Yard work: the lime sourcing game

Self-tutoring about yard supplies: the tutor mentions a game he plays every year.

Lime, which I think of as crushed limestone, is useful for elevating the pH of soil. I first saw my father use it back in the Annapolis Valley. In places I’ve lived, including where I live now, the lawn seems to need it.

Therefore, every year, I have to buy some lime. It’s not necessarily expensive, but one can pay quite a range of prices for it. This year, I’ve seen it offered from 40 cents to 5 dollars per kg (prices rounded).

When I find lime at a good deal, it’s unpredictable. I never know which store will offer the deal, nor when. People might say to look online, but my experience is that sometimes what it says online doesn’t necessarily translate to reality. Therefore, starting in May, I keep lookout for lime at a good price while out and about.

The best deal I got on lime was two years ago, at a grocery store: 20 cents per kg. Years when I don’t find a deal it seems to cost me around 60 to 70 cents per kg. This year, I thought I’d missed the window, but last week I found it at 40 cents per kg.