Re: OT-PLANTS: leaves and soil pH
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: OT-PLANTS: leaves and soil pH
- From: A* R* <a*@austx.tandem.com>
- Date: Wed, 20 Aug 1997 20:37:30 -0600 (MDT)
> understanding has always been that aside from extreme situations (peat
> bogs, etc.), the mineral substrate from which the soil was derived had more
> to do with the pH than the nature of any organic material.
>
> Do pine needles make it acidic under pine trees or do the pine trees grow
...
Pines do prefer more acidic conditions but I am growing an Italian pine
in very alkaline soil. Another factor is rainfall, because areas with
high rainfall tend to be more acidic than those without.
Our oaks grow in extremely alkaline soil and yet their leaves are
acidic. A plant has evolved a "diet" which it requires -- conditions
under which the nutrients it needs to grow are available in acidic or
alkaline soil. Some don't care, others care a lot. But just as our
stomach acid is strongly acidic while our body pH overall remains at
near neutral, different parts of different plants will be composed of
different compounds which may render them acidic or alkaline,
independent of surroundings or other parts of the plant for the most
part.
--
Amy Moseley Rupp
amyr@austx.tandem.com, Austin, TX, USDA zone 8b, Sunset zone 30
Jill O. *Trades, Mistress O. {} busy bee as proponent for:
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