Alkaline? so what!

[marialittlebzz]

Hi there!
I've just bought one of those pH meter and at my great disappointment it turn out that my soil is around 8 ( fairly alkaline) ...
At two weeks from the "big start" I just don't know what to do as most of the plants and flowers like slightly acid soil... catastrophe!
After spending the whole day in a terrible mood, I just start to think I shouldn't trust this bloody pH meter... It doesn't look reliable anyway...Of course I will not let myself impressed by a bit of technology but... anyone have tested their soil this way?
please, brighten up my day!! ( hum..night now )

[Nicos]

Are you talking about one of those meters which you stick a probe into the soil?
Yes we have one.
We grow in Peat soil and the meter reads between pH 6 and pH 3 depending on where I stick it in the soil. ( and that's after liming too!)
I'm not too worried about what it says as we grow almost everything- so your pH is not going to be a problem as it's very nearly neutral.
Just plant what you want and see which does better than others. You can always make the soil a bit more acidic around the acid loving plants -it's not too difficult!
Start saving your tea bags/pine needles/ground coffee (Starbucks)
(Aluminium sulphate is your choice of 'powder' if you want to use that method)

[cottage garden]

Oh don't despair, pH 8 is only slightly alkaline and you could always plant your acid loving plants in ericacious compost to alter the soil in that area. As Nicos says, if you make your own compost with lots of acidic items like pine needles and orange peel added then use as a regular mulch in the areas you want acidic then you should be fine.

Your soil is perfect for growing root veg and brassicas!! I have to add lime to my soil to try and make it more alkaline!

[carlseawolf]

look on the bright side your brassicas will do well and you will save money by not having to buy lime !

[Snadger]

All your veggie plants should grow well especially brassicas. Not much chance of clubroot either.

Tatties will grow ok but you may need to peel off a bit of surface scab on your maincrops.............. earlies should be fine!

Sulphate of ammonia is an acidifying nitrogenous fertiliser. I would try and find out about your water supply as it could be alkaline too? If it is try and water with rainwater from barrels.

Lastly, be governed by what the regulars do who garden around you, they are the ones with experience of your type of soil conditions!

[Flummery]

My soil is alkaline and everything grows like the blazes. Very few things are completely intolerant to one or another extreme of soil conditions. We couldn't grow decent azaleas or rhododendrons - so what? There is so much else that will and does grow and flower profusely. I'd have to pot up blueberries and cranberries in ericaceous compost because my soil, as is, ain't acidic enough. All my veg do well except swede - and I think that's me, never have cracked it! But after that - the world's your lobster!

Get planting and don't worry so much.

[hawthorns]

i have just tested my soil and its very alkaline my beds are made up of mostly organic matter with some top soil should i be trying to change the ph level. i only have garlic in at the mo but that is growing very well.

[Snadger]

i have just tested my soil and its very alkaline my beds are made up of mostly organic matter with some top soil should i be trying to change the ph level. i only have garlic in at the mo but that is growing very well.

If somethings not broken.........don't fix it! If the garlic is growing very well, leave well alone!

[veg4681]

Rest assured, the choice between an alkaline and acid soil, I'd go for alkaline any day for vegetable growing. I cannot think of what plants prefer acidic soil than blueberry, cranberry and some evergreen shrubbery like your camelia, rhododendron, azalea, pieris etc. Imagine those people who have to buy lime to make their soil less acidic and more alkaline.

[marialittlebzz]

Thanks all !
Its the first time I have a garden and plant veg, and I think I was just following the books, and with your experience and your advice I realized I should be feeling lucky to be on the alkaline side!
I just saw a big bag of pine needles in the shop...and I work in a coffee shop so no problem to get loads of coffee ground!

[davetheforker]

i bought one of those thingys and my soil came up around 7.5 and everything grew wonderfully but as people have said i do suffer with scab,well,not me personally but the potatoes.

[oldie]

I tried one of these meters but got a different reading for each day of the week. Someone on this forum(I think) put one into a fresh lemon and it came out with an alkaline reading. Several readings averaged out may give a clue but you are better off using one of the pH testing kits which uses liquids on your soil sample.

[zazen999]

Try it on water and lemon juice and if they don't read normal and acid - then walk away from the meter!