Apply dolomitic limestone in the spring or fall to prevent dehydrating plants.
All plants have specific pH ranges to absorb nutrients optimally. For example, most grass types need a soil pH range of 6.0 to 7.0, while ornamental plants generally need a range of 6.5 to 7.4. Plants grown in acidic soil are unable to absorb the proper amount of nutrients they need for growth. Dolomitic lime is used to raise a soil's pH to bring it into the correct range.
Instructions
1. Dig five to six 3- to 4-inch holes in the lawn. Collect a half cup of garden soil from the bottom of each hole. Mix the soil in a bucket. Mail a half cup of soil to your local cooperative extension office for a soil pH test. Typically, results take three to four weeks.
2. Pour half the amount of dolomitic limestone recommended by the soil test into a drop spreader. For instance, a soil pH between 5.6 and 6.0 for grass requires 50 lbs. of dolomitic limestone per 1,000 square feet.
3. Push the drop spreader vertically across the lawn. Add the rest of the limestone to the drop spreader and apply horizontally to achieve even coverage. Gardeners applying limestone to bare soil should till the limestone into the first 2 inches of topsoil. If you're applying limestone on top of plants, don't till plants to prevent harming root systems.
4. Apply 1 inch of water to the lawn to help the dolomitic limestone absorb into the soil. Examine plants to ensure they're not covered with the limestone.
5. Retest the soil's pH in six months. It takes dolomite between three to six months to alter the pH.
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