Can't grow flowers in acidic or alkaline soil? Sprinkle some ash, water with a little vinegar, and the flowers will take off like crazy

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Many flower lovers think flower soil is hard to find. Actually, flowers aren't very demanding about soil. As long as it suits their "taste," any soil can be good soil for growing flowers. So why does ordinary soil fail to grow flowers well? Mainly because the soil's pH level isn't managed properly!

The acidity and alkalinity of soil

G a r d e n i n g C o m p l e t e G u i d e

We generally assume that the north mainly has alkaline soil and the south has acidic soil, so how do we determine whether soil is acidic or alkaline?

1. PH value test

The more scientific way is to judge by PH (acidity and alkalinity) value. Put the test strip in the soil solution for 10 seconds, take it out and compare the color with the color chart. If the color value is less than 6.5, it is on the acidic side; if the value is greater than 7.5, it is on the alkaline side.

2. General classification

Based on common sense, soil that is darker in color and looser and softer is acidic soil, as shown in the pictures below.

Alkaline soil is drier, whitish, and harder and more compact. There are generally three types: calcareous soil, saline soil, and alkaline soil.

Flowers that like acid or alkali

G a r d e n i n g C o m p l e t e G u i d e

If you don't know whether the flowers at home like acid or alkali, blindly using soil or changing soil is very risky. At best they grow poorly, at worst they die right away!

Generally, flowers like slightly acidic soil. Only when the soil is a bit acidic can they grow healthily. There are also alkali-tolerant flowers that can still grow well even if the soil is a bit alkaline.

Acid-loving:

Chinese rose, gardenia, jasmine, hydrangea, Aglaia odorata, camellia, Michelia alba, azalea, crabapple types, kumquat, pine types, and so on

Alkali-tolerant: pomegranate, sweet osmanthus, hibiscus, wisteria, goji berry, oleander, elm-leaved spirea, winter jasmine, lilac, and so on

If the soil around you is too acidic or too alkaline, it will also come with acidic or alkaline water. Even if you buy professional flower soil, as you keep growing plants it will still gradually turn into unsuitable soil. At times like this, don't panic. We can manually adjust the soil's acidity and alkalinity.

Neutralizing acidic soil

G a r d e n i n g C o m p l e t e G u i d e

1. Sprinkle lime to neutralize acidity

The soil in Guangzhou, Guangxi, or other southern mountainous areas is too acidic. Add to that the fairly serious environmental pollution now, and in some areas the soil is strongly acidic and simply cannot be used to grow flowers!

Flower lovers can refer to the practices of agriculture and forestry departments and sprinkle a bit of lime into the soil. For one pot of soil, about a handful sprinkled in and mixed evenly is enough. It kills insects and sterilizes while also neutralizing acidity.

2. Add water and filter to reduce acidity

Add water to acidic soil, let it settle for half a day, then pour the water off. Add water again and repeatedly "wash" it 2-3 times to reduce the soil's acidity.

3. Plant ash to neutralize acidity

Plant ash is also an alkaline flower fertilizer. It can neutralize soil acidity, and also sterilize and supplement nutrients for flowers.

For succulents, pothos, Chinese rose, and others that like weak acidity and cannot tolerate strong acidity, you can mix plant ash into the flower soil (note: not too much, it easily burns the roots). It is a very good alkaline fertilizer.

Turning alkaline soil acidic

G a r d e n i n g C o m p l e t e G u i d e

1. Mix in leaf mold to increase acidity

Flower lovers in the north have alkaline soil near their homes. You can mix in some dead leaves, pine needles, and so on. It is best to let them rot first before use; they become finer and flowers take root more easily.

Leaf mold is a very nutritious acidic fertilizer. An old poem says, "Fallen blossoms are not heartless things; turned into spring mud, they protect the flowers even more."

2. Mix in manure soil to increase acidity

Alkaline soil can also be mixed with manure soil. Whether it is poultry or livestock manure, or even earthworm castings, all are fine~

Be careful not to add too much. Generally, for a 2-gallon flower pot, mixing in 2-3 handfuls of manure soil is enough. Too much easily burns the roots.

3. Add chemical granules to quickly remove alkalinity

There are professional sulfur powder, ferric sulfate, and aluminum sulfate sold on the market. Flower lovers can directly add them to alkaline soil according to the instructions, and they can quickly change the soil's alkalinity.

Especially for flowers like hydrangea and Chinese rose that are relatively sensitive to soil acidity and alkalinity, these chemical granules can quickly change the color of the flowers.

Hydrangeas turn blue in acid and pink in alkali. You can control their color according to your preference.

Seeing this

Is the soil at your home acidic or alkaline?

If you want to change the acidity and alkalinity of your flower soil

Then hurry up and try it

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