Lime for lawns
Lime a lawn only after a test, in autumn or early spring.
Most lawns grow well from pH 5.5 to 7.0 and need no lime. Below 5.5, lime lifts the soil towards 6.0, the UK target for grassland (Goulding, 2016), so the grass grows thicker and competes better. Granulated Lime spreads like a fertiliser and falls back to fine flour when wet, with no dust on the grass.
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- Test first. Lime only below pH 5.5.
- Best September to November; next best February to March.
- Keep it a month away from lawn feed and moss killer.
How much lime for a lawn
| Soil | Per half pH unit | Most in one go |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 225 g/m² | 400 g/m² |
| Light loam | 250 g/m² | 400 g/m² |
| Medium loam, clay or silt | 300 g/m² | 400 g/m² |
Established grass, surface applied, from our Granulated Lime guidance, which follows the AHDB RB209 method. A half unit is, for example, 5.0 to 5.5. Split larger amounts between autumn and spring and retest between.
Work out your exact amount. Enter your lawn area, your reading and your soil, and the calculator works out the dose, the split and the bags.
The liming year
| Months | Lime? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| September to November | Best | Moist, still-warm soil; winter rain washes it in |
| December to January | Only on soft, dry ground | Never on frozen or waterlogged turf |
| February to March | Good | Works before spring growth and the first feed |
| April to August | Avoid | Clashes with feeding; dry soil slows it down |
How to spread it
- Test first. At 5.5 or above, skip lime. See how to test soil pH.
- Two passes at right angles. By hand or with a spreader on a low setting, on a dry, still day.
- Water in, or wait for rain. The granules break down to fine lime once wet.
- Feed separately. Fresh lime makes ammonium feeds lose nitrogen as ammonia. Leave a month.
- Retest in a year or two. Lime again only when the test says so.
Common questions
Can I lime and feed my lawn at the same time?
No. Fresh lime raises the pH at the surface, so more of the ammonium in many lawn feeds escapes as ammonia instead of feeding the grass. Leave about a month between them.
How long does lime take to work on a lawn?
At the surface, a month or two in moist soil: in the maker's trial on sandy soil, a light dressing lifted the top few centimetres by 0.9 units in four weeks. Lower down it moves slowly, over a year or more.
Will lime get rid of moss?
No. It helps grass on genuinely acid soil, but moss is mainly shade, wet and compaction. See does lime kill moss?
How often should I lime a lawn?
Only when a test reads below 5.5. On acid soil that is typically every few years, not every year.
What is the best pH for a lawn?
Between 5.5 and 7.0 for most UK lawns. The UK target for grassland is 6.0 (Goulding, 2016).
More: Granulated Lime · soil pH calculator · does lime kill moss? · how to test soil pH · how to raise soil pH · lawn care
Fine lime that goes through a spreader
About 98% calcium carbonate in 2 to 5 mm granules that fall back to flour when wet. Lime to a test, autumn or early spring.
Buy the size for your lawn
Free UK delivery over £40. Buy now goes straight to checkout.
Free UK delivery over £40. Dispatched in 1 to 2 working days. Packed and posted from Stockport.