How Ottawa Inground Irrigation Will Help You Lime Your Lawn
A fantastic lawn goes a long way to enhancing the look of your home and is the desire of many. However, people don’t just stumble into a healthy lawn. No, those thick, green lawns are the result of weeks and years of a carefully executed maintenance program. Yet some people find their efforts thwarted by overly acidic soil. Try as you may, forcing turf grass to grow in an acidic soil is a fruitless endeavour. Instead, try to balance out the pH of your lawn with a little lime and some Ottawa inground irrigation.
Why is Acidic Soil Bad for my Lawn?
If your soil is acidic, it is lacking calcium, magnesium, and other alkaline aspects of the soil. Acidic soils generally lack nutrients, making it difficult for you to grow a strong, healthy lawn. This is where lime enters the picture as your lawn’s saviour.
What is Lime?
Lime is essentially a compound of calcium or calcium and magnesium and can counteract the effects of acidic soil. Lime will work in 5 ways to improve the soil conditions of your lawn:
- Lime corrects soil acidity.
- It reintroduces important plant nutrients – calcium and magnesium.
- It reduces the solubility and toxicity of elements such as aluminum, manganese, and iron, all of which could reduce plant growth in acidic conditions.
- Through the presence of calcium, lime helps to promote availability of plant nutrients.
- It increases bacterial activity, creating favourable soil conditions for plant growth.
When Should You Apply Lime to Your Lawn?
You have two options when it comes to applying lime to your lawn. You can apply lime in the spring, while you are preparing your lawn for things such as overseeding or full on replanting. It’s better to start earlier on lawns, since it can take years for lime to fully penetrate.
However, if your lawn is already established, any season except summer is favourable. With that in mind, ensure the soil is dry when you’re applying lime to ensure an even distribution. If necessary, shut off your Ottawa inground irrigation for a few days to ensure the ground is dry.
After you have applied the lime, you can hasten its penetration with some water from your Ottawa inground irrigation system.
How Much Lime Will You Need?
The amount of lime your lawn needs varies with the soil type and how acidic it is. When in doubt, have your soil tested to ensure that it gets the proper lime treatment. Keep in mind that while some homeowners are eager to have a fantastic lawn, there is such a thing as too much lime! That said, there is also too little. Have an expert let you know what your lawn requires so your lawn gets the nutrients it needs.
Also, keep in mind that lime is not a cure-all for your lawn. It creates favourable growing conditions in the soil. However, your lawn still needs proper care to flourish, including Ottawa inground irrigation. Our systems take the guesswork out of watering your lawn by sensing the moisture in the soil and only providing water when your lawn needs it.
This spring, give yourself the gift of a beautiful lawn. A lime treatment will create optimal growing conditions, but Ottawa inground irrigation will make your lawn come to life. Contact Nutri-Lawn Ottawa Inground Sprinkler Systems for more information!