Spread
- 75lb per 1,000 sq ft
- 1trip
- Yesaerate too
- Spread 421.9 lb of lime on 5,625 sq ft.
- That is 11 bags of 40 lb.
- Penn State says one time is fine up to 100 lb for each 1,000 sq ft. Missouri says to stop at 50 lb for each 1,000 sq ft, then wait about 6 months.
- Aerate the lawn right before or after. Penn State says it helps the lime work.
Get a soil test first
Lime makes soil less sour. It raises the pH. Only a soil test tells you how much your lawn needs.
The test gives pounds of lime for each 1,000 sq ft1,000 sq ft (93 sq m). It can be 50 or as much as 600. It depends on how sour the soil is and the pH you want.
Most grass grows best at a pH of 6.5 to 7. Centipede grass likes it more sour, close to 5.5. So do not lime centipede without a test.
What CCE means
CCE is how strong your lime is next to pure lime. Pure lime is 100%. Soil tests count on lime that is 100%.
Is your bag weaker? Then use more. Times the amount by 100, then divide by the CCE.
Penn State's example: 75 lb × 100 ÷ 80 = 94 lb
How much lime at one time
Penn State says one time is fine up to 100 lb48.8 kg for each 1,000 sq ft100 sq m. More than that? Split it into two or more times, 4 to 6 months apart.
Missouri is more careful. It says up to 50 lb24.4 kg, then wait about 6 months.
Above 50 lb24.4 kg, aerate the lawn right before or after. Penn State says it helps the lime work.
Ground or pelletized lime?
Both work. Penn State says to use good ground or pelletized limestone.
Clemson says pelletized and granular lime are easier to spread on a lawn. They do not clog the spreader. Fine, ground lime works faster.
Hydrated lime acts fast. Clemson says to be careful with it.
How the math works
- Area. Length times width. For a circle, half the width times itself, times 3.1416. One meter is 3.28084 feet.
- Your lime. The soil test amount, times 100, divided by the CCE on your bag.
- Your lawn. That times your area in sq ft, divided by 1,000.
- Bags. Pounds divided by the bag weight, rounded up.
- Trips. Your amount for each 1,000 sq ft, divided by 100, rounded up. That is Penn State's rule.
- Metric. 1 lb for each 1,000 sq ft is 0.488 kg for each 100 sq m. One kg is 2.20 lb.
Questions
How much lime do I need for my lawn?
Your soil test says. Penn State's table runs from 50 to 600 lb for each 1,000 sq ft. With no test, NC State says 45 to 50 lb for a new lawn.
How many bags of lime per acre?
An acre is 43,560 sq ft. At 50 lb for each 1,000 sq ft, that is about 2,180 lb. That is 55 bags of 40 lb.
Can I put down too much lime?
Yes. More than 100 lb for each 1,000 sq ft at once is too much, Penn State says. Split it into more trips.
Is pelletized lime better than ground lime?
It is easier to spread. Both work. Use the amount your soil test says, fixed for the CCE.
Sources
- Penn State AASL, sample soil test report for a home lawnMar 2015CCE math; split above 100 lb; aerate above 50 lb
- Penn State AASL, Lime Recommendations, TurfundatedSoil test amounts run from 50 to 600 lb
- University of Missouri G6705Apr 2025Up to 50 lb at a time, about 6 months apart
- Clemson HGIC 1650, Changing the pH of Your SoilMay 2026Ground, pelletized and hydrated lime
- NC State Extension, Carolina LawnsJul 2021No test: 45 to 50 lb for a new lawn; pH by grass