Spring fertilizing acid soil

18 years ago

I live very close to Lake Michigan, in an area that used to be sand dunes but is now covered with oak trees. As a result the soil is very sandy and acidic. I'd like to improve the pH by applying some lime, but I also need to fertilize this spring. Not sure which to do first or if they conflict with each other. Any ideas?

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Comments (3)

billhill
18 years ago
It does not matter what order these products are applied. Mix them together if you wish. A couple ideas for you. Since this is the lawn forum, I assume you are trying to grow a lawn on the land described as "covered with oak trees". Realize that grass will not grow well in deep shade. Fine fescue blends containing Hard, Chewings and Creeping red have the best performance in moderate shade. Mulch you Autumn leaves into your lawn and allow them to decompose in place over winter. Excessive leaves should be piled and composted over winter and used as mulch in your beds or allowed to decompose further into leaf mold compost. Trees in the middle of your yard should have a mulch ring around them approximately the diameter of the drip line. Rake your shredded leaves into this mulch ring in the fall. Plant some shade loving flowers and ornamentals there. Hostas are good for shade. Good luck with your Michigan lawn. Bill Hill
michiman
Original Author
18 years ago
A bit of clarification--the land WAS covered with oak trees. Now there are only 6 or 7 left but they are huge and drop LOTS of leaves and acorns. I can hardly overestimate the amount of leaves that fall. Easily 4 or 5 dump trucks full each fall plus more in the spring. It's mind-blowing. I do get plenty of sun on the lawn, though as the white oaks are fairly upright in shape for some reason.

I have tried to grow regular bluegrass/fescue mix without much success as the pH is so acidic. Would the fescue blend do better? Thanks, all.
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philes21
18 years ago
No. Neutralize the acid. Put the lime down, but recognize that you want to do three, maybe four, applications of lime, lightly, rather than one big application in the spring.

Additionally, you should recognize that that lawn, near those trees, needs to be kept tall. The roots need to be deep, to compete with those white oaks. There's not a sponge on this planet that can compete with a white oak, when it comes to soaking up moisture out of the ground. You have probably noticed already that the soil near those trees is dry, dry, dry.

You've probably got the shade issues whipped. Don't overlook the acidity issue and the moisture issue. Get those right, and you'll have lawn there.