Safe substitute for Aluminum Sulphate????

[mrcman]

Hi,

I'm asking if anyone might know of a safe substitute for aluminum sulphate. I wish to lower the ph of my soil for my blueberry plants. Also, is there a better time to apply a ph lowerer??

Thanks for any help, Tony

 

[digitS']

Aluminum sulphate is Alum, as best I understand. Aluminum is not an uncommon mineral to be found in soil. You can use garden sulfur by itself.

I haven't done any of this altho' maybe I should with the alkaline soil we have around here. I have relied just on organic matter to lower the pH to acceptable levels for general gardening.

You may want to do some research on just using peat moss in good quantity for amending the soil where your blueberries will go.

Steve

 

[catjac1975]

If you heat with wood-wood ash is good for your blueberries.

 

[digitS']

The wrong direction for lowering pH, Cat.

Steve

 

[bj taylor]

not relevant, but I got a 50 pound bag of aluminum sulfate several years old & no use for it. it just sits there. don't know how to get rid of it. i'm assuming such a bag would be bad for the land fill - is that right?

 

[mrcman]

BJ,

Are you planning on vacationing in Pa. this summer?? lol

Tony

 

[bj taylor]

tony, along about august I will be begging to go any place north.

 

[hoodat]

In alkaline soil gypsum will supply calcium in an acid form but perhaps not acid enough to alter the PH by much. Garden sulphur is perhaps the best bet. Garden organisms will convert it to a concentrated acid.

 

[MontyJ]

Out of curiosity, what is the pH now?

 

[mrcman]

Monty,

It runs around 7.0ph. We add the aluminum sulphate every year to get it down to where it should be and by the next year it's back up.

Tony