So, so far the suggestions are: (1) Apply diluted sulfuric acid (2) Repot normal potting soil to more suitable soil and continue with rain water (3) Treat water with Vinegar (4) Treat water with Peat Moss (5) Apply regular sulfur (6) Apply elemental sulfur B/R, if I knew then what I do now, I wouldn't have used that potting soil at all. I wasn't planning on repotting them this season, figured I'd wait til next spring, but do you think it would benefit them a lot if I did it now? I wasn't sure if the benefit they'd get from being in a better soil a year earlier would be greater than the added stress of getting transplanted 2 years in a row. What do you think? (...I wouldn't mind being able to apply the ericoid mycorrhizae directly to the roots, too., but seems like a lot of work if not really needed) Starfinder, at what rate should I apply the diluted sulfuric acid without burning or killing the plants? My pots are all approx. 21 inches in diameter. Charina, I haven't been able to get a good PH reading yet. I bought one of those PH readers with the two metal prongs, but it either doesn't work, or I can't figure out how to use it properly because I get the same exact reading everywhere I test it. I just picked up some more test kits yesterday and plan to test the soil tonight, but I think it's a pretty strong presumption that the PH has started, or will start to creep back up, if not controlled by me. I actually traded the acidic fertilizer to some guy for gooseberry and currant bushes, as I was done with it for the season and wanted to revise my method this year. I prefer organic, but I'm open to all suggestions. At what rate would you apply the elemental sulfur to the 21 inch pots without burning or killing the plants?

I have high PH and high Alkalinity water. Here is some information about irrigation water changing soil. (My Two Cents Worth Be aware that peat is very low PH. Commercial mixes have added lime and that lime breaks down which can lead to a sudden drop in PH in pots. I saw one site for commercial greenhouses that recommended amending water only if the water was over 80 parts calcium carbonate -alkaline) From Most Extension Sites: "water with high alkalinity (i.e., high levels of bicarbonates or carbonates) always has a pH value ÷7 or above, but water with high pH doesn't always have high alkalinity" "In most cases irrigating with water having a "high pH" causes no problems as long as the alkalinity is low" " (very alkaline water) "One result is that the pH of the growing medium may increase significantly with time. This increase may be so large that normal lime rates must be reduced by as much as 50%." "In effect the water acts as a dilute solution of limestone!" "The problem is most serious when plants are grown in small containers because small volumes of soil are poorly buffered to pH change. " C/P quotes from Mass Amherst Greenhouse I am considering phosphoric acid since my water is well over 8 PH and more than 80 calcium carbonate alkaline. Any thoughts about whether that is a good acid to use? Here is a link that might be useful: Mass Amherst Greenhouse This post was edited by lucky123 on Sat, Apr 12, 14 at 18:55

Kokos: How old are your pear trees? All 3 0f mine started showing chlorosis in their 3rd leaf. To battle the chlorosis I started 2 years ago with using ammonium sulfate for the N fertilizing. too darned bad I didn't start with sulfur before the mulch as I discovered the sulfur has to be in contact with the soil to be converted to sulfuric acid. I've also tried foliar apps. of Iron in the Spring with no observable effect. This Spring I plan to use chelated iron, which is expensive, but it can be fertigated through the mulch which I plan to maintain. Sequestrene Fe 138 is the only chelated iron I know of that works on the alkaline soils. There are other chelated irons but they do not use the proper chelator (EDDHA)for alkaline and calcareous soils and will be ineffective. Some products contain Sequestrene Fe 138. If you do use Sequestrene Fe 138, don't leave it lying around on the soil surface as it can be photodegraded rapidly. As far as Sulfur additions go, add elemental sulfur (90 or 99% sulfur material) annually at a rate of 6 to 10 pounds per 1000 square feet of area. Test the soil occasionally and stop adding sulfur when pH has reached desirable levels. Due to the large amount of free lime in the soil, yes, you can expect the pH to creep back up with time requiring the need to apply sulfur to drop the pH back down. Can't say how long the sulfur addition's effect will last, has everything to do with your soil's buffering capacity, choice and use of fertilizers and whether or not you add more free lime via irrigation. Oh BTW, get your soil tested included for micros., you may have plenty of micros present and won't need to add them, just make them available by lowering the pH. Oh, and yes, your trees an be deficient without showing signs of it in the foliage. Do you ever have to irrigate your trees, if so, how is your water quality with respect to pH and Ca?

papajim, Did you clean off the probes again before you checked out the coffee?? They need to be clean before you take a first reading. If I take multiple readings one after the other then I just rinse it off and wipe then test the next pot. Usually the abrasion of the dirt will keep it clean while you are taking the readings, but If it is a next day or more reading then it has to be cleaned all over again before use. The aluminum part of the probe makes a very thin coating in just a few hours that you cannot see but it will screw up your readings. Don't go bananas and wear out the aluminum cleaning it, all you are trying to do is remove that microscopic coating that aluminum makes when exposed to air. Lou