Sour soil: signs. How to deal with acidic soil?

The acidity of the soil is completely dependent on the presence of alkaline elements in it. Depending on this parameter, the soil can be of three kinds. Isolate the soil acidic, alkaline and neutral. Despite the fact that some representatives of the flora love the soil with an elevated index, such a soil is the least preferable.

Acidity index

The acidity of the soil is a certain property of the soil, which depends on the concentration of hydrogen ions. It is designated as the pH of the solution, that is, the liquid phase of the soil itself. The value is expressed in gram equivalents per liter.

Acidic soil (as defined above) is characterized by a pH below seven, that is, the number of H + ions is less than that of OH- ions (in the case of a neutral reaction, their number is equal to 7).

How to determine acidity?

Set this indicator at home is easy enough. To do this in a specialized store you need to buy a kit for measuring the acidity of the soil, which includes a certain amount of litmus paper. In addition, it is necessary to prepare a so-called soil extract (add five parts of water to one part of the soil). The container with this hood should be shaken properly, left for a while, in order to stand it. Now you can put a litmus test in the liquid that is above the sediment. Upon contact with the liquid, it changes its color, which is compared with the template.

The acidic soil, the characteristics of which are described in this article, is characterized by the following colors on a piece of paper: green, blue-green and blue.

Which plants indicate acidic soil?

Acidic soil (as defined in the home, mentioned above) is loved by many plants, despite the fact that its presence in the garden or in the garden can bring a lot of problems.

Plants that live exclusively on such soils are called acidophils. Knowing what wild grasses like this kind of soil, you can determine the acidity without conducting chemical tests. On such soils most often grow:

• Field horsetail;
• Small sorrel;
• moss;
• Pungent buttercup;
• blueberry;
• Acid;
• On weakly acidic soils you can find heather, cornflowers and ferns.

However, it is worth considering the fact that many plants are indifferent to small fluctuations of this index, that is, they are able to adapt to edaphic factors (a combination of chemical properties of the soil and its physical characteristics). Therefore, for a more accurate result, it is recommended to determine the amount of alkaline elements in the soil with a litmus test.

If we talk about horticultural crops, then the acid soil (its signs are very easy to remember) do not have to taste any of the famous representatives. It is possible to grow some of them at a pH closer to neutral, for example, quinces, different varieties of apple, raspberry and blackberry, as well as tomatoes, sorrel, zucchini, potatoes and pumpkin. Knowing the signs of acidic soil in the garden, improving the condition of the soil is fairly easy. This is possible by adding certain substances. From the floral representatives of the plant world, acid soil (how to deal with it, you can learn from the article) is suitable for irises, delphinium, some lilies, coniferous plants and most roses.

Other ways to identify

Help in determining the acidity can a special device Alyamovsky. This is a set of special reagents, the main purpose of which is to analyze the drawing of the soil (for comparison, two extractions are taken: hydrochloric and aqueous). It also includes an indicator, a solution of potassium chloride, test tubes and samples. The analysis is similar to that in which litmus strips are used.

Also, there is an instrument that is designed to determine the acidity of the soil, while performing several functions at once:

• Determination of acidity;
• Humidity;
• Temperature;
• Lightening of the soil.

There are folk methods. For example, using leaves of cherry or currant. They need to be boiled and then cooled. Then add some amount of soil. The color of the liquid determines the acidity of the soil. If the water changed its color to red, then the soil is acidic.

How does the acidity of the soil affect plants?

To obtain a large number of crops, the acidity of the soil is a very important parameter, which should be taken into account when selecting plants. This is necessary so that the plant nutrition is not disturbed, and also the process of assimilation of the elements necessary for full-fledged development. If unadapted specimens are planted on acidic grounds, then it threatens with nitrogen starvation, especially under unfavorable climatic conditions, in particular during rains and a drop in temperature. The manifestation of this is the chlorosis of the leaves, which begins to absorb the plant from the veins, and then passes to the adjacent tissue. Not to be confused with natural aging, remember, the latter begins with the tissues between veins, and the veins themselves remain green for some time.

In addition, the acidic soil (which grows on it, is indicated above) is characterized by the transition of aluminum and iron to salts, and this is fraught with the fact that phosphoric acid plants simply are not digested. A high amount of these salts in the soil can lead to the fact that calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and molybdenum practically do not penetrate into plant tissues and contribute to a decrease in yield. Other elements, such as copper, boron and zinc, are also phototoxic. Plants that are not adapted to growth on acidic soil develop poorly, the branching of the root is suspended, the assimilation of water and other nutrients is significantly impaired, and signs of acidic soil on the plot prove this.

In addition, such soil may be waterlogged, and the lower the pH level, the greater the likelihood of swamping.

Acidic soil: how to deal with fertilizers?

One of the ways that allows you to reduce the acidity of the soil in the shortest possible time is the introduction of fertilizers. For these purposes, usually take potassium sulfate or ammonium, potassium chloride, sodium or calcium nitrate or superphosphate will do. This is due to the fact that when applying these types of fertilizers, plants that grow on acidic grounds receive anions, not cations. In the process, positive cations remain in the soil, which leads to its alkalization.

Using such fertilizers with a clear periodicity, it can be achieved that the soil pH level is normalized.

If different methods have indicated that you have acid soil, what should you do in the spring? You can use a tool that is universal. It is suitable for all types of soil (if you are not sure that in your garden is the acid soil, the signs of which are described above). And this is urea. In the case of increased acidity with its help, some degree of alkalization of the soil can be achieved.

But it is better not to use ammonium nitrate, because you can get the opposite effect.

Use of lime

Limestone is still the most common method of controlling the acidity of the soil. This is due to the fact that lime is able to displace hydrogen and aluminum from the fertile soil layers, replacing them with magnesium and calcium. The lower the pH, the more soil needs to be limed.

This procedure consists in applying calcareous flour (you can safely replace the dolomite) to a depth of no more than 20 cm. After this, pour abundantly with water. The periodicity of liming should be about once every 5 years (in some cases it can be done less often or more often depending on the acidity index). The greatest amount of lime introduced requires clay soils, the smallest - sandy.

The advantages of this procedure are obvious:

• Neutralizing the acidity of the soil, which leads to the development of microorganisms that live in the ground and take a direct part in the formation of many nutrients for plants, for example, nitrogen or phosphorus;
• The compounds of manganese and aluminum pass into their inactive form, as a result of which the toxic effect of these elements on plants is greatly reduced;
• The assimilation of potassium, phosphorus and molybdenum is activated;
• Increases the efficiency of other fertilizers, such as manure.

Together with the application of calcareous or dolomite flour , the application of fertilizers, which are enriched in boron, is required, since the boron and manganese compounds lose their mobility.

The safest way to reduce acidity

Acidic soil, the signs of which are described in the beginning of the article, will improve if planted on it are siderata plants. They are able to increase the pH.

Such plants include:

• rye;
• Oats;
• Representatives of legumes;
• lupine;
• Phacelia.

For the effectiveness of this method, crops must be produced several times a year for several consecutive years.

This method is considered safe, since it does not harm either microorganisms that live in the earth's thickness and suffer from a lot of calcium and lime, or plants that will later grow on this territory, or groundwaters.

Other means of improving acid soil

Calcium-containing preparations will also improve the quality of the soil to some extent, if the analysis shows that the soil is acidic (what can be done in the spring, you can learn from this article). Such means include:

• Chopped chalk (it needs to be ground, sifted, and then introduced into the soil at the rate of 300 g of chalk per 1 m ^{2 of} soil, provided it is strongly acidified);
• Peat ash (the amount of this drug should be much greater than chalk);
• Wood ash (suitable for sandy, sandy loam and peat soils).

How to get sour soil

In some cases, the gardener faces the issue not how to reduce the acidity of the soil, but, conversely, how to increase it. This is due to the fact that some garden crops feel good on such soils. For this, marshy peat is used as a fertilizer, which can significantly lower the pH level.

Even if there are no particular problems with the acidity of the soil at the moment, periodically it is necessary to check it all the same. This is necessary in order to take timely measures to increase the fertility of the soil. Knowing the signs of acidic soil in the garden and vegetable garden, doing it is much easier.