While lime does provide calcium (calcitic lime) or calcium/magnesium (dolomitic lime), it is generally not considered a fertilizer as it isn't a source of nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium. Lime is used mainly to raise soil pH.

The advise from the Ext. Serv. recommends no more than 50lbs./1000sq.ft. per application. For best results apply in the Fall.

My soil test also showed that in order to bring the pH up to 6.8 I need to apply 6 tons on my 1 acre lawn. That ain't gonna happen!

Lime isnt fertilizer. Something with Nitrogen like scotts turfbuilder is fertilizer. lime pellets as someone mentioned is used to adjust the ph of the soil based on a soil test.

You can fertilize 4 times a year with something containing Nitrogen and a little iron (instructions on the bag). Get a test before you add lime.

An easy way to remember when to fertilize cool season lawns is Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving (although Halloween is fine too, especially for younger lawns). You can go earlier than memorial day as well, especially if you live in a hot humid location. Don't fertilize in the summer unless it is organic, or very low nitrogen. High nitrogen in the summer forces top growth, which depletes the grass's reserves, and creates a lush environment that is more susceptable to fungal diseases. Avoid weed and feed products, instead use plain fertilizer to feed your lawn and a product like weed-b-gone to kill the weeds. If you only have a few weeds get a tank sprayer and spot treat them. If you have a lot use a hose end sprayer to treat the whole lawn. Make sure weeds are actively growing when applying weed killer products, and always read the label.

Speaking with local sod farmers... Every one of them advises to spend money correcting PH problems before buying a bunch of Fertilizer...

Really out of whack PH prevents plants from getting at nutrients... so you can pour on the Fertilizer, but it just won't be effective like it should....

Now... 6-tons of Lime on a 1-acre yard sounds a little high... That is 279 lbs/1,000 sq/ft... which is a massive amount of lime... 50 lbs/1000 = 2,600 lbs/acre or so.. or almost 1.5 tons.

Thanks

John

I thought 6 tons/acre was high and questioned whether the ph reading of 5.2 might have been in error so I purchased a Cornell soil ph kit and re-checked, and sure enough the pH value was 5.2.
The 6 tons/acre was based on silt/clay soil which I do have but it's deeper than I thought, and what I have is sandy soil over hardpan with good (fast) drainage down a least a foot. Therefore the lime rate will be less (haven;t looked it up yet) but will still be more than the single application recommention of 50#/1000 sq.ft.

My soil is a very hard red clay soil...
PH = 5.0 ... so lower than yours...
Clemson extension soil analysis recommends 90 lbs/1,000 sq-ft or about 2 tons per acre....

Granted, our soils are different... but you are talking about adding 3x as much lime as I am...

I would add 50 lbs/1,000... then wait a couple months and check PH again....

Thanks

John

Interesting. The pH chart I have from FL Ext. Serv. shows for silty-clay loam soils 115 lbs. of ground ag. lime is needed to raise the pH from 5.0 to 6.0 and 170 lbs. to 6.5.

To raise the pH to 6.5 for sandy and silt loam soils is 70 and 125 lbs. respectively.