What liming material should be used?
Agricultural ground limestone is the most widely used liming material for turfgrass areas. Manufactured by grinding rock containing high concentrations of calcium carbonate into fine particles, it can be purchased at most garden supply stores, hardware stores, farm supply stores, and many supermarkets. Dolomitic limestone is manufactured by grinding rock containing calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate and is recommended where a soil test shows low pH and deficient levels of soil magnesium. Pelletized limestone is ground agricultural limestone, calcitic or dolomitic, that has been aggregated into larger particles to facilitate spreading and to reduce dust. The aggregates are bound together by a water-soluble substance that dissolves quickly when wet. Other liming materials, such as hydrated lime (slaked lime), burned lime (quicklime), marl, shells, and blast-furnace slag are not recommended for turfgrass areas. Gypsum is not a liming material.
