How to Add Lime With Fertilizer

Lime is a blend of calcium and magnesium that helps to reduce acid levels in soil. Soil that is too acidic keeps plants from absorbing all of the nutrients they need from the soil and water. Many fertilizers contain components that can raise soil's acid levels; if you do not tame highly acidic soils before adding fertilizer, you can harm your plants before they have a chance to grow.

Things You'll Need

• Soil test
• Lime
• Garden spreader
• Fertilizer

Instructions

1. Test your soil's pH level before adding lime and fertilizer. Test it yourself using a home test kit or you can send a sample to your local university extension office. If you test your soil with a home kit, the results are immediate. Purchase a soil testing kit at any lawn and garden supply store.

2. Add lime to your soil with a garden spreader if the test results show high levels of acidity. Soil pH below 6 is considered highly acidic, and should be treated by adding lime. A general rule of thumb is to add 50 pounds of lime per 1,000 square feet of soil. If your lawn is larger or smaller, adjust that amount appropriately. Charts are available at garden supply stores or on the sides of packages of lime. Remember that you can always add more of any ingredient, but you cannot remove it as easily.

3. Allow the lime to settle into the soil for one to two weeks.

4. Add fertilizer with a garden spreader according to package directions.

5. Test your soil again to ensure that the pH level is where it needs to be for whatever plants you are growing. Vegetables may have additional fertilizer requirements if you are adding lime and fertilizer to a garden.

Tips & Warnings

• It is better to add too little lime, test your soil, then add more if needed, than it is to add too much at the beginning.

• Adding too much lime makes soil too alkaline. Always test your soil before adding more lime.

• Water your lawn regularly, but do not over-water, especially if you have had plenty of rain.

References

• University of Delaware Cooperative Extension: Common Sense Use of Fertilizer and Lime in the Home Vegetable Garden
• Washington State University: Some Thoughts About Soil pH, Fertilizers and Lime