Q: Do you have any suggestions on lime• We have a drop spreader and have tried using this to dispense the finely powdered lime into the garden. Since it is so fine it will not come out properly. Usually we end up spreading by hand, which is hit and miss, and end up with the powder all over our boots and ourselves. Our garden is about 50 feet by 50 feet, and we would like to find a better solution. We also need to put lime on portions of our lawn around the house and are not concerned with the rest of the two acres. Do you think mixing the lime with course sand would work, or do you have any other suggestions?

A: Here in Western Pennsylvania our soils are clay-based and are often too acidic for optimum plant growth. The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, with measurements in the 0 to 7.0 range being acidic, and those above 7.0 being alkaline. A pH of 7.0 is neutral. The pH of your soil is so important to plant growth because it determines the availability of almost all essential plant nutrients. When soils become too acidic, certain nutrients become less available (phosphorus in particular), beneficial soil bacteria are less active, and certain elements — like aluminum and manganese — can become toxic. Not to mention the fact that your plants simply won’t perform their best. This is true no matter what you are growing; veggies, lawns, perennials, etc.

And so we use lime to raise the soil’s pH and make it less acidic. Our goal in most gardening situations is to adjust the pH to 6.5. This is the magic number at which the highest number of nutrients are available in optimum amounts. Some plants prefer acidic soils (think evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas and blueberries) but the large majority of the plants growing in your vegetable patch need a pH of about 6.5 to maximize their yields. The only way to tell if your soil’s pH needs to be adjusted, and the proper amount of lime to add to do it, is to get a soil test. They can be purchased through your county’s office of the Penn State Cooperative Extension Service (the number is in the blue pages under County Offices).

I’m assuming, based on your question, that you have already had a soil test done and know your soil’s current pH level (you should have done two separate tests: one for your veggie patch and one for your lawn, as they have different nutritional needs). The test results should also have told you how much lime to add to “fix” the pH. You should test and adjust your soil’s pH every three or four years. Now let’s talk about the application process and making it easier.

Liming materials are not all created equal. First, look to your soil test results to determine if you need calcitic lime or dolomitic lime. Calcitic lime is mined from natural limestone deposits and crushed to a fine powder. It also is called aglime or agricultural lime and supplies calcium to your soil as it adjusts the pH. Dolomitic lime is derived in a similar manner but from limestone sources that contain both calcium and magnesium. If your soil test came back showing high levels of magnesium, use calcitic lime. If the test shows a magnesium deficiency, then use dolomitic limestone. Clay soils tend to hold onto magnesium so more often than not, calcitic lime is the more appropriate choice for gardeners in Western Pennsylvania.

Next, look for pelletized calcitic lime. This product is created by taking the finely pulverized particles of lime and binding them together with a binder compound to form small pellets that are much easier to spread than powdered lime products and will keep you from getting covered with dust. Uniform coverage is very important as lime is insoluble and can’t move around within the soil. Skipped areas won’t have an effective pH change, and overlapped areas will undergo a more drastic pH change and wind up with potential trace element issues. To cover the area evenly, spread half the pelletized lime in one direction over the entire area, then apply the rest in a perpendicular fashion, creating a crisscross pattern.

Pelletized lime is only slightly more expensive and is well worth it for its ease of application and convenience. If your soil test recommendations came back with application rates for crushed agricultural lime, the application rate for pelletized lime is lower. A 1:10 ratio is the rule of thumb. Meaning you need 10 times less pelletized lime than agricultural lime to garner the same pH change. So if your soil test recommends adding 100 pounds of agricultural lime, add 10 pounds of pelletized. And, one last thing, you don’t have to add lime only in the fall. You can add it anytime a soil test indicates the need.

Copyright ©2026— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)