Garden Word of the Day - Alkaline
Saturday July 5, 2003
Soil pH is a major factor in successful home landscaping. Some plants like acidic soils, while others need alkaline soils if they are to thrive. Overly acidic soils can be corrected using lime (the dust, not the fruit!). Soils that are too alkaline for what you wish to grow can be corrected with fertilizers containing ammonium-N. Many commercial fertilizers made for acid-loving plants (e.g., azaleas and blueberries) will do the trick just fine.
Novices in landscaping often overlook the importance of growing plants in soil with a pH suitable for them. Are your plants not performing well? Do they mysteriously just sit there, failing to grow as you expected them to? Maybe you need to realize that alkaline has nothing to do with Al Kaline, the Hall of Fame Outfielder for the Detroit Tigers!
Novices in landscaping often overlook the importance of growing plants in soil with a pH suitable for them. Are your plants not performing well? Do they mysteriously just sit there, failing to grow as you expected them to? Maybe you need to realize that alkaline has nothing to do with Al Kaline, the Hall of Fame Outfielder for the Detroit Tigers!
Comments
.. this is very true, im studying landscape design and, i ran a test on soil for a new mixed herbaceous and shrub border and its result was an alkaline soil. also the soil has received heavy rainfall and is clearly a clay soil type, so we have a clay-type, alkaline ph soil, are alkaline plants generally clay tolerant?
As far as I know, the fact that a soil is alkaline and the fact that it is clayey are two separate issues. That is, you’ll have to deal with soil pH issues separately from any issues regarding how clayey your soil is.
Our flower beds tested 7 – 8 Alkaline (Semi-Moist) with varying degrees of sun (full to partial) and have lots of top soil, mulch, etc.,
Is there a list of trees, perenials & annuals that like alkaline soil?
Thank you for your suggestions.
Lore
Lore,
Here’s one list of plants that enjoy alkaline soil:
GardenHelper.com
You can easily find others by Googling “plants alkaline soil list” (or if you want trees, specifically, substitute “trees” for “plants”).