Soil Acidity

esplanadetenby · Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Posts: 5

Having just tested my allotment soil, it was coming out at a ph of
about 8+, however I didn't have distilled water to hand so possibly
the local water skewed the true reading, is this likely, the water on
it's own was fairly alkaline?.
Anyhow, should it be required, what do you add to the soil to make it
more acidic?

Many thanks

Peter

Archived from group: uk>rec>gardening

user · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 105

On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:40:09 -0800 (PST),
esplanadetenby@googlemail.com wrote and included this (or some of
this):

>Having just tested my allotment soil, it was coming out at a ph of
>about 8+, however I didn't have distilled water to hand so possibly
>the local water skewed the true reading, is this likely, the water on
>it's own was fairly alkaline?.
>Anyhow, should it be required, what do you add to the soil to make it
>more acidic?

Anne Robinson?

--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²

Charlie Pridham · Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 262

In article email_removed, esplanadetenby@googlemail.com
says...
> Having just tested my allotment soil, it was coming out at a ph of
> about 8+, however I didn't have distilled water to hand so possibly
> the local water skewed the true reading, is this likely, the water on
> it's own was fairly alkaline?.
> Anyhow, should it be required, what do you add to the soil to make it
> more acidic?
>
> Many thanks
>
> Peter
>
Yes the water has a big effect, and I thought for Veggies that alkaline
soil was better? anyway you can alter soil to make it more alkaline (add
lime) but it is next to impossible to go the other way. although lots of
organic matter may make it slightly more acid
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

esplanadetenby · Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Posts: 5

On Feb 23, 9:52ï¿½am, Charlie Pridham
wrote:
> In article > email_removed, esplanadete...@googlemail.com
> says...> Having just tested my allotment soil, it was coming out at a ph of
> > about 8+, however I didn't have distilled water to hand so possibly
> > the local water skewed the true reading, is this likely, the water on
> > it's own was fairly alkaline?.
> > Anyhow, should it be required, what do you add to the soil to make it
> > more acidic?
>
> > Many thanks
>
> > Peter
>
> Yes the water has a big effect, and I thought for Veggies that alkaline
> soil was better? anyway you can alter soil to make it more alkaline (add
> lime) but it is next to impossible to go the other way. although lots of
> organic matter may make it slightly more acid
> --
> Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwallwww.roselandhouse.co.uk
> Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
> Lapageria rosea

I think some veg, namely potatoes, prefer a more acidic soil, but I'm
not concerned, I'll be planting a wide variety of veg and see what
happens. I was curious as much as anything, mainly because the few
books I have, don't say anything at all about how to make the soil
more acidic, the replies here explain why.

Many thanks

Peter

Stuart Noble · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 51

Steve Wolstenholme wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:40:09 -0800 (PST),
> esplanadetenby@googlemail.com wrote:
>
>> Having just tested my allotment soil, it was coming out at a ph of
>> about 8+, however I didn't have distilled water to hand so possibly
>> the local water skewed the true reading, is this likely, the water on
>> it's own was fairly alkaline?.
>> Anyhow, should it be required, what do you add to the soil to make it
>> more acidic?
>>
>> Many thanks
>>
>> Peter
>
> Peter,
>
> You can make soil more acid with an annual dose of Sequestrine of
> Iron.
>
> The easiest way to make it more acid is to only use rain water and
> just wait for a few years!
>
> Steve
>

> http://www.rhs.org.uk/Learning/Research/Projects/acid_pH.htm

misterroy · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

On Feb 23, 4:47Â pm, esplanadete...@googlemail.com wrote:
> On Feb 23, 9:52ï¿½am, Charlie Pridham
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > In article > > email_removed, esplanadete...@googlemail.com
> > says...> Having just tested my allotment soil, it was coming out at a ph of
> > > about 8+, however I didn't have distilled water to hand so possibly
> > > the local water skewed the true reading, is this likely, the water on
> > > it's own was fairly alkaline?.
> > > Anyhow, should it be required, what do you add to the soil to make it
> > > more acidic?
>
> > > Many thanks
>
> > > Peter
>
> > Yes the water has a big effect, and I thought for Veggies that alkaline
> > soil was better? anyway you can alter soil to make it more alkaline (add
> > lime) but it is next to impossible to go the other way. although lots of
> > organic matter may make it slightly more acid
> > --
> > Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwallwww.roselandhouse.co.uk
> > Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
> > Lapageria rosea
>
> I think some veg, namely potatoes, prefer a more acidic soil, but I'm
> not concerned, I'll be planting a wide variety of veg and see what
> happens. I was curious as much as anything, mainly because the few
> books I have, don't say anything at all about how to make the soil
> more acidic, the replies here explain why.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Peter

the two suggestions I was given, alkali sandy soil, were loads of
manure, or potassium sulphate, the sulphate will hang about in another
salt while the potassium leeches away.

Charlie Pridham · Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 262

In article ,
steve@tropheus.demon.co.uk says...
> On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:40:09 -0800 (PST),
> esplanadetenby@googlemail.com wrote:
>
> >Having just tested my allotment soil, it was coming out at a ph of
> >about 8+, however I didn't have distilled water to hand so possibly
> >the local water skewed the true reading, is this likely, the water on
> >it's own was fairly alkaline?.
> >Anyhow, should it be required, what do you add to the soil to make it
> >more acidic?
> >
> >Many thanks
> >
> >Peter
>
> Peter,
>
> You can make soil more acid with an annual dose of Sequestrine of
> Iron.
>
> Steve
>
>
That certainly helps with some acid loving shrubs and trees but it does
not make the soil more acid and only benifits those plants which have
trouble getting enough iron on alkaline soils, and as anyone who has
tried will tell you on truly acid soils its an up hill struggle and the
plants never do that well. If you realy want acid soil - Move!
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Jeff Layman · Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 89

Steve Wolstenholme wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:40:09 -0800 (PST),
> esplanadetenby@googlemail.com wrote:
>
>> Having just tested my allotment soil, it was coming out at a ph of
>> about 8+, however I didn't have distilled water to hand so possibly
>> the local water skewed the true reading, is this likely, the water on
>> it's own was fairly alkaline?.
>> Anyhow, should it be required, what do you add to the soil to make it
>> more acidic?
>>
>> Many thanks
>>
>> Peter
>
> Peter,
>
> You can make soil more acid with an annual dose of Sequestrine of
> Iron.

Iron sequestrene has no effect on soil acidity. It is simply a soluble form
of iron which can be taken up by plants in less than ideal (ie alkaline)
conditions. See the link in Stuart Noble's post for things which can
acidify soil.

>
> The easiest way to make it more acid is to only use rain water and
> just wait for a few years!
>

It's also the cheapest!

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

FarmI · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 160

"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
> Steve Wolstenholme wrote:

>>> Having just tested my allotment soil, it was coming out at a ph of
>>> about 8+, however I didn't have distilled water to hand so possibly
>>> the local water skewed the true reading, is this likely, the water on
>>> it's own was fairly alkaline?.
>>> Anyhow, should it be required, what do you add to the soil to make it
>>> more acidic?

>> You can make soil more acid with an annual dose of Sequestrine of
>> Iron.
>
> Iron sequestrene has no effect on soil acidity. It is simply a soluble
> form of iron which can be taken up by plants in less than ideal (ie
> alkaline) conditions. See the link in Stuart Noble's post for things
> which can acidify soil.

This situation has recently been covered in the TV show 'Gardening
Australia'. The specific situation was that very alkaline water was causing
problems in a garden. The show had previously visited the garden and the
roses were getting scorched leaf margins as a direct result of the
alkalinity. Water used on the garden came from a bore and had a pH of 8.5.
Apparently spreading Sulphur in all areas of the garden fixed the problem
(this is a big garden).
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2169781.htm

misterroy · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

On Feb 24, 10:59 am, Chris Hogg wrote:
> On Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:53:07 -0800 (PST), misterroy
>
> wrote:
>
> >the two suggestions I was given, alkali sandy soil, were loads of
> >manure, or potassium sulphate, the sulphate will hang about in another
> >salt while the potassium leeches away.
>
> The manure I can understand, but it's effect would be slow and it
> would require prolonged application.
>
> But I'm struggling to see why potassium sulphate should have any
> effect at all even on neutral soils, let alone chalky ones where you'd
> need to add so much potassium sulphate that the soil would be unfit
> for cultivation, even assuming it was capable of working as you say.
> But I'm sceptical about the chemistry of your explanation.
>
> I suppose the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Did you try
> either suggestion, and if so, what happened?
>
> --
>
> Chris
>
> Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
> Mild, but very exposed to salt gales
>
> E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

Hi, I have tried neither yet, only discovered my alkalinity a month
ago, I am going the manure root though. I'm on a sandy soil with large
amount of shells in it so my calcium content is a bit more limited
than a chalk soil.

Soil PH? Recently built a wall, on the shady side of which I intend growing plants that like acid soil conditions, my intention is to remove some soil (and therefore the worst of my cement droppings) replace with an ericaceous mix, my natural soil here is slightly

Soil for the bog garden Im just digging out a new bog garden. Soil is heavy red clay, with about an inch of half decent soil on top.Can I use the red clay and top soil IN the liner, thus avoiding the cost and pain of disposing of the spoil from the hole? Please say i can use the

Questionnaire potting soil Dear readers, I'm a Dutch marketing student and at this moment I'm working on a survey. I'm investigating the possiblities exporting a new potting soil product form Holland to the UK. Cocopeat is a peat-free compost which has proven its worth in the prof

Allotment soil temperatures Chatting to neighbouring allotment holders, it seems that soil temps play a big impact on seed germination. I believe root crops, such as carrot and parsnip are particularly sensitive. Are there any reference books available, which give suggested minimum

soil warming cable Hi I have a soil warming cable and thermostat which is supposed to be buried in the earth/sand. However I have noticed that you can now buy a warming mat which is a mat with the element fixed to it in some way and it is laid on a block of polystyrene then