Garden Lime: What It Is & Its Uses in Landscaping

Garden lime, also sometimes called agricultural lime, is a rock powder used to raise the pH level of soils high in acidity. An application of lime "sweetens" a soil. It can make a "sour" soil more alkaline, which can make a huge difference in the garden.

Garden Lime Use

Soil pH can control the amount of nutrients that are available to plants, so you may want to correct acidic soil with garden lime. Additionally, some plant species perform better in alkaline soil.

The capacity of lime to sweeten the ground also makes it useful for battling outdoor pet odors. But be careful; garden lime is not a product to be used indiscriminately. It is a useful substance when used properly, but it is also possible to misuse it and cause harm to your plants.

Before using garden lime, have a soil test done before adding lime to your garden or lawn so that you have an accurate idea about the soil's pH level. To accomplish this, simply send in a soil sample to your local county extension office. 

Garden Lime Warnings

• Remember, when adding such minerals to the soil, you are playing with chemistry. Err on the side of caution. Do not add lime based on the erroneous notion that "it can't hurt anything because it is natural."
• Some plant problems are caused by soil being too alkaline. Chlorosis (appearing as a yellow discoloration on a plant's leaves) is an example. Chlorosis is typically caused by iron deficiency, when soil pH goes above 7.0. Iron can become unavailable to a plant growing in ground that is so high in pH.
• Lime often fails to provide a quick fix. That is why liming is often treated as one of the tasks of lawn and garden care in the fall, as opposed to waiting till spring). If you rototill lime into your garden in autumn, you may start to results over the course of the following growing season.

The majority of landscape plants grow best in soils that range in pH levels from 5.5 to 6.5. Some plants like to grow in soil that has a low pH level. Some plants like acidic soils, while conversely, there are other plants that perform well in soil that has a higher pH.