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Lowering PH

19K views 56 replies 22 participants last post by  Nimblecow 
#1 ·
This has been discussed in a handful of threads and I find myself switching between them all to correlate all the information and to try to wrap my head around the information.

I find that some say there is no use on trying to lower PH > 7.5 and others say say it can be done. So this will be a place to discuss the options, pros, and cons.

I will update the first post with steps, notes, and other helpful information for lowering PH as the discussion continues. I plan on listing most helpful to least helpful ways of lowering PH.

Please comment on updates and thoughts on how to help this first post.

Ways to lower PH:

  1. Remove 6" of top soil and replace with soil that is at the PH you want.
    All other options are a multiyear endeavor.​
  2. Use 50lbs/1k of elemental sulfur to lower PH by 1.0, sandy or loamy soil might only need 25% of that. Do not apply more than 5 lbs of Sulfur at a time unless you are tilling it in. Do not apply more than 20 lbs per year.
  3. 95% Sulfuric acid applied at 1 oz with 1 gallon of water per 1000 sq ft, use an all plastic calibrated hose end sprayer.
    Danger Will Robinson! Danger! Acid into water, NOT water into Acid... Google it
  4. Apply 1-2 lb of Citric Acid as a spray monthly. Then water it in.
  5. Iron sulfate can be used to lower pH but requires six times more product than elemental sulfur. It reacts faster at 3-4 weeks than elemental sulfur but as with all the products can cause plant damage if over used.

References:

https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/agf-507
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/cfiv/homeowners/080818.html
https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/Lowering_Soil_pH_with_Sulfur.pdf
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=46339#p46322
 
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#2 ·
I am going to try the elemental sulfur and citric acid route, to start lowering my PH from 8 to 6.5.

I am having trouble finding elemental sulfur locally, even 2 site one locations here don't carry it. One of them did carry magnesium epsom though. I am pretty sure I don't want to be adding salt. This looks like the cheapest online price I have found so far https://www.planetnatural.com/product/elemental-sulfur-50-lb/

As far as citric acid... No idea what to choose here, I am guessing maybe a powder and mix it with water then spray it?
 
#4 ·
raldridge2315 said:
Gibby said:
One of them did carry magnesium epsom though. I am pretty sure I don't want to be adding salt.
Epsom Salt is not salt at all. It is magnesium sulfate. Epsom Salt is a trade name derived from is original discovery and use in Epsom, Scottland.
Thanks! I never thought about researching that part....
 
#5 ·
Gibby said:
I am going to try the elemental sulfur and citric acid route, to start lowering my PH from 8 to 6.5.

I am having trouble finding elemental sulfur locally, even 2 site one locations here don't carry it. One of them did carry magnesium epsom though. I am pretty sure I don't want to be adding salt. This looks like the cheapest online price I have found so far https://www.planetnatural.com/product/elemental-sulfur-50-lb/

As far as citric acid... No idea what to choose here, I am guessing maybe a powder and mix it with water then spray it?
https://www.amazon.com/Milliard-Cit...3989957&sr=8-3&keywords=citric+acid+bulk&th=1

These prices are not bad. I pay only a few dollars less for a 50 lb bag from my local industrial chemical vendor. Then again, even for the Sulfur, https://www.amazon.com/Sulfur-Granu...8&qid=1523990142&sr=8-12&keywords=soil+sulfur I like this prilled sulfur. Regular soil Sulfur is so dusty. These are little granules that are the shape and size of split peas. Easy to spread. When water or rain hits them, they turn into powder.
 
#6 ·
Greendoc said:
Gibby said:
I am going to try the elemental sulfur and citric acid route, to start lowering my PH from 8 to 6.5.

I am having trouble finding elemental sulfur locally, even 2 site one locations here don't carry it. One of them did carry magnesium epsom though. I am pretty sure I don't want to be adding salt. This looks like the cheapest online price I have found so far https://www.planetnatural.com/product/elemental-sulfur-50-lb/

As far as citric acid... No idea what to choose here, I am guessing maybe a powder and mix it with water then spray it?
https://www.amazon.com/Milliard-Cit...3989957&sr=8-3&keywords=citric+acid+bulk&th=1

These prices are not bad. I pay only a few dollars less for a 50 lb bag from my local industrial chemical vendor. Then again, even for the Sulfur, https://www.amazon.com/Sulfur-Granu...8&qid=1523990142&sr=8-12&keywords=soil+sulfur I like this prilled sulfur. Regular soil Sulfur is so dusty. These are little granules that are the shape and size of split peas. Easy to spread. When water or rain hits them, they turn into powder.
Thanks!

Am I correct that you mix the citric acid in water then spray it?
 
#12 ·
Here is some turf with a pH of 8.0:



pH is a limited measurement of soil characteristics, it is not a good goal in and of itself. An ideal soil pH does not equate to ideal soil conditions. AND, without a clearer picture of everything else (goals, broader and more detailed soil analysis) - there is limited information with which to ascertain whether changing soil pH is helpful at all, let alone the best path to get there.
 
#13 ·
HoosierLawnGnome said:
Here is some turf with a pH of 8.0:



pH is a limited measurement of soil characteristics, it is not a good goal in and of itself. An ideal soil pH does not equate to ideal soil conditions. AND, without a clearer picture of everything else (goals, broader and more detailed soil analysis) - there is limited information with which to ascertain whether changing soil pH is helpful at all, let alone the best path to get there.
Things that make me go "hmmmmmmmmmm"
 
#14 ·
HoosierLawnGnome said:
Here is some turf with a pH of 8.0:



pH is a limited measurement of soil characteristics, it is not a good goal in and of itself. An ideal soil pH does not equate to ideal soil conditions. AND, without a clearer picture of everything else (goals, broader and more detailed soil analysis) - there is limited information with which to ascertain whether changing soil pH is helpful at all, let alone the best path to get there.
Beautiful lawn HLG!
 
#15 ·
HoosierLawnGnome said:
pH is a limited measurement of soil characteristics, it is not a good goal in and of itself. An ideal soil pH does not equate to ideal soil conditions. AND, without a clearer picture of everything else (goals, broader and more detailed soil analysis) - there is limited information with which to ascertain whether changing soil pH is helpful at all, let alone the best path to get there.
I did have a Logan labs test done towards the end of last year.
 
#16 ·
Yeah, not trying to bust anyone's balls :D The question is WHY do you want to lower pH?

If it's to get a better looking lawn, there are a lot of ways to work with a high pH soil and have it look great. Some soils are so calcitic it's not even worth fighting (like mine).

Definitely the fastest way is to till up the soil and incorporate something like elemental sulfur and organic matter into the top foot or so. Not a big deal for the Indiana farmers up here who till that much anyways, but for a homeowner with an irrigation system that may be a nonstarter.

Other great ways to lower pH:
Apply lots of Organic Matter, especially things like peat moss / pine bark. LOOOOTS.
Use acidifying tools for soil amendments needed like Diammounium Phosphate, Urea, Ammonium Sulfate, Iron Sulfate. Really need to see the whole picture before seeing if any of those tools are helpful or not. Don't want to push P / Fe tooo much.
Apply elemental sulfur to the surface (if it is warm enough, long enough, and won't add cause imbalance based on other soil characteristics)

The above approaches take years!

But, if your goal is to have a lawn with ideal pH, I'd go find a soil you like, test it for ideal pH, then put a foot of it on my lawn. Boom. Perfect pH. :D :D
 
#23 ·
My CEC is low as well.
Is it a secret? :D
When you say spoon feed, please elaborate.
Is your soil sandy?
Spoon feeding is a method for keeping nutrients available in very low CEC and very sandy soils by making small applications of fertilizer more often. Often this will be half the monthly amount of fertilizer every 2 weeks but some will even break the usual monthly amount into quarter amounts and apply every week. Some people even spoon feed to avoid roller coaster nutrient swings in high CEC clay soils. Other alternatives is to use slow release fertilizer sources or foliar apps.
 
#24 ·
I am relatively new here so I don't know if this has been discussed before, but it is my understanding that besides the parent material of your soil, one of the predominant influences on your soil ph is the ph of your irrigation water. Any attempt to lower your ph may be difficult or short lived if you continue to irrigate with a high ph water source. If you don't irrigate, then disregard.

So, consider testing your water. It may be beyond what most home owners would consider, but I have worked with an acid injection system to use sulfuric acid to lower irrigation water ph. At a former job, not at my house, and will speak from personal experience that it can be dangerous.
 
#25 ·
Mr McTurf said:
I am relatively new here so I don't know if this has been discussed before, but it is my understanding that besides the parent material of your soil, one of the predominant influences on your soil ph is the ph of your irrigation water. Any attempt to lower your ph may be difficult or short lived if you continue to irrigate with a high ph water source. If you don't irrigate, then disregard.

So, consider testing your water. It may be beyond what most home owners would consider, but I have worked with an acid injection system to use sulfuric acid to lower irrigation water ph. At a former job, not at my house, and will speak from personal experience that it can be dangerous.
+1 the lake that we irrigate out of at the course has a ph of 8 and guess what the ph of the soil is on greens. You guessed it 8
 
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