How to Change Your Soil pH | Calcitic Lime vs Dolomitic Lime, Elemental Sulfur vs Citric Acid

Do you need to raise or lower your soil's pH? In this video we test 4 different products and soil types to give you greater insight for how to properly manage your soil's pH. Calcitic and dolomitic lime help raise your soil pH where as elemental sulfur and citric acid are used to lower your soil pH.

[Thelawncarenut]

I'm learning alot from this series! thanks guys.

[TheLawnGuardian]

I've been using a combination of elemental sulfur and citric acid for the last two season and have noticed a good change in my soil pH. At the beginning of 2020 when I initially tested my soil at our new house my soil pH was at an 8.3. When I tested at the beginning of this year after using elemental sulfur and citric acid during the 2020 season my soil pH dropped to a 7.8. It was pretty cool to see this change and I have noticed a different in how my lawn has been looking and responding to fertilizer applications. After using elemental sulfur and citric acid this season, I'll be interested to see what my test results show at the beginning of 2022. Thanks for the video.

[racebiketuner]

Good info. The muzak at the end is annoying.

[StewieGriffin]

I had not thought about citric acid. I have never seen it in a garden department. I'll check that out if it is not too costly.

[Repla]

Great video! Question, i have very high alkaline soil 8.5-9. I have fescue lawn and am trying to lower my PH for this fall. I’ve laid down some gypsum, elemental sulfur, citric acid and was planning on putting down some ammonium sulfate with my grass seed next week. What are your thoughts?

[TonyisToking]

Citric Acid is preferable to plants as It produces Calcium Citrates as opposed to Calcium Sulfate. Calcium Citrate is more easily taken up by plants.

[gregs]

I would like to see a video on application of hardwood (eg, oak) ashes on pH and also potash.

[НариманЖаппар]

Hello! Great experiment. Have you tested how change phosphorous in high pH soil when is going down over the month? Thank you!

[juliusajah]

Wow may God bless you sir for this great, interesting and super informative work you do. Your experiment is super helpful. I would also like to know how to apply ashes as a supplement for the lime as it is cheaper and more readily available where I'm from(comparison between treated and untreated woodash would also be appreciated). Much love from Nigeria

[hellbound]

Any suggestions for lowering pH for say blueberries or other acid loving plants? Sulfur and Aluminum Sulfate are two of the most common I see. There are other's you recommend? I know this one is generally aimed around balancing vs grass or a more traditional "neutral" pH crop but would going lower change the recommendation?

[peterpan]

Awesome channel.

I have a question. How much sulphur or citric acid i have to use per ft³?

[superresistant]

So the water pH will determine the soil pH in the medium/long term

[mablenay]

Calcitic, or dolomitic, lime? (For bermuda, ph5.3, 'high' calcium, 'very high' magnesium)

[PFDarkside]

If you have a neutral pH (~7) is there any value of trying to push it slightly downward for grass or is the money/time better spent elsewhere?

[ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

I don't understand the mechanism that would see pH levels drop over time in the acidic lime treatments. Intuitively, I'd expect the opposite result as the lime has more time to react with the soil. Can you offer your thoughts?

And how did you apply the lime? Simply sprinkle of top of the soil? If so, your sampling is likely being contaminated when you insert the probe as the lime is right on the surface. Seems to me you'd want to scrape the top of the probe site and only test the subsurface soil.

[farmleague]

Plz tell us the quantity of citric acid per 1000 square feet application

[reptiloidx]

Helo there . I got clay like soil which is well over 7 on the scale in sum cases is over 8 . Drainage is totally not good . But will the lime work in my case ?

[nashwanibrahim]

My soil test came back at 5, but my calcuim is extremely high.. is that normal?

[josealflba]

this guy look a lot like the guy from smarter everyday channel

[wattsupwiththat]

How do you test the pH level? the test kit I have only measures by 1.0 increments. How do you measure the pH of the water?