# High Ca and Mg but low pH?



## natedogg (8 mo ago)

Hey all!

Just received my soil test back. It says my Ca and Mg are both very high, but my pH is lower than it should be. Most methods of raising pH involve adding Ca or Mg. Is there another way I could try and get the pH up, or what would you all recommend?

Looks like I also might need to raise my iron as well.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

To raise the pH you have to use lime. It's the carbonate part of lime that does the chemical reaction to change hydronium into water and raise the pH. The calcium and magnesium just tag along. To determine how much lime to use, you need a buffer pH test. Perhaps you can use a regular lab to do a soil test that does an accurate pH test (My Soil's test may not be accurate) and a buffer pH. Some soils are lightly buffered and it doesn't take a whole lot of lime. Other soils are heavily buffered and it takes a lot. You don't want to add lime willy nilly without knowing the total amount you need to get to the target pH.


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