Re: Need Advice: Has anyone dealt with high alkaline soils?

**C* B* <c*@twcny.rr.com>**

Our soil here in Onondaga County NY, and in a swathe across the  
middle of NY, is also pH 8ish.  That's because the bedrock is  
limestone.  We can't grow ericaceous plants very well, the azaleas,  
rhododendrons, heath and heather, blueberries etc.  Many other types  
of plants do fine in the native soil.  If plants are looking stunted  
and yellow, it's that essential soil nutrients simply aren't water  
soluble at high pH so can't be taken up by the roots.
I have a soil test done at the Cornell soil lab (http:// 
cnal.cals.cornell.edu/; check with your land grant university) every  
so often, which costs about $15, and they send recommendations for  
specific crops for how much sulfur to apply and when.  Lowering the  
pH is not a quick process and it's ongoing.
Best wishes,
Carol B.

>>
> Message: 5
> Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:49:45 -0400
> From: "Sheri Ann Richerson" <SheriAnnRicherson@exoticgardening.com>
> Subject: [GWL] Need Advice: Has anyone dealt with high alkaline soils?
> To: "'Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum'"
> 	<gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <705701c892d9$f2d1bf90$6501a8c0@Sheri>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="US-ASCII"
>
> Since moving here I have watched corn dwarf and not develop, my  
> roses and
> blueberries grow tinier by the year and other plants just not  
> thrive. I have
> added kelp, compost - both homemade and store bought and only used  
> organic
> products. Recently it was really bothering me why my plants were  
> doing so
> poorly, especially after the way my previous garden was so I tested  
> the pH.
> The pH of my soil is 8+,  pegged on a pH meter. I know the meter  
> works, so I
> added some sulfur and some more compost to the garden - small areas  
> at a
> time making sure to work it in, previously I had only top dressed  
> the soil
> thinking that would be enough. The only thing I know about the  
> previous
> history of this yard is it was sprayed every year by a leading  
> chemical
> company. I have lived here for four years this coming August. Can  
> anyone
> give me some advice on why it is taking so long to get my pH  
> adjusted and
> why it might be so alkaline? The first thing I did even before  
> unpacking was
> plant my garden.
>
>
>
> Do feel free to contact me off list. I live in Indiana and have red  
> clay for
> soil.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sheri
>
>>
> If you have photos for GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and  
> they will
> show up at:  http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
>
> End of gardenwriters Digest, Vol 62, Issue 39
> *********************************************

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