This is where the lime comes in. Lime is a natural alkaline, and adding it to acidic soils raises the pH of the soil towards pH neutral. If you continue to add lime, the soil will eventually end up with a pH value of above 7 – that is, it will become alkaline.
Most plants actually prefer a slightly acidic soil of between about pH6 and pH7. However, when soil has a pH of less than 6, the minerals in the soil become insoluble and inaccessible to the plants trying to grow there.
So in essence, we use lime to alter the pH level of the soil to make it easier for plants to thrive.
It is important to understand this point. Lime is not a fertilizer and should not be used as such. It is used for the very specific purpose of altering the pH level of the soil to make it more suited to the plants you are attempting to grow there.
Since plants do not all flourish in soil of the same acidity, you need to understand which plants require which levels of acidity and then to add lime accordingly.
Similarly, you should bear this in mind when you are planting your garden since if you put acidic soil-loving plants next to plants that prefer soils with higher pH levels, it will be impossible to keep everyone happy.
For this reason, a little forethought when organizing your garden will make things easier for you later on.
Now let’s have a look specifically at some of the types of plants that will benefit from lime and which won’t
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