# PH 7.2 adjustment with Sulfur



## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

Let's say my ph is 7.2 I want to move the needle to mid 6s like 6.5. I have Silty Clay OM 4 and CEC is 11. How much Elemental sulfur would I need per thousand? I also was wondering is this a long term fix or something I will have to do a lot once it get to 6.5 to maintain the ph? I understand it could take months for sulfur to work. I also am open to other ideas and long term solutions.


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## Beer-Ghost (Jun 30, 2021)

With that PH don't sweat it. Run AMS for a few years then test it again.


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## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

Do you know the pH of the water you're irrigating with?

As an example, my well water has a pH of 5.3, we've had it tested. So my soil will naturally try to adjust back to a mean of 5.3 without intervention on years I have to irrigate heavily....aka not 2021.


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

Beer-Ghost said:


> Run AMS for a few years then test it again.


I was thinking of doing that. I need to search online to find some.



Amoo316 said:


> Do you know the pH of the water you're irrigating with?


I need to test it. I have meter. Im on city water.

Not sure how I missed this https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=15165
but the Sulfur answer is in there. I put out 4 lbs/sq'. so I am ok there. Now I have to wait. :bandit:

Thanks to you both.


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## Robs92k (May 9, 2021)

@Factor
I have 7.9 - 8.1 ph. I went through the same thing you are and was ready to put down some serious sulfur…got the same advice as you just did…the AMS I buy from reinders is a 21-0-0-24 with .24# being sulfur…the AMS brings down the ph (temp) better than sulfur alone will. It also needs to be hot to activate based on what I've been told/ read, so you may have missed the good window for elemental sulfur.

If I remember a university did a study and tilled it in…very small change.

Ive been learning to work around it with AMS and acid/ ph reducer with my apps outside of granular…my water is also 8ph. Not a big deal.


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

So what kind of point shift did you see with ams? Is ams a granular or spray on? Looks like they have both SGN and granular.

on ES
Its still plenty hot here. I have heard it needs to be hot as well. I also heard it takes 4 - 6 months. The Ph has been high for 2 years in my yard... Mostly due to my in action :lol: So just trying to get something going.


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

Amoo316 said:


> Do you know the pH of the water you're irrigating with?


I just checked it my water is 6.8 - 7.0


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## Robs92k (May 9, 2021)

Factor said:


> So what kind of point shift did you see with ams? Is ams a granular or spray on? Looks like they have both SGN and granular.
> 
> on ES
> Its still plenty hot here. I have heard it needs to be hot as well. I also heard it takes 4 - 6 months. The Ph has been high for 2 years in my yard... Mostly due to my in action :lol: So just trying to get something going.


I haven't done another soil test this year, so I don't know if there was a shift outside of the temp adjustment you get from the AMS. I use it both granular and foliar. Again, the shift is temporary and allows the grass to uptake bound nutrients. I threw abut a pound into 20g of water and my ph went from 8 to 6.8.

I hear you on the ES…I was going to do the same until I researched (here). ES is cheap, but I already spend 8-10 hours a week on my lawn and I haven't heard any really positive results, so I'm holding off. I'm interested to see if you get results. Please follow up if you can.

Side note, doing all my N drops with granular and watering in (.20-.21#\ ksqft). I know others are using AMS foliar….I'm not quite comfortable with this yet. I primarily use it for my FAS solutions, which I haven't been doing recently.

Good luck Factor!


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

> a pound into 20g of water and my ph went from 8 to 6.8.


oh wow that would be great.

Yeah with a ph of 8 you would need to do a lot of ES over multiple years if it even shifted. Based on your yard size you would need about 10 bags per treatment. I have heard if ES works it is more of a long term solution. Also you would need some kind of temp solution plus the ES like Citric Acid to help activate the ES. I found some AMS at Ewings and they have ES too.

My next Soil test will be in spring.

I can't imaging taking care of 92k.. I would be planting a Flower Prairie on about 3/4 of that...

Oh and GO PACK GO..


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## Robs92k (May 9, 2021)

Factor said:


> > a pound into 20g of water and my ph went from 8 to 6.8.
> 
> 
> oh wow that would be great.
> ...


Lol, yeah, might have jumped in without understanding the time commitment…I have another 7 acres that I'm certainly NOT going to put lawn on…prairie grass sounds really good!

It is certainly my new hobby and I'm enjoying it immensely….when I don't have to cut every other day.

Agreed…go pack go! *im actually an Eagles fan first, but grew up in WI, so I cheer for them just as hard.


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

Robs92k said:


> prairie grass sounds really good!


https://www.applewoodseed.com/product/midwest-native-wildflower-mix/

https://www.johnnyseeds.com/flowers/wildflower-mixes/

Look for Perennial mixes.

Also Buckwheat is real easy and reseeds itself.
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/farm-seed/grains/buckwheat/buckwheat-common-organic-cover-crop-seed-966G.html
super cheap.

Born and Raised in TN. Born before the Titans and Dad loved Lombardi so we adopted the Packers.


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