Applying lime on the course

Today we applied lime course wide. Lime contains calcium and is most commonly used to raise the pH of soil. pH is a scale to measure the acidity and alkalinity of soil. The scale goes from 1-14. A pH of 7 is neutral. Soil with a pH below 7 is acidic, and pH above 7 is alkaline. The pH level we are attempting to achieve here is between 6 and 7. The pH of the soil needs to be adequate in order for plant nutrient availability, effectiveness of pesticides and herbicides, microbiological activity, and over all plant health. Changing the pH of soil does not happen over night, it takes time and repeated applications to reach the level. This is why we apply lime once a year.