Re: [MittleiderMethodGardening] Re: Feeding Your Plants - Anywhere in the World It's the Same

 

I'm actually planning, at least initially, to grow in the sand/sawdust mixture in raised beds, in a greenhouse, watering with collected rain water.  So I'll have complete control over soil pH.  Not sure what the rain water pH is here yet.  But I'll be able to control that also.

I found giant feed bags full of sawdust for $3 a bag, delivered for free if I order at least 10 bags.  Looks like it will be pine.  I'm not sure what the "soil" pH would effectively be, or how the water pH might affect that.



On Fri, Feb 5, 2016 at 6:55 PM, brianlanning@gmail.com [MittleiderMethodGardening] <MittleiderMethodGardening@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
Brian Group:

Even more important than the pH of your water is the pH of your soil.  In the garden the pH is affected primarily by the amount of rainfall, and if an area receives more than 20" of rainfall annually the soil pH will be below 7 (acidic) - the more rainfall the lower the pH.  The solution to this is to add lime to the soil, because lime raises pH. 

 In low rainfall areas, with pH above 7, or alkaline, the calcium applied to the soil is gypsum, rather than lime, because it is pH neutral (equal parts lime and sulfur), and if pH continues to be high enough to cause a problem simply add sulfur to the soil, which lowers pH.

I don't think I would collect water in a tank and put sulfur in it, but that's a possibility IF you know what you're doing and you use proper amounts, so that you don't over-apply it.

I would suggest you find gypsum to use in your Pre-Plant Mix and check your soil pH occasionally, and perhaps add a little sulfur if needed.

Jim Kennard

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Posted by: Brian Lanning <brianlanning@gmail.com>
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