pH is high in my garden. What is the best way to bring it down?
“Those who have the ability to make a difference have the responsibility to do so.” Thomas Jefferson
If it’s a small garden some miracid (made by miracal grow) will work as long as you use it once a month or so. Blueberries love it.
For the long haul some sphagnum peat, oak leaves, or pine straw. The most aggressive way to lower soil pH is to apply pure sulfur.
Just remember fresh compost (uncured) will deplete nitrogen as it decomposes, so be prepared to add some.
I try to keep my soil around 6.5-7.0 depending on what I’m growing.
It’s been a great spring for the garden!
It is a small garden, couple tomatoes, squash, cucumber, okra and a bell pepper. My pH is 7.7.
“Those who have the ability to make a difference have the responsibility to do so.” Thomas Jefferson
lime is the easiest and cheapest way,you are not far off, as 6.0-7.5 is the desired range.
Espoma sells a small bag for under 10 dolares.
quote:
Lime is the easiest and cheapest way,you are not far off, as 6.0-7.5 is the desired range.
Lime raises the PH, it doesn’t lower it.
I have very acid soil, ph about 5. It takes 2 tons of lime per acre to raise it to 7.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Small craft surveying and repair
Larry is right,should have remembered that from the blueberries.
along with Freds sulfur,is aluminum sulfate.
quote:
Originally posted by Cracker Larryquote:
Lime is the easiest and cheapest way,you are not far off, as 6.0-7.5 is the desired range.
Lime raises the PH, it doesn’t lower it.
I have very acid soil, ph about 5. It takes 2 tons of lime per acre to raise it to 7.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Small craft surveying and repair
Mines acidic as well, what messes me up is my well water is 8.0. I’m going to rig up a pump and start pulling water out of my pond for irrigation in dry times and quit with the well.
Dad gave me a ph tester last Christmas and it’s amazing how much the soil will vary over a small area.
Bolbie, I thought you were into farming!
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Dad gave me a ph tester last Christmas and it's amazing how much the soil will vary over a small area.
It really does. Mine varies from 4.5 to just under 6, but it averages in the low 5s. The blueberries and grapes love it but everything else needs some lime to sweeten the soil.
I’m not sure about SC, but in GA we have agricultural extension offices in every county with resource agents. You can go there and get soil sample bags, take the samples per instructions and return them, and tell them what you want to plant. They are sent to the University of Georgia and analyzed, and you will get back a computer print out telling you how much of what you need to add per acre, to grow any crop you can think of. For a commercial operation the cost is free, for a hobby garden it cost $3. Hard to beat and then you know exactly what you need.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Small craft surveying and repair
Clemson extension does the same in S.C. In Walterboro their office is in the old Hospital building. I believe it was $5 bucks a sample?? When I dug the first pond we disked in almost 5 tons of lime before letting it fill. I believe pretty much all the lowcountry from Georgia to N.C. has some pretty low ph levels.
From what I gather the well water gets its alkaline level from all the lime stone it is stored in well below us. 
< Evil is simply the absence of God >