Soil Health & Sampling

Soil Samples 

Soil samples are samples that are taken from your lawn’s soil using a probe to go down the first few inches into the ground. This occurs in several areas of the lawn throughout your property. The soil is then sent out to an independent lab where the soil is analyzed. They will look at the soil’s pH and nutrient levels. A report is then sent back to us with the results. We then review and come up with a plan on how to correct any issues in the soil's health. 

Lime Applications

One of the primary roles of lime is to adjust the pH of the soil. This is an important role in keeping your lawn healthy. Soils can have pH levels that are too high or too low. The proper level for the soil in this area to grow premium grass is 6.5. All lime applications are based on soil sample results unless you receive a maintenance level application which is included in our Premium Package. Over time environmental conditions can cause the pH of the soil to drop and become more acidic. Once this happens the effectiveness of fertilizer starts to drop down. Once the level drops down to a certain level it may take up to a couple applications of lime to correct.. 

Benefits and Why Lime Applications are Important

The health of your grass depends on the quality of the soil. Organic matter, nutrients and pH levels all play an important role in the plants health. Keeping the soil pH balanced is one of the most important things to keep your soil healthy. In our area, central New Jersey the soil is slightly acidic. Meaning we usually have to add some lime to our lawns to keep the pH balanced. The ideal pH number for optimal grass growing is 6.5. The soil pH determines the amount of nutrients available to the plant. In short terms, there may be enough nutrients in the soil but if the pH is not balanced then the plant is unable to take up all the nutrients it needs. This means we can put down the proper fertilizer but a percentage of that fertilizer may be wasted instead of used by the plant.