Lime for my lawn

[Discount Hydraulic Hose]

After first full year of home ownership, and soil test from local county extension, I need to add lime to my yard. Total lawn is aro They say total 100lbs/1000sqft divided between spring and fall. Few questions for anyone willing to answer.

Unfortunately, I don't have any power equipment or access to any...

1) what kind of lime should I use? Pellet or powder? Quick lime? Any brands ? Can I just use barn lime?

2) drop spreader or broadcast spreader? Any brands to recommend or to stay away from?

3)I do have a power rake , is it advisable to power rake before liming?

4) should I bother renting an aearator?

Any input is appreciated, I grew up in the woods , so lawn care is a new to me. Thanks

-Blake

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Unfortunately, I don't have any power equipment or access to any...

1) what kind of lime should I use? Pellet or powder? Quick lime? Any brands ? Can I just use barn lime?
Pelletized will be easier to spread and is made from powder lime. All brands should be about the same.

2) drop spreader or broadcast spreader? Any brands to recommend or to stay away from?
Broadcast will probably be easier to use and can be used for other materials like fertilizer should you ever want to do that.


3)I do have a power rake , is it advisable to power rake before liming?
This should not make any difference. You could do it or not do it.

4) should I bother renting an aearator?
Aerating your soil is almost always a good thing. Do this before you lime so that some of the lime will fall into the aeration holes and get into the root zone quicker.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

It looks like you were just about to tell us how big your lawn is and got cut off. If your lawn is substantial you may want to price having it professionally applied, you may be surprised to find it's no more expensive to hire someone who can buy it by the ton than to buy it by the bag yourself. At your rate an acre is going to take over two tons, that's a lot of bags.

I prefer the pelletized lime to powder, it's less messy. The big box stores now push "fast-acting" lime but I feel the marketing of that is somewhat deceptive. They say it's "more concentrated" and that it has the effect of five times as much regular limestone. It's not more concentrated, it has the same amount of calcium by weight as regular limestone, it's been chemically treated so it is absorbed faster. Regular lime takes years to be fully absorbed, fast-acting is absorbed much more quickly. So in terms of immediate impact the fast-acting has the same impact as five times the weight of regular limestone. But the regular limestone will continue to improve your soil for several years while the fast-acting will need to be reapplied.

That said, this time of year you want the lime to be in the soil when the grass is growing fastest. When I did my lawn I did the recommended weight but 20% fast-acting and 80% pelletized to jump-start the process.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

It looks like you were just about to tell us how big your lawn is and got cut off. If your lawn is substantial you may want to price having it professionally applied, you may be surprised to find it's no more expensive to hire someone who can buy it by the ton than to buy it by the bag yourself. At your rate an acre is going to take over two tons, that's a lot of bags.

I prefer the pelletized lime to powder, it's less messy. The big box stores now push "fast-acting" lime but I feel the marketing of that is somewhat deceptive. They say it's "more concentrated" and that it has the effect of five times as much regular limestone. It's not more concentrated, it has the same amount of calcium by weight as regular limestone, it's been chemically treated so it is absorbed faster. Regular lime takes years to be fully absorbed, fast-acting is absorbed much more quickly. So in terms of immediate impact the fast-acting has the same impact as five times the weight of regular limestone. But the regular limestone will continue to improve your soil for several years while the fast-acting will need to be reapplied.

That said, this time of year you want the lime to be in the soil when the grass is growing fastest. When I did my lawn I did the recommended weight but 20% fast-acting and 80% pelletized to jump-start the process.

This is an excellent explanation of lime and how it works and how it should be applied.

 

[Discount Hydraulic Hose]

Lawn area is 10-11k sqft. Whole lot is about .75 acre with a 1600sqft split-level house. The backyard is the bulk of it though... Thanks for the good lesson on lime.