Tips for Adding Sulfur to Acidify Soil
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
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westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
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Acidifying soil for Blueberries.
Comments (26)Eric: Yes, I do know, but it is a good reminder for anyone reading this thread that it is not a good idea to play with acid without proper precautions and understanding. It would be all too easy to become blind making a thoughtless error like wrong mixing order. HM: I've read many of the threads on here re blueberries, and your comments re neutral or near-neutral soils with high OM have been noted (at least by me). Your theory of zonal variation seems to have merit. Makes me want to plant a few plants in a hole with one side native soil, and just off to the side in the opposite direction some peat/acid amended soil. See if even with majority of roots in 7.5 ph soil they can thrive. Eh, I'll save that for some later year of investigation. While you are in Z6, by chance are the bushes you observe largely Southern? Conventional wisdom indicates they are more tolerant of higher ph. Of course, the plants don't read the books, or the forums, so whatever works despite what is written is what's best. I recall the thread, and the discussion with the 1,000 or so plants you are referring to. Part of my plan, starting with pots this summer is influenced by that thread and your comments about it in a later thread. And hence my decision to modify my irrigation to go with drip rather than try keeping on top of it by hand. Re neutral or near-neutral ph soils with lots of OM, it could be that in your area the soil is more consistent, and the OM is just enough to modify. I know that in some areas of the country, while the surface soil may be neutral, sublayers are highly alkali. Makes me curious about Drew's experience if there is soil nearby that was strongly influencing ph even though tested areas were reasonable ph....See Moresulfur vs ammonium sulfate for acidifying
Comments (20)Drew51, I believe you're mistaken in your comment above regarding the interchangeability of "proton" and "hydrogen". I didn't mean to imply that at all. I agree, A proton and hydrogen are very different. Actually I was ribbing the other guys for just what you said. Sulfuric acid is the long term solution It takes calcium out of the equation making it unavailable for the most part in the form of gypsum. Gypsum as far as I know doesn't really break down and is certainly neutral. I agree I use rain water only for my blueberries, but because of the environmentalists craze, the rainwater is now neutral. I have to acidify rain water! My rainwater is 7.0. So I try not to add any calcium at all. Currently I collect enough rain water for my blueberries. Other plants get city water when I'm low. I always keep enough for the blueberries. It's going to rain tomorrow so everything gets' rain water today. My rain water probably doesn't have any carbonates, so I really don't need to acidify. But the ground has too high a PH. And even though my plants are in raised beds the surrounding ground pulls hydrogen ions out, and the decomposing compost uses them too, so the soil needs a constant supply of hydrogen ions, i.e. sulfuric acid. Last year I put enough sulfur in to get my raised bed to 4.5. I added no more acid, used rain water with no acid. This spring when i tested the beds they were 6.5!! So now I add hydrogen ions constantly. I want to be around 4.0 when winter hits as over the winter the ph will again slowly go up. All gardening is local, in my area, with my clay loam, and local PH of rain water, this is what I have to do to maintain a proper PH, your mileage may vary....See MoreAcidify soil - Irrigate with lemon juice?
Comments (14)insipid, you don't really need to worry about a long term solution for a container plant. You can easily add a bit of vinegar to your watering bucket and get the job done, which is what many container citrus growers do. Ask about this over in the Citrus Forum....See MoreSulfur vs. peat to acidify soil
Comments (9)If there is someone in your area growing blueberries in soil like yours, then that person might be willing to share what they did to be successful. Blueberries grow well in soils with high organic matter, such as peat moss, or compost made from shredded tree leaves. There are fungi living in the soil, and around the roots, of blueberry shrubs, and the fungi require organic matter as food. You will need to know the pH of your irrigation water. If you are on a municipal supply, there should be an annual water report on record, and that document should give the pH. If you are using well water, then you will have to have it tested for pH, unless you know for sure that the water is free of calcium carbonate. If you are able to collect rainwater in quantity, and use this on your blueberry shrubs, then you don't have to test the water for pH, because rainwater is always neutral or slightly acidic. Blueberry shrubs must be kept watered during a drought, and I always have to water for a week or two in July or August. I end up using between 100 and 200 gallons per shrub, per season. That is enough water to significantly raise soil pH, if the water is hard. Here in Madison, Wisconsin, our native soil is high in clay, so I mix in composted tree leaves 50/50 by volume, when preparing soil for blueberries. I also apply agricultural sulfur, both in the bottom of the hole, and around the shrub, on the surface, but under the mulch. However, our native soil has pH = 7.6, very likely higher than the pH of your native soil. I am using bromocresol green indicator to measure soil pH, and I can provide more information if you are interested. If you have soft water, and naturally acidic soil, then you might not have to be concerned with pH....See Morewestes Zone 9b California SF Bay
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last yearlast modified: last yearwestes Zone 9b California SF Bay
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