What is Limestone?

Fall is officially here and with it comes fall services that benefit your lawn ahead of the winter months. Aeration, seeding, seed improvement, and a pre-winter application are common fall services that help nourish your lawn, but what some people may not realize is that a fall application of limestone can be very beneficial.

What is a limestone application?

Limestone is an application that can be used to help level the pH of your soil. As we hit the cold fall and winter months, climate change helps break down lime and begins to raise soil pH levels.

It is a granular product made from ground limestone rock, which naturally contains calcium and magnesium carbonate. These components work together to increase the pH level of the soil, making it less acidic and more alkaline.

Understanding the pH Levels of Your Lawn

Applying a lime treatment will help your lawn regain any nutrients it may have lost due to acidity and can help repair damage caused by acidity. When words like “less acidic” and “alkaline” are used to describe your lawn soil, it can be difficult to know which category your lawn falls into or whether or not it needs a limestone application.

For the health of your lawn and plants, you want your soil levels to be around 6 or 7. When your soil is acidic, that is when your lawn begins to suffer. You can tell if your soil is too acidic even without a soil test. If you see changes in the color of your grass or it looks like it is starting to die even after receiving a fertilizer treatment, that can be a telltale sign.

When your soil is acidic, you are prone to lawn diseases, pests, and an increase in weeds. For any lawn treatment to be effective, soil pH levels are important; An application of limestone could be very beneficial in helping the grass return to neutral levels.

Limestone application

Some limestone products may be labeled «fast acting.» These products are usually more powerful than a product that works consistently over time. The fast-acting solution can cause your lawn to receive too much product at once, which can cause the soil to be pushed too far to be alkaline. This can cause plants not to receive or absorb enough nutrients to grow healthy.

It is best to use a granular product that releases slowly over time to achieve the best results. In the end, slowly increasing the pH level will produce better, longer-lasting results, although it will take longer.