Post by Pharmer Phil on Aug 14, 2005 8:23:30 GMT -6
The soil's Ph factor is one of the most asked, and yet one of the least understood elements of gardening!
First, the 'general' statement:
acidic soil - Soil acidity affects a plant's ability to absorb nutrients. Acidic soil has a pH of less than 7.0 -- A soil with a pH of about 7.5 to 6.0 is mildly acidic; 6.0 to 5.0 soils are moderately acidic; and below that, soil is considered highly acidic. Plants growing in acidic soil are less able to absorb nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Areas of heavy rainfall will often have acidic soils. In addition to adding organic material, soil can be made less acidic by liming.
Alkaline Soil - Alkaline soil has a pH of more than 7.0 -- A soil with a pH between 7.5 and 8.0 is mildly alkaline; 8.0 to 9.0 soils are moderately alkaline; and above that, soil is considered highly alkaline. Plants growing in alkaline (or basic) soil are less able to absorb phosphorus, iron, and manganese. Areas tending to experience drought will often have alkaline soils. In addition to adding organic material, soil can be made less alkaline by adding elemental sulfur.
WAKE UP ;D
Now if you are the typical gardener, the above probably did pur you to sleep, and to most pholks the above is just
SO, I will attempt to De-Code this fer ya!
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, where neutral is right in the middle at 7.0. Less than 7.0 is acidic (sour) and more is alkaline (sweet). Lemon juice, for example, has a low pH of 2.0 while baking soda measures a high 8.5. Take a look at the scale at the bottom of the page to see pH values for common items.
Below 7 is acidic; above 7 is alkaline. The good news is that most home garden plants prefer soil that's a little on the acidic side, around 6.5. Exceptions include potatoes and rhododendrons, which thrive in 5 or 5.5, and many desert plants that grow well in soil having a pH of up to 8.0. (See chart below)
Why is pH is so important in gardening?
Soil acidity or alkalinity directly affects plant growth. If a soil is too sour or too sweet,Your plants cannot take up nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium . And plants need specific amounts of those compounds
Plant roots absorb minerals such as nitrogen and iron only when they are dissolved in water.
Now if this mixture of water and nutrients in the soil is too acid or alkaline, some nutrients won't be dissolved, and as a result, they are unavailable to plants. They are said to be "locked up."
If the pH isn’t close to what these plants require, some nutrients, such as phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, can’t be dissolved in water. And since plants drink their food instead of eating it, if the nutrients aren’t dissolved first, the plant can’t absorb them.
Most nutrients that plants need are readily available when the pH of the soil solution ranges from 6.0 to 7.5.
Below a pH of 6.0 (acid): Some nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are less available.
Above a pH of 7.5 (very alkaline): Iron, manganese, and phosphorus are less available.
Many environmental factors, including amount of rainfall, vegetation type and temperature can affect soil pH. Here are some general guidelines:
* Areas with heavy rainfall and forest cover have moderately acid soils.
* Soil in regions with light rainfall and prairie cover tend to be near neutral.
* Areas of drought and desert conditions tend to have alkaline soils.
* The pH of cultivated and developed soils often differ from that of native soil. During construction, for example, the topsoil may be removed and replaced by a different type. Hence, your garden soil pH could be very different from your neighbor's.
To correct your soil's Ph, first You have got to know what it Is ...first.
Test it at home using a do-it-yourself kit or with a portable soil probe/pH meter. You can also send a sample to a lab for a more in-depth analysis. Sending your sample away to a private lab will give you the most complete analysis, although it's more expensive than sending it to your local extension service, so contact your local extension office, or Master gardener.
The best way to make pH adjustments is to incorporate compost and mulch. There are dozens of materials that you can compost. Adding organic matter to the soil also tends to make both acid and alkaline soils more neutral.
On the other hand, applying "chemical fertilizers" makes soil more acidic.
If your soil is too acid, you need to add alkaline material. The most common "liming" material is ground limestone. Ground limestone breaks down slowly, but it does not burn plants like "quick lime" does.
Apply it to the garden and lawn in the fall to allow time for it to act on soil pH before the next growing season. A rule of thumb for slightly acid soils: apply 5 pounds of lime per 100 square feet (say a 5 x 20-foot raised bed) to raise the pH by one point.
Apply limestone: 5 pounds per 100 square feet
Applying wood ashes also will raise soil pH. Wood ashes contain up to 70 percent calcium carbonate, as well as potassium, phosphorus, and many trace elements. Because it is powdery.
Wood ash is a fast-acting liming material. Be careful, a little goes a long way. Limit your application to 2 pounds per 100 square feet and only apply it every other year in a particular area.
In this case, you need to add a source of acid. Ammendments include pine needles, shredded leaves, sulfur, sawdust and peat moss.
Pine needles are a good source of acid and mulch. Peat moss with a pH of 3.0 is often recommended as a soil additive. Before you use it though, consider the other options, because peat moss is nutrient-poor, expensive, and it's a nonrenewable resource.
So, There it is Pholks, Long, but in terms I believe most of us, me included, can relate too. After all, most the time when I explain this, or hear it explained, I see, or get myself, that sleepy far away look in the eyes!!!
First, the 'general' statement:
acidic soil - Soil acidity affects a plant's ability to absorb nutrients. Acidic soil has a pH of less than 7.0 -- A soil with a pH of about 7.5 to 6.0 is mildly acidic; 6.0 to 5.0 soils are moderately acidic; and below that, soil is considered highly acidic. Plants growing in acidic soil are less able to absorb nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Areas of heavy rainfall will often have acidic soils. In addition to adding organic material, soil can be made less acidic by liming.
Alkaline Soil - Alkaline soil has a pH of more than 7.0 -- A soil with a pH between 7.5 and 8.0 is mildly alkaline; 8.0 to 9.0 soils are moderately alkaline; and above that, soil is considered highly alkaline. Plants growing in alkaline (or basic) soil are less able to absorb phosphorus, iron, and manganese. Areas tending to experience drought will often have alkaline soils. In addition to adding organic material, soil can be made less alkaline by adding elemental sulfur.
WAKE UP ;DNow if you are the typical gardener, the above probably did pur you to sleep, and to most pholks the above is just
SO, I will attempt to De-Code this fer ya!
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, where neutral is right in the middle at 7.0. Less than 7.0 is acidic (sour) and more is alkaline (sweet). Lemon juice, for example, has a low pH of 2.0 while baking soda measures a high 8.5. Take a look at the scale at the bottom of the page to see pH values for common items.
Below 7 is acidic; above 7 is alkaline. The good news is that most home garden plants prefer soil that's a little on the acidic side, around 6.5. Exceptions include potatoes and rhododendrons, which thrive in 5 or 5.5, and many desert plants that grow well in soil having a pH of up to 8.0. (See chart below)
Why is pH is so important in gardening?
Soil acidity or alkalinity directly affects plant growth. If a soil is too sour or too sweet,Your plants cannot take up nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium . And plants need specific amounts of those compounds
Plant roots absorb minerals such as nitrogen and iron only when they are dissolved in water.
Now if this mixture of water and nutrients in the soil is too acid or alkaline, some nutrients won't be dissolved, and as a result, they are unavailable to plants. They are said to be "locked up."
If the pH isn’t close to what these plants require, some nutrients, such as phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, can’t be dissolved in water. And since plants drink their food instead of eating it, if the nutrients aren’t dissolved first, the plant can’t absorb them.
Most nutrients that plants need are readily available when the pH of the soil solution ranges from 6.0 to 7.5.
Below a pH of 6.0 (acid): Some nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are less available.
Above a pH of 7.5 (very alkaline): Iron, manganese, and phosphorus are less available.
Many environmental factors, including amount of rainfall, vegetation type and temperature can affect soil pH. Here are some general guidelines:
* Areas with heavy rainfall and forest cover have moderately acid soils.
* Soil in regions with light rainfall and prairie cover tend to be near neutral.
* Areas of drought and desert conditions tend to have alkaline soils.
* The pH of cultivated and developed soils often differ from that of native soil. During construction, for example, the topsoil may be removed and replaced by a different type. Hence, your garden soil pH could be very different from your neighbor's.
How to correct pH in soil
To correct your soil's Ph, first You have got to know what it Is ...first.
Test it at home using a do-it-yourself kit or with a portable soil probe/pH meter. You can also send a sample to a lab for a more in-depth analysis. Sending your sample away to a private lab will give you the most complete analysis, although it's more expensive than sending it to your local extension service, so contact your local extension office, or Master gardener.
The best way to make pH adjustments is to incorporate compost and mulch. There are dozens of materials that you can compost. Adding organic matter to the soil also tends to make both acid and alkaline soils more neutral.
On the other hand, applying "chemical fertilizers" makes soil more acidic.
To RAISE the soil pH (If you have acidic soil)
If your soil is too acid, you need to add alkaline material. The most common "liming" material is ground limestone. Ground limestone breaks down slowly, but it does not burn plants like "quick lime" does.
Apply it to the garden and lawn in the fall to allow time for it to act on soil pH before the next growing season. A rule of thumb for slightly acid soils: apply 5 pounds of lime per 100 square feet (say a 5 x 20-foot raised bed) to raise the pH by one point.
Apply limestone: 5 pounds per 100 square feet
Applying wood ashes also will raise soil pH. Wood ashes contain up to 70 percent calcium carbonate, as well as potassium, phosphorus, and many trace elements. Because it is powdery.
Wood ash is a fast-acting liming material. Be careful, a little goes a long way. Limit your application to 2 pounds per 100 square feet and only apply it every other year in a particular area.
To LOWER the soil pH(If your soil is alkaline)
In this case, you need to add a source of acid. Ammendments include pine needles, shredded leaves, sulfur, sawdust and peat moss.
Pine needles are a good source of acid and mulch. Peat moss with a pH of 3.0 is often recommended as a soil additive. Before you use it though, consider the other options, because peat moss is nutrient-poor, expensive, and it's a nonrenewable resource.
So, There it is Pholks, Long, but in terms I believe most of us, me included, can relate too. After all, most the time when I explain this, or hear it explained, I see, or get myself, that sleepy far away look in the eyes!!!
