lawn care company in New Albany, Mississippi, that understands local soils and knows what your lawn needs to thrive. You have better things to do than worry about whether your lawn gets the treatments it needs at the right times.
You want to trust it’s in the right professional hands and that it'll look good.
That’s where Lawn & Pest Solutions can help. We have decades of experience in the North Mississippi region and have seen more than our fair share of local soil. We’re happy to take this worry off your mind and improve your soil pH with lime applications. We’ll create a customized plan for your lawn based on a soil test and make science-based decisions to support your lawn’s best health.
Ready to learn why Lawn & Pest Solutions could be your choice for lawn care in New Albany, MS? We’re excited to learn more about you and help you have the best lawn on the block. Get started today with a free quote. We can create a customized plan tailored to you and your yard.