ACID LOVING PLANTS, SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Don Trotter
Hello fellow Earthlings, and welcome to a much requested discussion on
acid-loving plants and their care. For some of you these plants present a
real dilemma. They are beautiful and plentiful in some parts of the country
and a real challenge for gardeners in other parts of the country. This
discussion is intended to give some basic outlines for growing this
wonderful and diverse group of plants. If any of you have specific needs or
challenges regarding acid lovers, I urge you to contact me for some free
advice.
Acid loving plants are just that. This group of plants thrive in soil
conditions that are acidic in varying degrees. Some acid lovers really
appreciate slightly acidic soils and other prefer to live in conditions
where the soils are so acidic that few other plants are capable of growing.
We will be discussing the more subdued acid lovers this time. But any
discussion needs to start with soil. In areas where rainfall is common
during the warm season, soils are often acidic. In these regions,
rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, camellias, magnolias, and a number of
other popular acid-loving plants grow very well. In areas where rainfall is
not plentiful soils have a tendency to be somewhat alkaline. In these
regions, acid-loving plants are more of a challenge.
The pH of a soil is critical to success with acid loving plants. In some
acidic soils, little mineral and nutrient management is required other than
providing adequate levels of nitrogen-N, phosphate (phosphorus)-P,
potassium-K, and calcium-Ca. Other acidic soils may require the addition of
magnesium and some additional trace minerals that can be easily identified
by having the soil tested. A number of agricultural agencies or garden
centers offer soil testing services that will provide you with a wealth of
information about the quality of your soil.
Where soil pH is higher than neutral (above 7.0), acid-loving plants may
suffer from a lack of nutrients and minerals that are bound or missing as
previously mentioned. In these alkaline soils, many are often clays where
essential minerals like iron and sulfur are in short supply or are bound by
other minerals under the conditions of a high pH. Salinity can also be a
problem because of a lack of rainfall to percolate these salts through the
topsoil. Acid-loving plants are notoriously salt-intolerant. To exacerbate
the salt problems, commercial chemical fertilizers are often a combination
of salts that can accumulate in soils that don't drain well. This condition
of poor drainage can often be remedied by the addition of calcium sulfate
(Gypsum) or fossilized Kelp (Kelzyme) calcium. One thing to remember is
that the most common source of calcium, lime, will adjust pH values even
higher in alkaline soils and should be avoided. The best way to adjust soil
pH values lower is to add soil sulfur in small amounts over a course of
time. Iron sulfate is also a fairly good pH adjuster as well as a source of
essential iron. There are many iron products on store shelves but few are
natural/ organic so be wary of them. Organic chelated iron and mineral
supplements for soil are the best ones and are immediately available to the
plant to correct imbalances.
My favorite way to ensure that soil pH is balanced so that acid-loving
plants can inhabit the garden with other plants is to apply lots of organic
matter to the soil in the form of compost and mulch. These organic
materials will keep the wide diversity of microorganisms healthy and
vigorous. In turn these microscopic animals and plants will work to convert
nutrients and minerals so they are continuously available to plants. This
will make mineral and nutrient deficiencies in plants less of a problem so
that your plants grow and flower with more vigor and with fewer problems
from pests and disease.
Acid-loving plants and all other plants for that matter are more pest and
disease resistant when balanced nutrition is provided. Just like you and I.
When you provide this balanced environment for them to grow in you will
quickly see haw easy it is to cultivate acid-loving plants in almost any
garden, almost anywhere.
The key to success is to remember that acid-lovers are just those,
acid-lovers. That way you can form a strategy for growing them successfully
and they can supply you with years of beauty, fragrance and pleasure in
return.
Next time we will be discussing flowers in the garden. See you in the Garden!
Look for Don's book Natural Gardening A-Z from Hay House at bookstores everywhere and at all online booksellers and check out Don's columns in Hearst's Healthy Living Magazine coming soon.
Back To Dr. Curly's Index
Copyright © 2012
