Decrease Soil Alkalinity & pH

Have Healthier Plants

Bulletin #TP1016

Horticultural Observations for Healthier Landscapes

One of the most significant contributors to plant stress in the Arid Southwest Desert is the alkalinity and high pH of our soil and water! In considering soil properties, pH is a measurement of the acidity and alkalinity. If the soil is too acidic, you will have plant stress. Too alkali and you will also encounter plant stress. Most of this stress comes from the plants inability to absorb important nutrients from the soil due to the pH problem. Good pH, as far as plant health is concerned is generally in the range from 6.0 to 7.3. Typical native soil here in the Desert Southwest will have a pH around 8.2!

Aluminum Sulfate

Soil Conditioner

THIS CONCENTRATED PRODUCT is available from several manufacturers, and it is superb at decreasing soil pH in the garden.

Granulated aluminum sulfate (a cousin to sulphur)takes a bit of time to break down, and requires irrigation in the area applied in order to dissolve in the soil. So, it is safe to use for your plants.

If You want to see consistant results, use Aluminum Sulfate to condition your soil twice a year!

You apply fertilizer to your plants because you want them healthy and beautiful. Too often the nutrients that you try to give your plants, does not get into their roots. Why? High pH! Alkaline soil has the capacity to bind the nutrients in the soil, and not release them to the plant. Consequently the plant suffers from the lack of various nutrients, especially iron and manganese.

New plants will generally not suffer pH problems for at least the first year. After this, is when our high-pH, high-salts water begins to affect the soil. Often after four or five years, salt damage and nutrient deficiencies begin to take their toll. Routine annual applications of Aluminum Sulfcate will combat this problem. Regular use of this product will keep the soil porous and allow the salts to be flushed away. Even though our water contains high levels of salts, it is still much less salty than the soil becomes over time, and so is capable of leaching salts away from your plants.

Salt damage and high pH complications are common in the Southwest US and can be dealt with. Routine use of Aluminum Sulfate along with annual flushing of the soil can make a big difference!