Everyone wants a well-tended lawn.
But there are so many ways to restore the lush green - what about limescale, for example?
Many mistakes can happen when liming the lawn - so you should do your research beforehand.
Here we give you instructions on how to properly lime.
Moss and Co .: How do I know if the lawn needs lime?
There are several ways to find out whether the lawn needs lime. The safest is
a soil analysis,
for which you can buy a test set at the hardware store. You then send this to an appropriate laboratory or institute to carry out the evaluation. The cost is
around 10 to 30 euros
. The test analyzes exactly
what pH value your soil has
, so that you can react exactly to it and not possibly get the wrong fertilizer out of ignorance.
Obviously, however, the lawn also gives you some clues as to whether there is a lack of lime: an
extremely high amount of moss is an indication that your lush green is growing on acidic soil
.
This means that lime is urgently needed to compensate for this.
If, on the other hand, a lot of clover grows on your lawn, this is an indication of an alkaline soil - in this case you can confidently do without liming.
How to interpret pH
:
pH value> 7 = alkaline
pH value 7 = neutral
pH value <7 = acidic
Which is better: liming or fertilizing the lawn?
In general, you can do both, as lime and fertilizers fix different deficiencies in the lawn.
However, you should do the liming before fertilizing.
The added lime provides an optimal basis so that the fertilizer can really hit the ground.
Suitable for this
: When and how often do I have to fertilize the lawn?
Which is the right lime for my lawn?
There are two important types of lime that you should definitely differentiate:
quicklime with the chemical name CaO
and a
lime mixture made from calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
.
The former is extremely harmful to the lawn because it is extremely corrosive.
That is why it is more likely to be used in construction and should be kept away from grasses.
Instead, use the second option, which is perfect for lawn and garden applications.
Spring and autumn: when is the right time to lime the lawn?
Hobby
gardeners often recommend liming the lawn
as early as February
.
In general, however, it is possible to add lime to the soil all year round - both in spring and in autumn.
That said, once you find that your soil is lacking lime, you can take remedial action.
However, there are periods - as you will find out in the next point - when liming is particularly worthwhile.
Find out here
how you can turn a yellow-colored lawn into a green oasis.
Instructions: How to lime the lawn with a spreader
There are a few steps to take to bring the lawn into shape. For example, if you plan to scarify it, you should do it before liming. Here you can read in detail everything you need to know about scarifying *. After scarifying, the soil needs some time to recover from the strain. After that, however, it is particularly receptive to lime, which is why experts often recommend spending it around
four weeks after scarifying
. When liming in autumn, no scarifying is necessary beforehand.
Then you can get down to work: you spread the lime easily by hand or with a spreader.
Just make sure that you
wear gloves
.
There are also certain plants - such as conifers, for example - that cannot tolerate lime.
So find out beforehand whether and how much lime your plants can tolerate and therefore keep a little distance from them.
Otherwise, you can adhere to the following rules of thumb with regard to the nature of the soil:
Light or sandy soils
need 150 to 200 grams of lime per 100m²
Medium-heavy, sandy to loamy soils
need 300 to 400 grams of lime per square meter
Heavy, loamy or clayey soils
need 400 grams of lime per square meter
When you have limed the lawn, the condition of the soil should last for
two to three years
before you have to limewash again.
If you are not sure, after a while, simply take a new soil sample to determine the pH value.
If it is still not in the optimal range, you can always re-lime.
Also interesting
: be sure to avoid these mistakes with your lawn.
Can I lime the lawn when it rains?
The lawn should not be limed directly in rainy weather.
For this, the soil should be dry.
However, it doesn't do any harm if rainy weather is announced shortly after the lime, as the lime can soak into the ground so well.
It is best to choose the evening hours for liming so that the plants do not suffer from burns in the blazing sun.
Before or after liming: How often can I re-sow and fertilize?
It is recommended to re-seed the lawn before liming, but shortly after scarifying.
Read more about sowing lawns here.
Then you wait around four weeks with the liming.
You should fertilize the lawn three to four weeks after the lime has been lime.
However, the time intervals can vary depending on the durability of your lawn - the weather also plays a role.
Hobby gardeners often have to rely on their own feelings and watch the lawn closely.
(fk) * Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editorial network.
Read here
when and how often the lawn needs fertilization.
Very quick to the green garden: design with turbo plants
Very quick to the green garden: design with turbo plants
