What are some organic ways to lower PH?

Looking for organic nutrients to help lower my soil's PH. Preferably, amendments but don't mind liquids as well.

peat, alfalfa, sulfur....

Indoors\containers or outdoors in the ground? Sphagnum peat is acidic, as mentioned. Coir is more neutral than sphagnum but still has a pH around 5 by itself. High N bat guano tends to be acidic, and blood meal. Blackstrap molasses will also lower the pH of irritation water. Then of course soil acidifier which is elemental sulfur.

If you are looking to use an organic alternative to a bottle of phosphoric acid (PH down bottle) then buy from the supermarket from the cooking section some Citric acid powder.

Right on, thanks all.

Time to get some nutes.

Gypsum lowers ph and adds some nice calcium and sulphur...and it's cheap and easy to find.

^^^^ make sure to get powder. The rocks take 6 months to break down



Stay frosty

Gypsum is calcium sulfate and has no direct affect on soil pH. Elemental sulfur is used as soil acidifier, and you might notice that some brands such as Espoma contain gypsum, as it used as a binder.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/cropenews/2002/02mncn07.htm
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/1731-3-soilpH.pdf

you need is some coco , compost and oyster shell flour or dole lime powder in your mix and ph will never be an issue. unless your dog or cat decides to piss on it.

Don't use oyster shell flour or dolomite lime for this issue. They will raise your already high pH.

Sulfur, most composts, and peat will all acidify soil. As for liquid fixes, raw apple cider vinegar and lactobacillus cultures will also help acidify your soil.

AliCakes said:

Don't use oyster shell flour or dolomite lime for this issue. They will raise your already high pH.

Sulfur, most composts, and peat will all acidify soil. As for liquid fixes, raw apple cider vinegar and lactobacillus cultures will also help acidify your soil.

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What? ALL YOU NEED is lime, it will keep your soil in perfect range for nutrient uptake. Please do not put apple cider vinegar in your soil, stuff like this is what cause bad pH fluctuations. If you bubble/aerate your mix before watering it in you will be fine. If your soil mycos are in check and you bubble before watering you can throw that pH pen away.

Lime doesn't buffer PH- it makes it alkaline

People just think it does because they are use to balancing out acidic peat and such

This website says that lime has a PH of 12.45 at 25 degrees celsius (77f)
http://www.lime.org/documents/lime_basics/lime-physical-chemical.pdf

bookechu said:

What? ALL YOU NEED is lime, it will keep your soil in perfect range for nutrient uptake. Please do not put apple cider vinegar in your soil, stuff like this is what cause bad pH fluctuations. If you bubble/aerate your mix before watering it in you will be fine. If your soil mycos are in check and you bubble before watering you can throw that pH pen away.

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You have been LIED to, my friend. If you lived in an area with a naturally high lime stone content, you would probably understand this better. Raw apple cider vinegar is a great liquid pH adjustment that has been used in organic gardening for a very long time. It is a mild overall N-P-K fertilizer that also adds beneficial yeast to your micro life AND is an effective anti-fungal/anti-viral product. As with all liquid adjusters, it is a short term product because the nitrogen in it is water soluble, but it is in no way going to harm a garden.
If you don't believe me, look the info up via your local agri-extention office website or any other non-cannabis, scientifically backed site. I have decades of organic gardening and years upon years of biology and chemistry coursework under my belt. I do know what I am talking about here.

going to the store to get a jug of cider right now!

People who grow in containers with potting mix\soil typically need to (or should) add dolomitic\calcitic lime (never hydrated or slaked lime) prior to planting. Notice how many times sphagnum\peat is mentioned in this thread. It is a very common amendment in industry due to its characteristics. Not only is it found in the great majority of commercial potting mixes, but is also used in composting\vermicomposting. Sphagnum peat tends to harbor a lot of reserve acidity. Newer brands contain coco coir and it is also popular for amending, also has a slightly acid pH. Along with the other amendments and fertilizers that tend to be used (including manures and compost).

The lime neutralizes acidity over time while supplying Ca and Mg. It will never lower pH; it neutralizes acidity. This is especially important for container growers who use rain, distilled, bottled, RO\filtered water that lacks minerals and more acidic nutrients. If you use hard tap water for your plants, it may already have an elevated pH due to dissolved calcium and magnesium carbonates.

Ok. Apple cider vinegar doesn't to seem to be as harmful as I thought, was equating it to straight vinegar. Seems like a quick fix if I run out of fish emulsion. But there is still no need for you to check pH, if you aerate it you can pour it straight it.

Noice. Apple cider vinegar it is, thanks you all.