de-acidify some soil?

I picked up a large bag of "garden soil" and only now see that it's "acidy", for use around shrubs and the like.

If I want to use it as a potting soil, how can I de-acidify it?

Reply to
barbie gee
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Reply to
Brian

Add some whiting. This is a form of calcium carbonate. It can be purchased at most hardware and paint stores. In texture and appearance it resembles four. Add 2 tablespoons per gallon of soil. If you decide to use agriculture lime instead, add one teaspoon per two gallons of soil.

Reply to
Phisherman

Lime takes a long time to work. I would try wood ash if you are going to use it for potting soil. Here is a product that I picked up at garden show but haven't tried yet. It is called pH+Plus

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-al sung Hopkinton, MA Zone 6a

Reply to
Alan Sung

Ground limestone, wood ashes, or rock phosphate. Be aware that garden soil is generally too heavy to use as potting soil , you will need to add leaf mold or compost and sharp sand or pearlite to open it up a bit. If you web search "John Innes #3" you will find a good deal of info on general potting mixes.

Reply to
Beecrofter

Mason's lime (slaked lime) will work immediately.

I don't see being acid as a bad thing for potting soil; municipal water is always alkaline and will neutralize the acid over time.

Bob

Reply to
zxcvbob

Take it back and get another next time you drive by the place you got it from. =

barbie gee wrote:

Reply to
J Kolenovsky

If you are potting flowering plants, DO NOTHING! Most flowering plants prefer an acidic soil. Exceptions include dianthus, primula, and cactus.

Reply to
David Ross

The message from zxcvbob contains these words:

Is that *always* true of municipal water in the USA? it isn't here in the UK.

Janet.

Reply to
Janet Baraclough..

Hi Janet I wouldn't think it could possibly be true. There are just two many areas with different water sources. Here in Fort Langley we had a well and much of our copper pipes were eaten through. Not sure if it was acidic water or electrolysis. But now they blend the well water with mountain source water (which is soft). The ratio must vary as sometimes the water is soft, sometimes it is hard and sometimes in between. I have never thought about our drinking water as being acidic or alkaline? Just hard or soft. Gary

Reply to
gary davis

There are probably some exceptions somewhere, but yes. If the natural water supply is acidic they will increase the pH at the treatment plant to keep lead from leaching into the water from old pipes.

Bob

Reply to
zxcvbob

Thank you, David. After scrolling down the responses, I was afraid all were going to overlook this most basic of all points, that most flowering plants (and a good many broadleaf evergreens) prefer, or at the very least will tolerate, acidic soils. I'd also have to question exactly what type of "garden soil " the OP is using - potting soils generally contain very little in the way of actual soil. It is too heavy and not free draining enough to be very suitable for container plantings. They might want to look into lightening things up a bit with the addition of sand or perlite.

btw, I'd also contend that most primulas prefer soils in the pH range of

5.5 to 6.5 - certainly on the acidic side. Generally, plants which orginate as woodland or shade plants and those preferring moist conditions also tend to prefer soils on the acidic side.

pam - gardengal

Reply to
Pam - gardengal

Most plants like acidic soil. Don't be surprised finding acidic potting soil, almost all potting soil is acidic.

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theoneflasehaddock

Reply to
theoneflasehaddock

Hard would be alkaline, soft, acidic, I believe. I might be mixed up, though.

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theoneflasehaddock

Reply to
theoneflasehaddock

There are quite a few exceptions. The area I'm from has mostly slightly acidic tapwater. You can always check the water quality report from your local water company.

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theoneflasehaddock

Reply to
theoneflasehaddock

Reply to
Brian

snipped-for-privacy@aol.comfuckoff (theoneflasehaddock) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m05.aol.com:

Hard water just means there are plenty calcium, magnesium or similar elements in solution. Gradually, they can form hard deposits on your plumbing (the same way stalactites and stalagmites form in caves - drip, drip, deposit mineral, drip, drip). Naturally, the presence of calcium etc ions will make the water alkaline, but soft water denotes the absence of those ions, not acidity.

Reply to
Salty Thumb

The message from Salty Thumb contains these words:

In West Scotland, public water has usually run down mountains through peat moors, so it's pretty acid. Glasgow's public water supply is wonderfully "soft". It dissolves lead in old pipes :-(, but is great for hairwashing and bubble baths, and you can safely use it to water your azaleas.

Where I live (Arran) had a soft, acid public water supply from a peaty hill loch, until a few years ago. It wasn't reliably sufficient for modern needs so a new bore-hole was sunk in (limestone) rock; consequently we now have hard, alkaline water.

Janet.

Reply to
Janet Baraclough..

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