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Acidic soil: signs. How to deal with acidic soil? How to Lower Soil pH How to Convert Alkaline Soil to Neutral

Among the countless varieties and hybrids of sweet peppers, there are such as, for example, Ramiro peppers, whose popularity is literally global. And if most of the vegetables on the shelves of supermarkets are nameless, and it is almost impossible to find out about their varietal affiliation, then the name of this Ramiro pepper will certainly be on the package. And, as my experience has shown, this pepper is worth knowing about it and other gardeners. That is why this article was written.

Autumn is the busiest time. It is no longer hot, in the morning there is heavy dew. Since the earth is still warm, and foliage has already attacked from above, creating a very special microclimate in the surface layer, the mushrooms are very comfortable. Mushroom pickers are also comfortable at this time, especially in the mornings when it is cooler. It's time for both to meet. And, if not introduced to each other - get to know each other. In this article I will introduce you to exotic, little-known and not always edible mushrooms that look like corals.

If you are a busy person, but at the same time not without romance, if you have your own plot and you are endowed with aesthetic taste, then explore the opportunity to purchase this wonderful ornamental shrub - Caryopteris, or Nutwing. He is also a "wing hazel", "blue fog" and "blue beard". In it, indeed, unpretentiousness and beauty are fully combined. Cariopteris reaches its decorative peak at the end of summer and autumn. It is at this time that it blooms.

Pepper ajvar - vegetable caviar or thick vegetable sauce made from bell peppers with eggplant. Peppers for this recipe are baked, and for quite a long time, then they are also stewed. Onions, tomatoes, eggplants are added to ajvar. For harvesting for the winter, caviar is sterilized. This Balkan recipe is not for those who like to make preparations quickly, undercooked and underbaked - not about ajvar. In general, we approach the matter in detail. For the sauce, we choose the most ripe and meaty vegetables on the market.

Despite the simple names (“sticky” or “indoor maple”) and the status of a modern substitute for indoor hibiscus, abutilons are far from the simplest plants. They grow well, bloom profusely and delight with a healthy look of greenery only in optimal conditions. On thin leaves, any deviations from comfortable lighting or temperatures and violations in care quickly appear. To reveal the beauty of abutilons in rooms, it is worth finding the perfect place for them.

Pancakes from zucchini with parmesan and mushrooms - a delicious recipe with a photo of the available products. Ordinary squash pancakes can easily be turned into a boring dish by adding a few savory ingredients to the dough. In the zucchini season, treat your family to vegetable pancakes with wild mushrooms, it is not only very tasty, but also satisfying. Zucchini is a versatile vegetable, it is suitable for stuffing, for preparations, for second courses, and even for sweets there are delicious recipes - compotes and jams are made from zucchini.

The idea of ​​growing vegetables on the grass, under the grass and in the grass is at first scary, until you feel the naturalness of the process: in nature, everything happens that way. With the obligatory participation of all soil living creatures: from bacteria and fungi to moles and toads. Each of them contributes. Traditional tillage with digging, loosening, fertilizing, fighting all those we consider pests destroys the biocenoses that have been created for centuries. In addition, it requires a lot of labor and resources.

What to do instead of a lawn? So that all this beauty does not turn yellow, does not hurt and at the same time looks like a lawn ... I hope that the smart and quick-witted reader is already smiling. After all, the answer suggests itself - if nothing is done, nothing will happen. Of course, there are several solutions that can be used, and with their help, reduce the area of ​​​​the lawn, and therefore reduce the laboriousness of caring for it. I propose to consider alternative options and discuss their pros and cons.

Tomato sauce with onion and sweet pepper - thick, fragrant, with pieces of vegetables. The sauce cooks quickly and turns out thick because this recipe is with pectin. Make such preparations at the end of summer or autumn, when the vegetables have ripened under the sun in the beds. From bright, red tomatoes you get the same bright homemade ketchup. This sauce is a ready-made spaghetti dressing, and you can also just spread it on bread - very tasty. For better preservation, you can add a little vinegar.

This year I often saw a picture: among the luxurious green crown of trees and shrubs, here and there, like candles, the tops of the shoots are “burning”. This is chlorosis. Most of us know about chlorosis from school biology lessons. I remember that this is a lack of iron ... But chlorosis is an ambiguous concept. And not always lightening the foliage means a lack of iron. What is chlorosis, what our plants lack in chlorosis and how to help them, we will tell in the article.

Korean-style vegetables for the winter - a delicious Korean salad with tomatoes and cucumbers. The salad is sweet and sour, spicy and slightly spicy, because it is prepared with seasoning for Korean carrots. Be sure to prepare several jars for the winter, in the cold winter this healthy and fragrant snack will come in handy. For the recipe, you can use overripe cucumbers, it is better to harvest vegetables in late summer or early autumn, when they are ripe in the open field under the sun.

Autumn for me is dahlias. Mine begin to bloom already in June, and all summer the neighbors look over the fence to me, reminding me that I promised them a few tubers or seeds by autumn. In September, a tart note appears in the aroma of these flowers, hinting at the approaching cold. So, it's time to start preparing plants for a long cold winter. In this article I will share my secrets of autumn care for perennial dahlias and preparing them for winter storage.

To date, the efforts of breeders have bred, according to various sources, from seven to ten thousand (!) varieties of cultivated apple trees. But with their huge variety in private gardens, as a rule, only a couple of popular and beloved varieties grow. Apple trees are large trees with a spreading crown, and you cannot grow many of them in one area. But what if you try to grow columnar varieties of this crop? In this article I will talk about such varieties of apple trees.

Pinjur - Balkan eggplant caviar with sweet peppers, onions and tomatoes. A distinctive feature of the dish is that eggplants and peppers are first baked, then peeled and simmered for a long time in a brazier or in a saucepan with a thick bottom, adding the rest of the vegetables indicated in the recipe. The caviar is very thick, with a bright, rich taste. In my opinion, this cooking method is the best of all known. Although it is more troublesome, the result compensates for the labor costs.

Medium acid soil is suitable for strawberries, gooseberries, potatoes,. To acidify the soil, add rotted conifer needles or sawdust of coniferous trees and alder into it as a fertilizer.

Needles, sawdust and bark can be used as mulch. Fresh sawdust draws nitrogen out of the soil. If you decide to use them, add nitrogenous fertilizers under the plants so as not to impoverish the land. Tea and coffee are also used as mulch. They not only retain moisture and fertilize the soil, but also protect plants from slugs.

Add oxalic or citric acid (2 tablespoons per bucket of water) and apple or wine vinegar (100 g per bucket) to water for irrigation. You can acidify the water with sulfuric acid or new unused battery electrolyte. It must be borne in mind that the concentration of sulfuric acid, which is part of the electrolyte, depends on its density. Colloidal sulfur can also be used as an oxidizing agent.

On slightly acidic soils with a pH of 6, it is desirable to grow beans, dill, tomato, eggplant, corn, melon, zucchini, horseradish, spinach, radishes and rhubarb. Medium acid soils with a pH of 5 to 6 can grow potatoes, peppers, sorrel, beans, and squash. On soils with a pH below 5, all vegetable crops do not grow well.

The development of plants on acidic soils is inferior, since nutrients are in an inaccessible form. Pathogenic bacteria and pests actively multiply in soils with high acidity. Soil-forming bacteria are practically absent in such soils.

Several methods can be used to determine soil acidity. The most affordable method is to use litmus paper in accordance with the instructions. If possible, you can order a soil analysis in an agrochemical laboratory.

If it is not possible to conduct an analysis or in a laboratory, it is possible to determine an approximate indicator of soil acidity by weeds growing on the site. On strongly acidic soils, horsetail, Ivan da Marya, plantain, horse sorrel, and oxalis prefer to grow. On medium and slightly acidic soils, couch grass, clover, coltsfoot, dog violet grow.

How to independently determine the type of soil on your site, and what to do with it so that it pleases you with good fertility.

The land question: why do we need to be able to determine the type of soil on which we want to get excellent yields

The type of soil on the site excites many beginner gardeners. This question is also asked by those who have recently acquired a new plot of land, and there is a problem with the choice of fertilizers.

Very often, gardeners meet with advice like “if you have acidic soil, then ...”, but how do you know what it is?

And here we have a real Chinese letter, assembled from chemical formulas, PH level indicators and incomprehensible definitions.

What does acidic, normal and alkaline soil mean?
If you measure the PH of the soil in a special laboratory, then acidic soil will have an index of 4 to 5. Alkaline soil will have an index of 7 and above, and normal - from 5 to 7. Moreover, in some sources, an indicator from 5 to 6 is called slightly acidic, and from 6 to 7 - slightly alkaline. But they are favorable for the growth of cultivated plants, so they can be combined into "normal" soil types.

Accordingly, special substances (fertilizers) are added to acidic and alkaline soils for normalization. But what if you can't take a soil sample to the lab? Then focus on indirect signs that will help you determine the type of soil on your land, or use strips to determine the PH.

We determine the acidity of plants
Plants refer to wild herbs, affectionately referred to as weeds by gardeners. For example, the increased acidity of the soil is indicated by: horsetail, heather, wild rosemary, sedge, fern, plantain. Indicators of slightly acidic soils are: clover, coltsfoot, nettle. Weakly alkaline - sedge and bindweed. Alkaline soil is favorable for field mustard, poppy and quinoa.


PH strips
If you purchase strips for determining PH, then you can find out a more or less accurate indicator without laboratories. To do this, take 10 grams of earth and dilute it in 30 ml of water. As soon as a precipitate forms, place the strip. The color will also indicate the PH level (which color, which means, is indicated in the instructions).

acidic soil
Excessive acidity of the soil leads to a weak level of development of cultivated plants. The reason is a violation of nitrogen nutrition. This means that plants do not receive minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium. Even if they are theoretically present there, the acidity does not allow them to be released for plant nutrition. The second disadvantage of acidic soils is the unfavorable microflora, which allows fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms to spread rapidly.

Normalization of acidic soil
The listed fertilizers and trace elements are best applied in the fall, at a time when you will be digging up the ground and preparing the site for winter.

So, it will help you:

liming;

Addition of magnesium;

Planting plants of the legume family - they slightly normalize the soil index;

Fertilizer with dolmite flour;

Fertilizer with chalk and wood ash.

alkaline soil
Alkaline soils are low in magnesium and iron. Due to the lack of these substances, plants often experience early yellowing of foliage, deformed fruits, and not rarely, the death of most of the crop.

Normalization of alkaline soil
Alkaline soil needs to be “acidified”. On the territory of Russia, most often there are deviations towards an acidic environment, but there are exceptions. To normalize the alkaline environment, use:

Fertilizers with an acidic reaction - potassium, sulfur, ammonium;

Organic fertilizers - rotted oak leaves, needles;

Decayed sawdust;

Addition of iron chelate.

The last point is not so much about correcting the pH of the environment, but about replenishing the iron deficiency that all alkaline soils suffer from.


Mechanical composition
In addition to the level of acidity, it is important to know another indicator - the mechanical composition.

The main types are light, heavy and loamy.

1. Light soils are rich in sand, have an "airy texture". If you try to mold something from such soil, it will not succeed, it literally crumbles in your hands.
Their disadvantage is that they do not retain water well enough, thereby depriving the plants of part of the nutrients. Positive properties - they warm up quickly, have good gas exchange.

What to do?

The main task is to make light soil more dense and moisture-intensive. To do this, you need to make a clay mass. Even swamp silt will do. Humus and compost also compact the soil well.

2. Heavy soils are better enriched with nutrients, have a high density and moisture capacity. But this also has its drawbacks: stagnant water after rain (which means waterlogging of crops), slow decomposition of organic matter (which means there is a possibility of nutritional deficiencies).

What to do?

The task is the opposite - to loosen. Sawdust and sand will do well with it. Also, green manure with a developed root system, for example, cereals, will have a beneficial effect on the looseness of the soil.

As for loamy soils, they represent a conditional norm and do not need additional actions for loosening and compaction. However, this does not mean that they do not need other fertilizers. What are the characteristics of such soil? If you try to roll a sausage out of a handful of earth, it will roll up (unlike "light"), but when rolled into a ring, it will crack and fall apart (unlike "heavy").

Approach gardening with intelligence and knowledge, and you will certainly have a good harvest!published If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to specialists and readers of our project.

Your soil, it's time to put this knowledge into practice. If everything is fine with the pH, and it is close to neutral (value 6.0-7.5), then you do not need to do anything. But if the range of values ​​has expanded, then the acidity must be adjusted.

Most plants tolerate a soil pH in the range of 5.5 to 8.5. And in this case, extraordinary measures are not required, and the entire adjustment of acidity can be reduced only to the introduction of b O larger than usual doses of organic fertilizers, such as rotted manure. Yes, increasing the content of organic matter in the soil has a beneficial effect on both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline soils, bringing their acidity closer to neutral. The pH level of the finished compost is close to 7.0 (neutral), which is why adding it to her is so beneficial. In addition to compost, plentiful helps well.

If the soil is too acidic or alkaline, then the application of organic fertilizers to it may not be limited. More drastic measures are required here.

How to remove soil acidity

The easiest way to deacidify the soil, make it less acidic (i.e. raise the pH value), is to add ground lime to it. The lime acts as an acid neutralizer. It may be composed of calcium and magnesium carbonate or calcium carbonate. They are called respectively dolomite limestone (dolomite flour) or calcite limestone. Lime in slaked form (fluff lime) is applied to the soil at the end of the season. They bring in an average of 300-400 grams per square meter, then dig it to a depth of 20 centimeters.

In addition to lime, it also reduces soil acidity. In addition to calcium, it contains many other useful substances.

Soil leaching

Alkaline soils are corrected as follows. At the beginning of the growing season, cover the treated area with a layer of sphagnum (peat moss) 5 centimeters thick. Then you should dig the soil well so that the sphagnum mixes with the top layer by at least 10 centimeters. Sphagnum (peat moss) is an acidic environment with a pH of about 4.0, which increases the acidity of an overly alkaline soil. Such soil cleavage does not occur quickly, and repetition of the procedure is possible for several years.

But this method is very expensive for large areas. In large areas, the use of granulated sulfur will be more justified. In the spring, apply evenly 3-5 kilograms of granulated sulfur per hundred square meters (one hundred square meters). For sandy soils, reduce the amount by a third. In this case, sulfur, coming into contact with rainwater and moist soil, forms sulfuric acid, which balances the excess alkalinity of the soil.

After tilling the soil, make new tests for acidity next year, and repeat corrective actions if necessary.

An important note - never exceed the required norms of substances introduced into the soil. It is better to repeat the procedure later if once is not enough.

Reasonable Approach

Before adding corrective agents to the soil, consider what crops you plan to plant here. It is better to group plants in the neighborhood that have similar preferences for the composition and acidity of the soil. And for some plants, you may not need to adjust anything. For example, blueberries like acidic soils with a pH in the 4.0-5.0 range.

By the way, it is important to understand here that the plant loves not acid, as such, but those micro- and macroelements that are most available for a given soil acidity. Therefore, there are also opponents of introducing any substances such as lime into the soil, arguing that in this way, by restoring acidity, we simultaneously disturb the balance of elements in the soil by introducing excess calcium, magnesium, etc. into it. And this, they argue, with a formally “good” soil acidity, creates an excess of some elements in it, which the plants may also not like. They advocate normalizing the pH balance only by applying organic fertilizers: compost, bone and blood meal, manure, algae, etc. There is also such a point of view. And if you have the opportunity to improve the soil in your garden or vegetable garden only by abundantly introducing a variety of organic matter, it may be worth listening to it.

What do we know about soil acidity and why do we need this knowledge? This question constantly arises among novice flower growers and gardeners when they meet this term in recommendations for growing a particular plant. It arises, and in most cases, is ignored ... Beginners consider this knowledge unnecessary and superfluous. This is exacerbated by the fact that it is very difficult to determine the acidity of the soil at home. Indeed, for this, it is recommended to use a device for determining acidity or litmus paper everywhere. And not even every professional has them, not to mention amateurs. So plants are planted without taking into account this most important indicator of soil quality. Different plants for optimal growth, flowering and fruiting need one or another acid-base environment. The pH value affects the availability of nutrients in the soil and the solubility of toxic elements. How to determine the soil is acidic or alkaline right now?

What is acidic and alkaline soil

If you do not go into scientific terms, then acidity is the ability of the soil to exhibit the properties of acids. The pH level of a soil indicates its relative acidity or alkalinity. An acidic environment is typical for podzolic, soddy-podzolic, gray forest and marshy soils, a neutral one for chernozems, and an alkaline one for chestnut soils and solonetzes. The pH value is measured by the ratio of positive hydrogen ions (H+) and negative hydroxide ions (OH-) in a water molecule. Depending on the pH level, the following groups can be distinguished:

  • pH above 7 - alkaline soil reaction;
  • pH 7 - neutral reaction;
  • pH 5.6-6.9 - slightly acidic, closer to neutral;
  • pH 5 - slightly acidic;
  • pH 4.6-5.0 - medium acid;
  • pH 4.1-4.5 - strongly acidic;
  • pH 3.8-4.0 - very acidic.

Few cultivated plants prefer acidic soil, including heather, hydrangea, lupins, and rhododendrons. Most garden and horticultural crops weaken in such soil, their roots die off, and the ground part is more often affected by diseases.

The ability to determine the acidity of the soil in the garden or garden plot will help increase crop yields.

The pH range of 6.5-7.5 is optimal for most crops, in which case the necessary nutrients are easily soluble and available. When soil acidity is less than 5.5, calcium or magnesium deficiency occurs and plants stun. At a pH greater than 8.4, the dissolution of organic matter in the soil is possible, as a result, unfavorable conditions for plants are created.

Why does the soil acidify

Increased soil acidity is a common occurrence, and there are many reasons for this:

  • High humidity in areas where more than 500 mm of precipitation falls annually, as well as melt water, contribute to the leaching and leaching of easily soluble alkaline salts from the earth.
  • In areas with poor ecology, oxides of sulfur and nitrogen dissolve in precipitation to form acids, which then fall out as “acid rain”. Fortunately, this is not a frequent occurrence.

Often, gardeners themselves provoke an increase in acidity by the fact that:

  • Watering with a hose leaches the soil. Abundant watering from a hose washes out the necessary salts. Watered under pressure with water from a hose.
  • Do not replenish calcium taken out by plants after harvest.
  • Mineral fertilizers are used uncontrollably.
  • Too fond of natural nitrogen-containing fertilizers (manure, droppings).
  • We use raw peat.

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Determination of soil acidity

As a rule, the laboratory is contacted when they want to receive a detailed detailed report on the quality of the soil on the site. In addition to the pH level, it is also possible to determine the microelement composition, the level of contamination with heavy metals, radionuclides, and oil products.

  • 1 way. Dig 2-3 holes in the area, put a strip of dough (pH indicator litmus) there and press it to the ground so that it gets wet. The indicator on the strip will change color. Compare the average value of three strips with the sample on the package, this will be an approximate result.
  • 2 way. Take a few handfuls of soil in different parts of the site. Then mix this earth with melted or distilled water, wait until the water settles and lower the strip into it. Check the obtained color with the sample on the package.

Why is acidic soil dangerous?

There are more acidic soils in our country than alkaline ones, especially in the middle lane. Alas, although some plants feel good on them, acidic soils are dangerous for most, because the water, carbon, protein and nitrogen balance of the soil is disturbed, which entails many problems.

When snow melts, moisture is poorly absorbed, and a crust quickly forms on the surface, which prevents the penetration of not only water, but also air into the soil (that is, the earth “does not breathe”), as a result of which some of the plants unadapted to these features die, and the rest grow weak and give a very small crop.

Lack of many micro and macro elements needed by plants (for example, nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus). Firstly, they are less in acidic soil than in neutral or alkaline, and secondly, even with abundant fertilization, these elements are quickly converted into a form that is poorly absorbed by plants.

Elevated levels of iron, copper and zinc lead to inhibition of plant growth, and on saline soils can dramatically increase soil toxicity. Transparent watery spots appear on the lower leaves and the leaves soon fall off.

Beneficial bacteria that improve the structure and cleanse soils with lower acidity do not survive here, but pathogenic microflora develops actively, so many acidic soils are often “sick”, infecting plants.

The presence of toxic substances that are not washed out and neutralized in acidic soil in a natural way inhibits the development of the root system and entails plant diseases. So, in acidic soils, heavy metals quickly accumulate, which then penetrate into the plant tissue. A number of elements that are in principle useful for plants (aluminum, iron, manganese) form toxic compounds in acidic soils and harm plants.

Plants that prefer acidic soil

Annuals: Clarkia, Godetia, Nemesia. Perennials: foxglove, lupine, lightning, cyanosis. Shrubs: palm-leaved maple, Canadian turf, hydrangea (G. paniculata grows well on neutral soils), Swiss and hairy willows, Japanese schizophragma, Berkwood's viburnum. Separately, we mention rhododendrons, ericas and heathers, the varietal diversity of which allows you to create stunningly beautiful heather gardens with smooth transitions from one color range to another. Conifers will successfully fit in here, which feel great on acidic soils.

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You have probably noticed that special attention is paid to the definition of "acidic soil or not acidic" and almost nothing about alkaline soils. The fact is that alkalization of land in summer cottages and personal plots is extremely rare and basically you have to deal with high acidity.

Annuals “cannot live” without lime: amaranthus, Chinese aster, Chinese carnation, mignonette; perennials: meadowsweet yarrow, lavender, anemone, alpine aster, obrieta, gypsophila, levkoy, white ash tree, backache, thyme, prickly yucca and soapwort. Of the bulbs, tulips and onions respond well to the introduction of lime. Trees and shrubs that prefer a slightly alkaline reaction of the environment are honeysuckle, action, boxwood, sucker, forsythia, shrub cherry, hazel, skumpia, spear-shaped willow.

Alkaline soil is an excellent environment for Korean onions (up to 1.5 m, June-July), he prefers the sun, like most garden chrysanthemums. Korean and Japanese chrysanthemums (40-60 cm, September-October) boast a wide range of colors, and prefer to winter under light cover.

Plants for alkaline soils are the familiar irises, irises (up to 1 m, May-July), with their iridescent hues. At the same time, weigela blooms (up to 1.5 m, May-June) - a sun-loving deciduous shrub that requires shelter for the winter.

Stock-rose grows well on alkaline soils, or mallow (up to 2 m, June-August) forms dense thickets, this plant has many varieties, including terry ones. In the sun, you can place an unpretentious cinquefoil (up to 1 m, June-October). By the way, only some species are medicinal.

Significantly improve the alkaline soil crops of green manure plants, which are an excellent source of biological nitrogen. As green manure crops, crops such as lupine (contains a large amount of protein substances) and other plants of the legume family, as well as seradella, clover, sweet clover, white mustard, rye and buckwheat are used.

In practice, to improve the alkalinity of the soil, farmers sometimes use waste from the phosphorus mining industry, that is, phosphogypsum, which, in addition to calcium sulfate, contains impurities of sulfuric acid and fluorine.