Applying lime to your lawn is your first defense against many pests, weeds and diseases. Why? Because lime evens out acidic soil. Georgia’s clay soil tends to have low pH levels, but if you add lime to it for a few years, the acidity may level off on its own. The less acidic the soil, the less stress affecting your lawn.
Having too much lime on your lawn can cause major problems. While lime is beneficial for correcting acidic soil, putting down too much can raise the pH dangerously high, leading to nutrient deficiencies and poor grass health. Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to get your over-limed lawn back on track.
What Happens When You Add Too Much Lime?
Before getting into solutions, it’s helpful to understand why excessive liming is problematic.
Lime contains calcium carbonate, which works to neutralize acidity and raise pH levels in the soil. This is helpful, as most turfgrasses prefer a pH of 65-70. However, adding too much lime can push the pH well above the ideal range, causing the soil to become overly alkaline.
When pH exceeds 75, important nutrients like iron, manganese, copper, and zinc become far less available for plant uptake. Deficiencies in these nutrients quickly lead to chlorosis (yellowing), stunted growth, and weakened turf.
Furthermore as pH rises, beneficial microorganisms in the soil become less active. This leads to slower breakdown of organic matter and poorer soil structure over time.
How to Fix an Over-Limed Lawn
Here are some step-by-step instructions for remedying an over-liming problem:
1. Get a Soil Test
Start by taking several soil samples from around your lawn and sending them off for laboratory analysis. This will confirm if pH is actually too high, and provide customized recommendations for amendment application rates.
Target sampling areas that you know received heavy liming. Also check spots far from lime application zones to see if the effects were widespread.
Most labs provide results within 1-2 weeks. Costs range from $15-30 per test.
2. Adjust Mowing and Watering
While waiting on test results, slightly raise your mowing height and water deeply and infrequently. Taller grass blades and deeper roots will help the turf deal with nutrient issues. Avoid excess nitrogen, which could worsen nutrient deficiencies.
3. Apply Sulfur
Once tests confirm elevated pH, apply a pH-lowering material like aluminum sulfate or elemental sulfur. Sulfur works slowly but effectively, lowering pH over a period of several months. Apply at label rates, water in well, and retest pH every 2-3 months until reaching the target range.
4. Increase Organic Matter
Work in 1⁄4-1⁄2 inch layer of compost over the lawn. Organic matter helps buffer against pH fluctuations while also improving nutrient and water retention. Reapply yearly.
Alternatively, spread and water in a thin layer of peat moss for a quick pH-lowering boost.
5. Apply Chelated Micronutrients
Foliar sprays containing chelated iron, manganese, and other micronutrients can help address nutrient deficiencies in the short-term while soil pH gradually drops. Apply weekly according to label directions.
6. Consider Re-sodding Damaged Areas
In cases of severe over-liming, areas of dead grass may need replacement. Consider resodding or reseeding badly damaged sections. Choose lime-tolerant grass varieties like tall fescue. Stagger and blend new sod edges into existing turf.
7. Adjust Future Liming Rates
Once your soil pH is back in the acceptable range, continue testing every 2-3 years to monitor pH changes over time. Apply only moderate rates of lime to maintain proper pH levels, not exceed them. Follow soil test recommendations for precise application rates.
Signs You’ve Added Too Much Lime
Some early indicators that your lawn is getting over-limed include:
- Patchy chlorosis and yellowing of grass blades
- Noticeably slower turfgrass growth
- Increased weed pressure, especially from sedges and spurges
- Visible lime particles sitting on grass blades following application
- Soil test pH consistently above 7.0-7.5
If you observe these signs, discontinue liming and have your soil tested immediately. The sooner you can diagnose and treat high pH issues, the better chance your lawn has of full recovery.
How to Prevent Over-Application in the Future
To avoid excess liming in the future:
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Always soil test first and follow lab recommendations for lime needs. Never apply blindly.
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Split larger lime applications into halves or thirds, applying over multiple months.
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Water lime in thoroughly after spreading to dissolve and integrate particles.
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Target problem patches, not entire lawns, when spot-liming.
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Calibrate spreaders routinely to ensure accurate application rates.
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Avoid liming just before seeding or sodding new lawns.
With proper care and monitoring, lime can keep soil pH optimized for healthy grass growth without risk of overdoing it. Stay vigilant and react quickly if your lawn shows signs of excessive alkalinity. Addressing over-liming promptly can get your turf back into top shape.
Does your grass struggle to grow?
For people who regularly use a slow-acting fertilizer, seeing sparse grass can be a sign that the grass isn’t getting enough nutrients. You might try your hardest, but the acidity level might stop you. You might spend a lot of money, only to be let down. Adding lime to your soil may help your grass grow faster and thicker. This not only makes for a lush lawn, but also one that is strong enough to handle problems.
Do you have dull or light-colored grass?
Soil with high acidity prevents your grass from absorbing nutrients from the ground. If you’re adding fertilizer to the soil to no avail, check your pH values. High acidity may be the culprit. In these situations, lime can help create the deep green look you’re after.
Q&A – Can you add too much lime to the soil?
FAQ
What happens if I put too much lime on my lawn?
Will lime burn grass?
What happens if soil has too much lime?
What can neutralize garden lime?
Does too much lime affect grass?
The answer is yes. Too much lime can impact the grass’s access to vital nutrients. Lime applications increase the soil pH level and promote healthy growing conditions for grass. Although there are numerous benefits to lime, too much lime can promote high soil alkalinity. The most common effect of too much lime on a lawn is iron deficiency.
How much lime should I add to my lawn?
Ideally, to grow grass you want to aim for a ph level between 6.5 and 7. The type of soil you have and the soil’s current ph level must be taken into consideration when calculating how much lime to add to your lawn. Heavier soils will require more lime for ph level modification.
How do I fix too much lime in my lawn?
Once you’ve established there is too much lime in the soil you have several options to correct the problem. The first option is to wait a month or two and mulch organic matter with your mower to amend the soil and water the lawn with the hope that the lawn improves. The second option is to add horticultural sulfur to the lawn to lower the ph.
Can you put too much lime on a low pH lawn?
The correct amount of lime is often recommended for lawns with low pH. Unfortunately, many people often apply too much lime on their lawns. The resultant alkaline conditions hurt grass growth and ruin the lawn’s aesthetic appeal. It is easy to put too much lime lawn treatment when trying to reduce soil pH.