Determine the acidity and alkalinity of soil

There are two simple ways to test, even if the soil has been planted with flowers and plants

Method 1

Test with vinegar and baking soda. Put two parts of the same soil into a cup, add vinegar and baking soda respectively, and observe whether the soil hisses. If the soil is alkaline with vinegar and acidic with baking soda

Method 2

The cost is relatively high. You can buy tools for home pH test. Just test according to the method in the manual

Identify soil types

This step is different from determining soil pH, but it is a very important step. The type of soil will determine the soil acidification method you should use

Loose soil

This can be distinguished by eyes. For loose soil with good drainage, the acidification process will be much simpler, because there are a lot of organic matter in the soil, which can be decomposed and used in the acidification process

Cohesive soil

The soil is relatively sticky, dense and difficult to acidify. During acidification, it is necessary to increase the organic matter in the soil, but this practice sometimes improves rather than reduces the alkalinity

Soil acidification method

Acidification of loose soil

To acidify this kind of soil, organic matter is the best choice. The decomposition of organic matter acidifies the soil, but it needs a lot of use to reduce the pH value. Here are some good organic materials for you to consider: peat moss, composted oak leaves, compost and manure

Compacted soil acidification

Mixing organic matter into high-density soil can make the situation worse because the soil will retain more water, thereby increasing its alkalinity. Therefore, the safest way is to use elemental sulfur or ferric sulfate to improve the soil acidity with high clay composition:

Add sulfur to the soil before planting, the deeper the better

The use of fertilizer containing ammonia and the addition of ammonia in the application of base fertilizer are conducive to soil acidification

Soil acidification with flowers and plants

Flowers and plants have been planted in the soil. When acidifying, we should fully consider the growth of plants. The simplest way is to supplement sulfur. The most commonly used is ferrous sulfate. Sprinkling it directly in the flower pot can not only increase the fertility of the soil, but also acidify the soil, killing two birds with one stone

It should be noted here that vinegar should not be added to the flowerpot. Although vinegar can change the acidity and alkalinity of the soil in a short time, it will kill the organisms in the soil because the change is too radical, unless you don't mind the death of plants