If you’re interested in making your soil more acidic, there are a few natural methods you can try. Adding vinegar to your soil can help. Additionally, there is sulfur and Canadian sphagnum peat moss to further help lower the soil pH.
Be careful with these methods, though, as soil that is too acidic can be harmful to your plants.
Begin by adding small amounts of your chosen remedy, and test the soil regularly to see how it’s responding. With a little patience, you can get the right soil acidity for your plants.
Why Increase Soil Acidity?
Depending on what you’re growing, some plants will only do well if planted in acidic soil. Therefore, by increasing soil acidity, these plants will readily absorb the nutrients they need from the soil.
How to Make Soil More Acidic Naturally
One question often asked by our readers is how to raise the acidity of the soil naturally. There are a few different ways to do this, and we’ll go over a few of the most popular methods below.
1. Sulfur
This is a natural element that can be found in many different forms. One of them is elemental sulfur.
By adding sulfur to the soil, it reacts with bacteria to create sulfuric acid [1]. This acid can then help to lower the pH of the soil.
TIGER 90CR and Espoma Soil Acidifier are excellent organic products that contain sulfur that can help lower your soil pH.
2. Vinegar
If your soil is overly alkaline for the crops you wish to grow, you can easily correct it by applying a little vinegar. This product is an acidic liquid, so you know what it can do to your garden soil.
To acidify the soil with vinegar, combine one cup of vinegar with one gallon of water. Next, apply the solution to the soil around your plants.
This home remedy is fairly inexpensive.
3. Compost Tea
Compost is rich in organic matter. Over time, watering your plants with compost tea made from well-decomposed compost can help to decrease the pH of your garden soil.
Just soak a one-part compost in ten parts water for about a week. Stir it every day. When ready to use, strain it, then use the strained liquid to water your plants.
This is also a great remedy to improve the overall health of your soil.
4. Cottonseed Meal
Cottonseed meal is often used as a fertilizer to lower soil pH. You can use it as mulch or compost. Plus, it is very high in nitrogen.
5. Lemon Juice
You can also use lemon juice as a helpful aid in the vegetable garden to acidify the soil organically.
Simply add the juice of a lemon (about 2 tablespoons) to a gallon of water. Next, pour it around the roots of your plants.
This lemon water solution will help create a more hospitable environment for plants that love acidic soil.
6. Citrus Peelings
Citrus fruits are naturally acidic, so their peelings are a great way to add some extra acidity to your soil.
Just crush up the peelings into tiny pieces and add them to your compost heap. You can also blend them up and place them in your planting hole when transplanting.
Another way to use them is to make citrus peel tea. Steep the peels in boiling water for a few minutes. Next, let it cool before using the water to water your plants.
7. Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss
This type of peat moss is acidic, so it can help make the soil acidic.
Peat moss also works great at retaining nutrients and moisture, so it’s highly valuable for your vegetable garden and flower beds.
To use Canadian sphagnum peat moss to lower the pH of your soil, add some to the top layer of your soil and water well. You can also use it to make an acidic compost tea.
8. Wood Chips
Adding wood chips to your garden is another organic method that works well to make the soil acidic. For the process, simply place them on top of the soil or fold them into the top layer.
Small wood chips decompose quickly compared to larger wood chips, so you may need to add them yearly or every two years at the most.
9. Acidifying Plant Fertilizers
These fertilizers lower the pH of the soil and make it more hospitable for plants that require acidic conditions to thrive. You can find acidifying fertilizers at your local garden center or online.
But if you’re not sure which fertilizer to use, ask a professional at your local gardening store for advice. Down To Earth Acid Mix, Dr Earth Acid Lovers, and SaferGro pH Down are great organic options, however.
10. Pine Needles
This is another remedy that may give acid-loving plants the environment they need. When worked into the soil, pine needles can help lower the pH of your soil.
Throw in some pine needles in your compost pile or add a layer of them to the garden area.
11. Coffee Grounds
Adding coffee grounds to your soil can temporarily create a hospitable environment for acid-loving plants. To make the soil more acidic with coffee grounds, thoroughly mix them into your soil.
How to Test Soil pH
Testing at home by yourself is fairly easy.
The first step is to purchase a quality soil pH testing kit. Next, follow the instructions included with your kit to know the exact pH of your soil.
Most kits also come with all the necessities to test your soil, including a pH meter, soil sampling probes, and pH testing strips.
Acid-Loving Plants
There are many plants that thrive in acidic soil conditions. They grow well where the soil is generally more acidic.
Tomatoes, hydrangeas, gardenias, azaleas, holly, rhododendrons, and blueberries are just a few of the plants that grow well on acidic soil.
Takeaway
Acidic soil is ideal for growing many types of plants, but it can be tricky to achieve the right level of acidity.
Luckily, as outlined above, there are a few natural methods you can try to increase acidity in the soil. You just have to exercise a little patience, as some may take a while, even months, to see results.
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