seems to me .. it was as simple are rusty nails.. or copper pennies ... or sulphur.. or what????

my soil tends toward normal high pH .... so what can i find in the barn.. that wont cost me money ...

wonder what happened to those sulphur pellets???

muracid??? hollytone???

i used to have a large plant.. and by treating one side.. i had pink and blue flowers on the clump ...

i have no idea what color they were last year... whats that all about??? ....

ken

Lime and superphospate turn them pink in acid soils.

It is not an exact science.

actually.. anyone know what is in my barn.. lol ...

ken

Sawdust, composted leaves, wood chips, cottonseed meal, leaf mold and especially peat moss, will lower the soil pH.

and

One of the easiest ways to make soil more acidic is to add sphagnum peat. This works especially well in small garden areas. Simply add an inch or two of peat to the topsoil in and around plants, or during planting.

For another quick fix, water plants several times with a solution of 2 tablespoons vinegar to a gallon of water. This is a great way to adjust pH in container plants.

Acidifying fertilizers can also be used to help raise acidity levels. Look for fertilizer containing ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, or sulfur-coated urea. Both ammonium sulfate and sulfur-coated urea are good choices for making soil acidic, especially with azaleas. However, ammonium sulfate is strong and can easily burn plants if not used carefully. For this reason, you should always read and follow label instructions carefully.

In some instances, applying elemental sulfur (flowers of sulfur) is effective. However, sulfur is slow acting, taking several months. This is also most often used by large-scale growers, rather than the home gardener. Granular sulfur is deemed safe and cost effective for smaller garden areas, with applications of no more than 2 pounds per 100 square feet.

Sometimes recommended as a method of lowering the pH enough to turn hydrangea blooms from pink to blue is iron sulfate. Iron sulfate acts more quickly (2-3 weeks) but should not be used on a regular basis, as heavy metals accumulate in the soil, becoming harmful to the plants.

For another quick fix, water plants several times with a solution of 2 tablespoons vinegar to a gallon of water. This is a great way to adjust pH in container plants.

Acidifying fertilizers can also be used to help raise acidity levels. Look for fertilizer containing ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, or sulfur-coated urea. Both ammonium sulfate and sulfur-coated urea are good choices for making soil acidic, especially with azaleas. However, ammonium sulfate is strong and can easily burn plants if not used carefully. For this reason, you should always read and follow label instructions carefully.

In some instances, applying elemental sulfur (flowers of sulfur) is effective. However, sulfur is slow acting, taking several months. This is also most often used by large-scale growers, rather than the home gardener. Granular sulfur is deemed safe and cost effective for smaller garden areas, with applications of no more than 2 pounds per 100 square feet.

Sometimes recommended as a method of lowering the pH enough to turn hydrangea blooms from pink to blue is iron sulfate. Iron sulfate acts more quickly (2-3 weeks) but should not be used on a regular basis, as heavy metals accumulate in the soil, becoming harmful to the plants.