Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and got to enjoy the holidays with loved ones.
I really hope everyone was able to get those mower blades sharpened, and the mowers tuned up with new filters and spark plugs. January is the time of year when you should be applying lime, which is calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). There is always the misconception that it will adversely change your pH, but there are maintenance rates and there are pH correction rates.
The most common lime for lawns is agricultural ground limestone. The three main types are: ground limestone and calcitic or dolomitic limestone, containing finely ground calcium carbonate; burnt lime, also known as quick lime or caustic lime (CalTurf Pro); and hydrated, or slaked, lime (a fine powder).
Lime is a truck for other nutrients. Having calcium readily available in the soil helps control water movement and conductivity, which means it can deliver more nutrients from the soil solution, such as nitrate (NO₃⁻). Calcium is responsible for the production of healthy cell walls and is very important in the growth of strong roots and shoots. Magnesium is a very important part of chlorophyll, which is responsible for the green color of the plant through photosynthesis. Magnesium also increases iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P) utilization.
To sum up, having calcium and magnesium in your growing environment will produce a healthier, more resilient stand of turfgrass. More importantly, applying these nutrients with lime before you lay sod is essential to correct any deficiencies and to prevent the sod from becoming stressed and susceptible to pathogens. If you want good sod and a good stand of grass, you need to know your soil and its pH. Get that pH right so you can apply lime at the maintenance rate each year for better quality, healthier turf.
If you are getting ready to lay some sod, please call me, and I can help with a recommendation on which lime will help soften up clay, so you are successful with your sod installation.
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