compost and pine needles are ph neutral. it's folkore/myth that says otherwise. without a test of of the levels of the minerals/nutrients in soil, ph by itself can be a deceptive reading, as it's only an aggregate reading of all the cations and ions in the soil. you could have a naturally acidic soil but excess salts brings the ph to neutral, or a tight soil that prevents natural hydrogen exchange into soil. in both cases loads of calcium are needed, despite ph being deceptively already neutral. it's a complex topic, and it would be better explained in terms of the positive and negative charges of the minerals, as there are all sorts of soil makeup, that affects different characteristics of soil for plant growth.
Some good tips, but some things are left unexplained. Anything you do to change soil pH is not going to be instant. Changes over time means weeks to months before pH actually changes. Organic matter does buffer the soil so it behaves more neutrally, but it is not neutral. Most aerobic composts are alkaline. Peat moss is usually buffered with lime to a pH of around 6.0. Eggshells will take years to decompose even if crushed. You cannot apply lime to the surface to change pH It needs to be incorporated into the soil because calcium is not a mobile element. It is much easier to make a soil more acidic than it is to make the soil more alkaline. Most soils always revert to their base equilibrium. If you have lime soil, it is hard to grow acid loving plants in them. You have a point about organic nitrogen, however, young plants may require more nitrogen than organic fertilizer can provide. Compost is not fertilizer. If you do soil tests regularly and keep the soil balanced you can do a combination of organic and synthetic fertilizers because synthetic fertilizers can address specific deficiencies better as long as you have the recommendations on how much to add.
may i ask if the chicken manure a processed i mean can incorporate to the soil to balance the fertility of the soil, thanks for ur very comprehensive info about the ph level, thanks n more power, mike from the philippines a follower of yours, thanks!
@@Gonecrazy666 Haha, thank you! It depends on your plant - they tend to prefer a more acidic soil I'd say 5-7 is pretty optimal. I definitely recommend experimenting and seeing what works best for the type you're growin!
@@sugargraham6868 Well, I would recommend getting a sample from the substrate (usually works best after you've recently watered and the sample is moist) - then, you can add demineralized water to the substrate and mix it well - then I'd recommend an EC meter and a pH meter - that way you can test both. You need to make sure the meters you purchase are properly calibrated. But, usually the best way is to get a sample of the soil near the root, add some demineralized water to it and test it that way.
Also remember that based on where your plant is in it's lifecycle the EC will vary - so just be sure you know how old your plant is etc. If you've newly planted and have high EC measurements - don't worry, that's pretty typical. They should level out after the first three to four weeks.
Nope, we haven't tried that fun exercise. I am sorry it offended you so much you felt the need to comment. We hope you have a better day! Happy Gardening :)
@@salvor1 It obviously bothered you enough for you to take the time and leave a comment that you knew might be perceived as snarky or rude. Our goal is to educate, if we repeated ourselves too many times, we apologize.
