Oh PH Is Important I Guess

B

big rockpile

Active member
Hardiness zone
6b
Because we always did. I have been using Lime and Wood Ash.

Just to for the heck of it I checked my PH. All my soil was 7+ .

Was reading up on PH found I'm not good happen to have some Organic Sulfur so used it on things I was really concerned about. Was reading more I'm to apply it every 60 days until soil PH is where I want it.

Yes I'm going to get other deals to check it.

big rockpile
 
Okay two questions:
1) What are you trying to grow or wanting to grow?
2) What is the pH of the soil with out any modification.
Both lime and wood ash are alkaline so will increase the soil pH, home made compost is generally acidic.
pH 7 ish will let you grow most veg and fruit. If you want to grow blueberries, camellias, heathers or rhododendrons then your soil needs to be acidic.
Not sure what you mean by "organic sulfur".
In the UK we have sulfur chips if you want to try and make the soil more acidic, these tend to be slow acting and need regular repeat application. It's quite difficult to shift the pH of soil very far in either direction for very long.
 
NigelJ said:
Okay two questions:
1) What are you trying to grow or wanting to grow?
2) What is the pH of the soil with out any modification.
Both lime and wood ash are alkaline so will increase the soil pH, home made compost is generally acidic.
pH 7 ish will let you grow most veg and fruit. If you want to grow blueberries, camellias, heathers or rhododendrons then your soil needs to be acidic.
Not sure what you mean by "organic sulfur".
In the UK we have sulfur chips if you want to try and make the soil more acidic, these tend to be slow acting and need regular repeat application. It's quite difficult to shift the pH of soil very far in either direction for very long.
Click to expand...
Just remixed some soil and yes the PH is high.

Shoot name it and I'm trying to grow it.

Also found my soil is holding water well. I've been thinking this is good but to me it's getting ridiculous. So I'm increasing Perlite.

Got a picture of the Sulfur I'm using. Peat Moss is to bring it down to.

big rockpile
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I think that more stuff prefers a neutral to alkaline soil. We had eight very big tunnels at work to house our cuttings and junior shrubs, climbers and trees. Seven of those were for more alkaline plants, and the real acid loving ones all fitted into the one tunnel!! I have a neutral patch on a part of my land, and an acid loving Acer grows there - no problem. I think of 6.5 to 7 as neutral.
 
Tetters said:
I think that more stuff prefers a neutral to alkaline soil. We had eight very big tunnels at work to house our cuttings and junior shrubs, climbers and trees. Seven of those were for more alkaline plants, and the real acid loving ones all fitted into the one tunnel!! I have a neutral patch on a part of my land, and an acid loving Acer grows there - no problem. I think of 6.5 to 7 as neutral.
Click to expand...
What I'm seeing is over 7 so.

I'm going to get some strips if I find them. I've always thought Wood Ash and Lime.

Thing is I always was watching PH on water.

big rockpile
 
What strips? Why do you want acid soil Rockers? What do you want to grow that won't grow on the soil as it is? I wouldn't give you a thank you for it. Both wood ash and lime will make the soil more alkaline. Sulpher makes it more acid.
I think it's easier to grow all the plants that like the soil just the way it already is.
 
Tetters said:
What strips? Why do you want acid soil Rockers? What do you want to grow that won't grow on the soil as it is? I wouldn't give you a thank you for it. Both wood ash and lime will make the soil more alkaline. Sulpher makes it more acid.
I think it's easier to grow all the plants that like the soil just the way it already is.
Click to expand...
I agree. I think Rocky is guilty of being an "over-thinker". He wants all the soil exactly, positively, indubitably neutral. 😎
 
Growing Umbrella Tree, Banana Trees, Money Tree, Saco Palm, Majestic Palm, Meyers Lemon Tree, Drawf Orange Tree, Cannabis, Apple Trees, Pear Trees, Peach Trees, Magola Tree, Forsyth Bush, Cherry Bushes ,Blackberrys, Blueberries, Strawberries, Thanksgiving Cactus, Wandering Jew, Snake Plants, Tomatoes.

That's about half. But I have decided that my soil is ok. Just feed and water.

big rockpile
 
Anniekay said:
We can't get grit here like you can in the UK. The only place I've seen it for sale is Amazon. The garden centers have only pea gravel and it's quite big and smooth.
Click to expand...
Truth didn't know about grit so I looked it up on the Internet. They are saying Perlite is better.

big rockpile
 

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