Five Tips for Using a Lime Spreader on Your Lawn
Soil Test
Before using a lime spreader, you should have a soil test done on your lawn. This will determine if you need to use lime at all and if so, how many pounds you need to use on your lawn. This soil test can be performed by a nursery professional or a county agent. You can also buy a kit and perform the soil test yourself.
Dust
Using a lime spreader will create a lot of dust. Therefore, you need to make sure you’re wearing a dust mask while using one. Lime can come in a powder or pellet form. Using pellets with the lime spreader will generate less dust, but you will still need to wear a mask.
Type
There are two types of lime that you can use on your lawn, namely calcitic and dolomitic. Calcitic lime only adds calcium, while dolomitic lime add calcium and magnesium to your lawn. Calcitic lime is the cheaper option. However, it’s best to use the dolomitic variety, especially if your lawn is composed of sandy soil. Sandy soils are usually low in magnesium, so the lawn would benefit more from dolomitic lime.
Season
If you use a granular type of lime, the season that you use it is important. It’s best to use the lime spreader to apply the granular type of lime in the late fall as opposed to the spring. This is due tot he fact that it can take up to six months for granular lime to break down enough to benefit your lawn.
Uniformity
It’s best to use a lime spreader to apply the lime uniformly across your lawn. This can prove to be difficult to do because there most of the time you will have overlaps or gaps in your pattern. The best way to use a lime spreader to apply the lime uniformly is to use a criss-cross pattern.
These are a few tips for using a lime spreader on your lawn. Before you do anything, you should have a soil test done on the lawn to determine how much lime to apply. A lime spreader will also cause a lot of dust, so you need to make sure you’re wearing a dust mask at all times.
