Soil pH is important to your plants
Soil pH is the relative acidity or alkalinity of your soil. It is important to know the pH of your soil because the acidity levels affect plants' ability to take up nutrients from the soil, especially iron and calcium. According to "Time-Life Lawn and Ground Cover," as a general rule of thumb in the United States, soils on the West Coast have a higher pH than those on the East Coast. Soils close to buildings and walls also have a higher pH, because rainfall leaches minerals out of rocks and stones into the soil. Most plants grow best in a pH range of 5.5 to 7.5, so if your soil pH is higher, you will need to acidify the soil to have a successful garden.
Test your soil's pH with an inexpensive meter or test kit available at garden centers and hardware stores. You can also contact your local extension service since most of them offer soil testing for a nominal fee. If you are using different areas of your garden for different purposes--for instance, a section for lawn, for a vegetable garden, and one for a perennial flower bed--do a separate pH test for each area.
Instructions
Using Sulfur to Acidify Soil
1. Spread the sulfur using a lawn spreader set to the rate suggested by your extension service or package directions.You will get more even coverage if you apply half the amount going in one direction and half in the opposite direction.
2. Dig or till into the existing soil. Work the sulfur into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil.
3. Rake the area level.
4. Water well after application. Sulfur needs moisture to work.
5. Test pH levels again after each application has time to take effect, at least several months. Ohio State University Extension emphasizes that acidification this way can be slow, so multiple applications may be needed.
Using Organic Material to Acidify Your Soil
6. Use organic material such as peat moss, compost or aged manure. Do not use fresh manure or wood chips.
7. Spread a 2-inch layer of material on top of the garden area and dig or till into the top 6 inches of existing soil. Your aim is to have about 25 percent organic material mixed into your soil. You can plant immediately after application.
8. Recheck your pH levels yearly. Organic materials break down in the soil, so it's a more temporary solution than adding sulfur. Top-dress the bed with more organic material if necessary.
Using Acidifying Fertilizers
9. Use a fertilizer containing the ammonium form of nitrogen (such as ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium phosphate, and ammonium sulfate) to gradually and gently lower the soil pH. These fertilizers are sometimes labeled as being for "acid-loving plants" like camellias and azaleas.
10. Follow package application rates carefully. Too much fertilizer will cause chemical burns and damage the plant.
11. Work the fertilizer into the soil around plants that require higher acidity. Use this method when you only need to lower the pH a small amount or around particular plants.
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