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Adding lime to soil, help!
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Posted: May/03/2007 8:53 AM PST
I just removed an unsightly juniper bush and will be putting in a garden bed in its place. I heard that evergreens with its fallen needles can create an acidic soil? I also get alot of rain here in Vancouver and was wondering if lime would be a good idea to mix in the soil along with some compost? The space is about 15 feet wide by 4 feet and about 2-3 feet deep. I was thinking of just sprinkling a little on top and mixing it in. Maybe just half the recomended amount and assume that the soil is moderately neutral in PH.... Please let me know what you think. |
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Posted: May/03/2007 10:20 AM PST
Just my opinion, but I would test the ph first. You don't want to assume "too acid" and end up with "too alkaline". Test kits are available in any garden center (and elsewhere) and are accurate enough for ph. By the way lime is messy and potentially dangerous. I've had to use it, not pleasant (be carefull) |
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Posted: May/03/2007 10:53 AM PST
Ok, well I've decided to just add some rich compost and see what happens first. This is the first year, so we'll see. I might look into a PH test kit anyways because it would be interesting to know if i was wrong or right about it being high acid! Thanks! |
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Posted: May/04/2007 7:43 AM PST
You got good advice...test your soil pH first. If you get a lot of rain to begin with you already may have a pH on the acid side. But don't believe the myth about Pine needles .... not Juniper or any other evergreen that's not a Pine (Pinus sp.) The myth is false about pine needles (oak leaves too) changing soil pH. If you mulch with it it may for a short time on the surface but the native soil pH will win out in the root area. I'm in WA state...eastern Wa. Here the native soil is alkaline and we have tons and tons of Ponderosa Pine, Scotch Pine, ect. and you can go out into the heavily forested areas (or your backyard), test the soil and it will still test alkaline. Plus percip in the Spokane area in an average 17" yearly and even less so in other eastern WA locations. A test was also done by USDAVIS.edu where they tested 3 different Montery Pine forests...the results were 7+ pH!! Amount of rain type of fertilizer are the most common denominator in changing soil pH. High rainfall climates leach calcium, magnesium, sodim and potassum, thus creating acidic soils. Ammonium based nitrogen also increases acidity vs. the Nitrate form which is basic (alkaline) in reaction. Vera |
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Posted: May/04/2007 9:50 AM PST
I agree with Vera, The idea that evergreen needles create acidic soil is largely a old wives tale. What usually happens in the wild is that needled evergreens tend to have a competitive advantage on acidic soils and will predominate. This is often the case where old fields are depleted of nutrients and abandoned, and then the pioneer needled evegreens are the first trees to move in. Do a pH test before trying to adjust the acidity. |
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Posted: Feb/12/2008 9:06 AM PST
I did not know lime was dangerous? Could you please explain? I mean other than the obvious of trying to not breath it in I have never heard this. Quote:
Originally posted by Markgh Just my opinion, but I would test the ph first. You don't want to assume "too acid" and end up with "too alkaline".Test kits are available in any garden center (and elsewhere) and are accurate enough for ph. By the way lime is messy and potentially dangerous. I've had to use it, not pleasant (be carefull) |
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Posted: Feb/12/2008 9:07 AM PST
Stephen, Here is a really great informative website. http://www.allotment.org.uk/fertilizer/garden-lime .php I haven't read it all the way through yet, but it is very informative. |
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Posted: Feb/13/2008 10:17 PM PST
There are many types or varients of lime. The type NORMALLY called garden lime or agricultural lime is safe enough from a contact point, but is usually very fine or dusty. It will get everywhere including eyes and lungs. If you pick a calm day (wear a mask) and don't get overenthusiastic - its alright. Liming is an old english garden habit that for the most part is not really needed - maybe in England it is. Watch out with what else you put on your garden at the same time. Lime can react to some chemicals (fertilizers). It can take years to work (DON"T ever put any lime on your garden that is not marked for agricultural use!!) and is temporary as the "native" PH of the soil will come back. Oh, read the directions please - it is a chemical. Happy gardening!! |
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Posted: Feb/17/2008 10:13 AM PST
The farmers here in Missouri use lime all the time. Its an essential mineral for growing items such as alfalfa,clover, red clover, corn, and wheat. I just read an article that stated that acidity is the #1 soil problem in the eastern united states. Maybe I misunderstood the article. Lime supplies much needed calcium & magnesium back into the soil,which in turn raises a soils ph, it also promotes desireable bacterial activity, improves organic matter decomposition amd increases the plants ability to efficiently use fertilzer elements. Most crops & flowers grow well in a PH of 6.0 but to get better performance we introduce lime to an amount of 6.5. If you grow a lot of garden vegatables like beans this really helps to get a bumper crop. I always use lime. But I dont use chemical fertilizers so I honestly do not know about the reaction. You could be more than right about that. Personally we grow corn, wheat, yellow clover, red clover and alfalfa. Its essential to our horses diets. We have to add lime. We use a commercial spreader, so I see where you mean it is dangerous. Well, good luck. |
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Posted: Aug/27/2008 2:58 AM PST
I been using and chopping up drywall left from my construction jobs Works Great, Later Guilt Trip |
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