From the other thread, I see you're in Winnipeg, Manitoba. If memory serves, that's south central Canada. Is the pH usually that high in your area? I would think it would be neutral to low. If the normal condition of your soil is low pH and the pH is high because of over liming, I would hesitate before adding sulfur. The pH will likely move lower anyway. If your soil is naturally high in pH, it's very difficult to get much of a change in pH over a large area like a lawn using sulfur, anyway, so it is usually used on a more localized basis to correct chlorosis in individual plants. You may well see better results by adding as much organic matter as you can. The OM will help bring the pH closer to neutral, but it also acts as a buffering agent, so that high pH doesn't interfere with plants' ability to use nutrients. If you have iron chlorosis now, adding iron isn't likely to help much unless you add EDDHA chelated iron. With a pH that high, iron chlorosis is more likely to be caused by the iron being in an unavailable state rather than being absent. Iron Sulfate won't help at all, and even EDTA chelated iron isn't likely to be very helpful.

to understand a little bit more about radiant barriers you should go to sites not selling products as mfg's give very biased info. sites like florida solar energy center and buildingscience.com will give you factual performance based info without the sales crap. this is the time of year that I get a LOT of calls about the radiant barrier install of laying on top of insulation. these companies come around and sell this install. I refer these calls to fsec's question and answer section on radiant barriers. they don't have to believe me..I'm not selling any product..but get factual advice..not just someone selling products. that they pitch to retired people really gets me going..but I won't get into that now! proper install of a radiant barrier adds R-10. not R-19 not R-23..R-10. with the proper install..on the roofline (techshield for new construction) or installed to undersides of rafters, with foil facing into attic space. will add R-10 to existing insulation value. While radiant barriers work well in hot climates for the extended cooling season..they do not perform for heating climates..ok sorry bout that..minimal performance for heating climates. They are not a fix all, and proper install is a bit more complicated than just rolling it out over existing insulation. My radiant barrier has been in place for about 5 years. my diy project. single sided foil on preforated denny foil guard paper. attached with button cap nails to undersides of rafters, foil facing into attic space. took me about 12 hours all totaled to install. (@ 10cents per sq ft material - my cost) I had a little wind damage (gable end venting) and was back in the attic once the hurricane had passed. cynic that I am...when I did my install I laid one piece of radiant barrier on top of my insulation by the gable end. another piece was laid on insulation mid point of my attic. this was back in 04 when I did my install. when I was doing my post hurricane repair last september..I took a look at the radiant barrier on the attic floor. the piece nearest the gable end..very dusty. the piece midpoint of my attic..also very dusty. I was only measuring dust buildup. But then I had to take it a step further.. took part of both pieces out of the attic. I laid both dusty pieces on top of a shed roof and went into the shed with my temp gun. the dusty radiant barrier didn't reflect heat nearly as well as the clean radiant barrier. there was a 20 degree temp difference between clean radaint barrier and dusty (and only 4 years of dust). So IMO those studies that say that in 5 years radiant barriers installed on the attic flooring loose 50% of their reflectivity are right on target. radiant barriers on walls..the problem is that you have to maintain at least a 3/4" air space between the foil and any other surface. it works behind bricks, but with hardi or vinyl,you would need to have furring strips between the foil and the siding. we do quite a bit of foam sheathing boards to the exterior..and most time use the foil faced sheating boards. the radiant barrier is useful (with the air space)on west walls, less so on east walls, and mininal on north south walls. the sun hits the roof all day, it only hits one wall at a time. so it isn't as great of a performance as attic installs. oh and fyi..all radiant barriers..single sided, double sided, foil bubble foil all perform the same. it is the foil that faces into the attic space that performs. the difference is like mine....10 cents per sq ft for single sided..30 cents per sq ft for double sided and 45 to 50 cents per sq ft for foil bubble foil. huge price difference (and just material..not labor) same performance. while I personally know the difference based on before and after in my own house, I use a software program that shows the benefits for houses with radiant barriers (again install install install). As we put our heating systems and ductwork in the hottest part of the house (yep..attic) the roofline install puts the mechanicals and ducts under insulation. this allows ductwork to perform better and extends life of mechanicals. not as well as locating both in the conditoned space..but there is a benefit. rileysmom..you would benefit more from air sealing before adding insulation. areas like recessed lights, cuts at bath fans and stove vents, around fireplaces etc. stopping warm air from escaping into the attic and cold air from entering the house from the attic. this is an air barrier. the tighter the seal the better. then insulate. insulation is the thermal barrier. insulation does not perform when air moves through it and insulationd does not stop air flow (unless it if foam insulation). stopping the air leakage before insulating is the best route. best of luck. we are a hot humid climate here..but we get some cold days. when I first got into construction I remember giving a ride to a friend who sold insulation. he would make notes of houses we passed that had no frost on the roof. curious soul that I am..I asked why. he told me that if the frost melts that the house needed attic insulation. I've found that to be true, but have also learned that house leakage and duct leakage cause frost to melt. if you can see areas of the roof that the snow melts from first..check insulation level, air leakage and duct leakage at these areas. houses tell us a lot..you just have to learn to listen and observe.

Sorry, I should have specified my location -- we are just outside of DC, so we typically have hot, humid summers and fairly cold winters. We don't get the extremes of some areas of the country though. I'm encouraged by the comments from both of you. Worthy, thanks for the article. I understood most of it. I think we have done a pretty good job of separating the conditioned living spaces from the unconditioned attic so the underside of the roof stays cool in winter. When it snows, the snow stays on our roof much longer than it does on neighbors' roofs (I always thought this was a good sign that our insulation was working) and we've never experienced any ice dams. We never see signs of moisture or mold in the attic or on things stored there. It does get very hot in the summer. As you climb the stairs from the second floor to the attic, you can feel the temps rise. Our basement used to be very damp, but since we had closed cell insulation sprayed on the rubble stone walls, it feels and smells much drier...if we're keeping the moisture out of the house, the attic should be drier as well, yes? Worthy, I'm thinking and hoping that you are right and that if it has been fine for 108 years and we've improved the envelope, we should be fine. Thanks so much for weighing in.

You have a problem with a vapor barrier. It may be not installed or damaged. There should never be enough moisture moving into the attic to allow frost to form.