Promote a Healthy Lawn with Soil Amendments
If your lawn just won’t stay healthy and vibrant, even after plenty of care, it might be time to look beneath the surface. Soil amendments target the foundation of lawn health—improving soil texture, structure, nutrient content, and even pH balance. Addressing these underlying issues can give your grass the environment it needs to thrive—particularly in cooler climates like Minnesota’s USDA Hardiness Zones 4a and 4b.
At Valley Green Companies, our lawn experts can help you maintain or improve your lawn’s appearance and usability. Contact us today to set up an appointment.
What are Soil Amendments?
Soil amendments are materials added to the lawn, similar to fertilizer. However, they modify and improve the soil instead of supplying direct nutrients to the grass. Poor soil structure can lead to waterlogging or inadequate moisture, while extreme acidity (low pH) or alkalinity (high pH) can limit nutrient availability.
By addressing these foundational problems, soil amendments help your lawn become thicker, greener, and more resistant to weeds, diseases, and environmental stress—even during Minnesota’s long winters and short growing seasons.
Understanding Ideal Soil
What are the traits of good lawn soil? Depending on where you live, your soil may be primarily made up of either sand or clay. No matter which soil type is under your lawn, a few traits that are key to healthy grass can be addressed with soil amendments.
pH Balance
Grass typically prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil (around 6.5–7.5 pH). When the soil is too acidic, grass can’t effectively access nutrients, and weeds often thrive.
In Minnesota, this can vary based on local geology, so testing is the first step before adding anything.
Soil Compaction
Heavily compacted soil prevents roots from accessing air, water, and nutrients. Addressing compaction helps grass roots grow deeper and stronger.
Freeze-thaw cycles can naturally assist in breaking up soils, so pairing aeration and amendments at the right time of year (fall or early spring) can be especially effective.
Water Retention
Sandy, loosely packed soils can drain too fast, depriving grass of the steady moisture it needs. On the flip side, clay soils can hold onto water too tightly, creating soggy conditions.
Amendments help create a more balanced environment for water and airflow.
Different Types of Soil Amendments
Lime
Lime is produced by grinding limestone and is primarily used to neutralize acidic soils. When properly applied, lime helps maintain an optimal pH, ensuring your grass can absorb essential nutrients. It also delivers calcium (and sometimes magnesium) to the soil, boosting grass resilience and growth.
Lime’s benefits aren’t always immediately visible, but it’s a cornerstone of balanced lawn care. The experts at Valley Green Companies recommend applying lime in the fall or spring in Zones 4a and 4b to gradually adjust your lawn’s pH before the main growing season.
Always start with a soil test. Adding lime could push it too high and reduce nutrient availability if your pH is already high or near neutral.
Gypsum
Gypsum is a mineral often applied in pellet or powder form. It is a top choice for lawns dealing with compaction or salt-related issues typical in Minnesota due to de-icing salt use in winter. Our lawn experts recommend gypsum in early spring or fall so the mineral can break down and benefit during Minnesota’s main growing seasons. It offers three main advantages.
Loosening Compacted Soil
Tiny gypsum particles slip between tightly packed soil particles, helping them separate and improving water and nutrient flow. This is particularly helpful in heavy clay soils, which are often found in many parts of Minnesota.
Flushing Out Sodium & Toxins
By improving soil drainage, gypsum helps leach away excess salt from road or sidewalk de-icers and other toxins, such as pet urine. Adequate rainfall or irrigation is crucial to washing these salts beyond the root zone.
Providing Calcium Without Affecting pH
Gypsum steadily supplies a readily available form of calcium crucial for grass development without significantly altering soil pH. This makes it ideal if you need calcium but don’t want to raise an already adequate pH.
Why Soil Testing Matters
A professional soil test is essential before choosing lime or gypsum. By understanding the factors below, you can choose the right amendments in the correct amounts rather than guessing and potentially causing imbalances.
- Current pH Level: This determines whether you need lime to raise the pH or whether your soil is already in the healthy range.
- Nutrient Levels: Finds out whether calcium, magnesium, sulfur, or other nutrients are insufficient.
- Salt/Sodium Content: This is especially relevant near driveways and sidewalks that receive de-icing salts, which can damage lawns.
Contact Valley Green For Soil Amendments
Sometimes, routine lawn care just isn’t enough. Address the root of the problem with soil amendments! Valley Green’s expert lawn care team can help improve your soil so your grass can flourish. Contact us today to set up an appointment.
