Re: fertilizers, Please help

In a message dated 04/27/2000 6:24:58 PM Central Daylight Time,
Liliaceae4@AOL.COM writes:

<< The pH of my soil appx 4.5.  I was thinking I should put some lime on some
of
 my Clematis, and other non acid loving plants, but was afraid of the run off
 onto the Rhododendrons which are my specialty.  Would the runoff hurt them
 with my pH so low?  >>

  You do have acid soil, If you mix the lime into the soil I do not think you
would need to worry about it moving far. Many places that do soil test make
recommendations on how much lime to put down per square yard.  Thankful; I
have never had to worry to much about pH, our soil is made up from Oak and
elm wood land on high in limestone base material, so out pH is neutral to
slightly basic with a few low areas a little acid.

I can't grow great looking Azaleas like you can, but for most plants it works
out well.

pH effects soil chemistry, acid soil plus water leach out minerals.  While
strongly basic soils lock up nutrients preventing plants from absorbing them
into their roots.
Acid makes the nutrients highly free and mobile, so when it rains the water
carries away the nutrients.

I would not worry about the lime being very mobil, it's effects will tend to
stay localized to were it is applied.

Plants can only use Nitrogen in the form Ammonium Nitrate (I am going by
memory here) The atmosphere is mostly Nitrogen, but plants cannot use it.
Soil bacteria are able to take gaseous nitrogen and "fix" it in a form that
plants can use.
Over 200 million tons of atmospheric Nitrogen is fixed this way a year.

I would think that your best results for you other plants, that do not love
acid soils, outside of liming. Would be a regular foiliar spray with a
complete product like Miracle grow. No use dumping the nutrients into the
soil If it's only going to wash away the next time it rains.

Paul
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