Lime in summer???

fish13131 – posted 18 May 2004 14:18

I want to overseed in the fall (northeastern new lawn with Rye/Fescue/Bluegrass mix). My soil PH was way off because it is newly stripped from the builder so last fall and this spring I added about 2/3 of the lime it called for. I want to finish off the lime in time to get the soil in good shape to take the new seed this fall. Can I lime in the summer or will this cause an issue?

cohiba – posted 18 May 2004 14:32

fish13131, You can lime in summer provided you water it in. Do it early in the AM for best results and to minimize burn(pellitized lime will not burn). How off was your pH? What was driving the pH? Did you get a soil test or did the builder tell you it was off? Also, you must know that lime leaches into the soil at about 1″ per year. That is why repeated apps are usually needed to correct soil pH in the rootzone. If the pH is that way off I would suggest that you correct the top 6″ and rototill. This is the best time to add any soil amendments that may be needed. This is also the only time you will hear me advocate for tilling. Also know that if your soil is high in magnesium and low in calcium you should be using a high cal lime. Adding dolomitic lime may correct the pH but it may cause problems with soil drainage and nutrient availability later.

If you have a soil test I would like to see it. If you fax it to me I would be glad to look it over for you..

Let me know…..

Good Luck…..

fish13131 – posted 18 May 2004 14:59

My neighbor across the street actually had the test done. We live in a new construction development. His soil is identical to mine (builder stripped off the topsoil and left us with a bunch of clay). The test called for 50lbs of lime per 1,000 sq feet. I put down 10 per thousand in june 2003, 12 per thousand in october 2003, 12 per thousand in April 2004, and wanted to do another 12 per thousand in July or so. It would be pellets. I thought it was better to do this way than all at once. This is still quite a bit but I don’t want to do it over 3-4 years if I can help it. The soil is already in much better shape. I put a lot of gypsum down to soften up some of the clay and have aerated 2x the past 12 months. Am I on the right track?

cohiba – posted 18 May 2004 18:36

Wow! Sounds good to me! A good test would be to wait a year or two and get another test to compare the two years. We test everything every 3-4 years to make sure our fert program is on track. I love the gypsum to soften up the clay. I don’t feel as though you can put too much gypsum down with clay soils. steer clear and resist the urge to add sand as a topdressing or in the aeration holes. This is a task that is not for the faint of heart. To be done right you have to be dedicated over a long haul (4-5 years) before the benefits and layering are realized. In short: Clay can be managed. Remember: It is impossible to dry out and whatever you do don’t let it dry out. It is impossible to wet again. I know that makes very little sense but anyone that deals with clay knows what I mean.

Good Luck and keep up the good work….

ted – posted 18 May 2004 20:45

yeah, you can put down up to 40 pounds of lime per 1000 sq. ft. per application. good question, good answer.

Clay Soils – posted 27 May 2004 21:00

I had a beautifull green lawn. Now I am getting yellow spots about 10 feet across that fade back into the rich green lawn. I have tried everything from lime to gypsum to get rid of this yellow. This is the second year of my lawn, and I have very hard clay soil.

Please advise!!

cohiba – posted 29 May 2004 19:43

Clay Soils: Are they circles? Or just an area of lighter green? At times you will find different soils on the same property. If this is the case you may need to handle these soils differently. Was there a pool, or an underground storage tank removed from the property, may be some soil was imported from elsewhere to finish a project. All are possible reasons for the different tone of the turf.

Just a thought…..

Bill_SC – posted 04 June 2004 09:30

My soil had never been tested before I had it done. 140 years of neglect; Ph was 5.3 as I remember. My extension service told me to apply 60 lbs/1000 sq ft in one application in the Fall. Saw immediate positive results. Still in specs 3 years later.

einstein30184 – posted 14 June 2004 11:41

where can I buy gypsum at. I only found one distributor in search.Lowes,HD,and pike don’t list it on sites. Thx in advanceein

cohiba – posted 14 June 2004 16:32

Gypsum is a very low cost item that may not be considered worthy of listing on a website. Try calling the store first before you go. If not try a farm supply store, garden centers or a Lesco store, Agway, etc. Still no luck?-call a local golf course superintendent and see where he gets his supply. Most will be glad to help.

Good Luck……….