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blowin · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:39 am Post subject: soil types and Ph levels

This link is to a good little article article on the above subject
http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/about668.html

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Talking of PH levels Blowin. How are your Blueberry's going. I planted mine in a raised bed with lots of conifer leaves in the compost. All seems fine at the moments.
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blowin · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 3:34 am Post subject:

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Yes mate. Learning curve or what? We had a sandy loam in the fens. Very easy to cultivate but had no guts. I am now on Clay with lumps of shale. A bugger to work but has grown the best Collies ever and much of the other crops are looking very good. I planted water cress in the stream which grows in abundance Smile

As to the blueberry's, fine healthy plants that will have to be transplanted next year. Loads of fruit but the birds are having them. I did a test last week and the PH was about 6. our ground comes out neutral so it will have to be raised beds in the future.
Good luck.
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blowin · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:01 am Post subject:

Just wondering whether Hydrangeas could be used as an indicator . I think I am correct in saying that you can make the flowers any colour from blue to pink simply by changing the pH around their roots . I think conditions vary quite a bit on my land so I could dot the hydrangeas around to give an overview . Worth it , or just a lot of hassle for an uncertain result ? ( I have had enough of those lately ! Laughing

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quarryman · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 417 Location: Sligo

We have hydrangeas near the house that are pink and some that are 100 meters from that are blue, except one of the blue ones has pink on the edges of the flowers. No additional soil was added to the area. I think the old cabbage water test is the easiest to find the ph of the soil.

Cabbage water, soil and a few drops of iodine.

blowin · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject:

quarryman · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 417 Location: Sligo

Soak cabbage leaves in water for a day. Strain the water. Use this water to half fill a glass container. Add soil [about a quarter of the glass] stir it and let it settle. If the water takes on a greenish tinge it is alkaline, if it goes reddish, it is acid.

I mixed up the starch test using iodine so you don't need any.

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Interesting test, and the iodine goes where?. I think that the Hydrangea turned from blue to pink in the presence of lime. Neutral soil can be lime free of course.

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