It’s a great looking garden ❗️ I also used the same product for my blueberries. Recently I switched to DTE Acid Mix , which is a fertilizer with added acidic properties. Bought from Arbico Organics (not a sponsor 😂). Additionally I use Canadian Sphagnum peat moss (from Menards), and wood chips (free from a local tree company). Thanks for posting this great video and sharing your knowledge and experience with us ! Good luck with your projects !
Thanks so much! I applaud your dedication to the well-being of your plants - and your ambition! For a basically lazy guy like me, that Espoma acidifier (in combo with Holly-tone and liquid seaweed/iron) is the perfect solution. You're extra steps and additional feeding/enriching will ensure beautiful results. No doubt about it! Thanks once again!
@@therenaissancegardenguy - my wife wanted blueberries. Turns out it’s not that easy to grow blueberries in Illinois, in all clay soil. I’m trying to do a bare minimum, but that’s not enough.
Espoma doesn’t specify how much to use to get to a certain pH depending on your current pH. Obviously if you have higher pH and you want to get to a low pH you’re going to be using more but it doesn’t specify that.
That's very true. There's almost no way to make specific application suggestions per current vs target pH levels due to the varying levels of sulfur-oxidizing microbes in different soils. Espoma suggests a good baseline amount which may or may not need to be adjusted up or down. I always recommend having a decent meter handy and taking an initial reading and subsequent readings on regular intervals post application. Even with bags of pure elemental sulfur, it's impossible for a manufacturer to give exact application amounts vis à vis target levels. I like Espoma because it's easy to work with, contains not only elemental sulfur but gypsum (calcium sulfate), which doesn't affect soil pH, but does deliver readily absorbable calcium. And it works in excellent complementary, proprietary fashion with the other Espoma products I use. Plus, the bags are super convenient to carty around and use.For more on this topic, please feel free to read my RGG article "Acidifying Soil in Winter in the Midwest." Thanks for your great comments!
@delanaespinoza Aside from sending my soil to a lab for testing, I'm also at the mercy of what's available at the retail level. Believe it or not, I've had the best luck with a very reasonably priced unit from LusterLeaf (Rapitest 4-way Soil Analyzer). I follow the directions for its use exactly, and it monitors the changes over time. But again, I've never compared its results with what an actual testing lab would come up with, so I can't give you a basis for comparison there. I use mine frequently, and it's the one I recommend on The Renaissance Garden Guy site. It's worked just as well or even better than a much more expensive one I've used (no names on that one - I don't want to get in trouble!). As far as this process goes, I think a lot of it has to do with trial and error, and time. If your hydrangeas are blue and your rhodies' leaves are good and green, keep a record of what your meter is reading, whether it's 5.8 or 6.8 or somewhere in between, and stick with that reading as your target. When my meter reads between about 6 and 6.6, things really look like they're supposed to. Again, I really think that unless you have your soil professionally tested by a lab, or you invest hundreds in expensive analysis equipment, there's just always going to be a margin of error. I hope this is helpful.
It’s not a good idea to do it the way you did because there is bacteria that break it down to acidifying your solid. They need warmer soil temps to do the job. Basically a big application in spring is better than one in winter and one in spring.
Thanks for watching and thanks for your input. This process, done at this time and in this fashion, works perfectly for me. It's very, very effective exactly as I described here in the video. Thanks again!
It’s a great looking garden ❗️
I also used the same product for my blueberries.
Recently I switched to DTE Acid Mix , which is a fertilizer with added acidic properties. Bought from Arbico Organics (not a sponsor 😂).
Additionally I use Canadian Sphagnum peat moss (from Menards), and wood chips (free from a local tree company).
Thanks for posting this great video and sharing your knowledge and experience with us !
Good luck with your projects !
Thanks so much! I applaud your dedication to the well-being of your plants - and your ambition! For a basically lazy guy like me, that Espoma acidifier (in combo with Holly-tone and liquid seaweed/iron) is the perfect solution. You're extra steps and additional feeding/enriching will ensure beautiful results. No doubt about it! Thanks once again!
@@therenaissancegardenguy - my wife wanted blueberries. Turns out it’s not that easy to grow blueberries in Illinois, in all clay soil. I’m trying to do a bare minimum, but that’s not enough.
Good to know that with good berrier in yard still works even if the best location is not available . Thank you
I'm glad you found this useful. Thank you!
Espoma doesn’t specify how much to use to get to a certain pH depending on your current pH. Obviously if you have higher pH and you want to get to a low pH you’re going to be using more but it doesn’t specify that.
That's very true. There's almost no way to make specific application suggestions per current vs target pH levels due to the varying levels of sulfur-oxidizing microbes in different soils. Espoma suggests a good baseline amount which may or may not need to be adjusted up or down. I always recommend having a decent meter handy and taking an initial reading and subsequent readings on regular intervals post application. Even with bags of pure elemental sulfur, it's impossible for a manufacturer to give exact application amounts vis à vis target levels. I like Espoma because it's easy to work with, contains not only elemental sulfur but gypsum (calcium sulfate), which doesn't affect soil pH, but does deliver readily absorbable calcium. And it works in excellent complementary, proprietary fashion with the other Espoma products I use. Plus, the bags are super convenient to carty around and use.For more on this topic, please feel free to read my RGG article "Acidifying Soil in Winter in the Midwest." Thanks for your great comments!
Thanks for your quick response! I have used various testing methods and the meters are always incorrect. Do you have one that has been accurate?
@delanaespinoza Aside from sending my soil to a lab for testing, I'm also at the mercy of what's available at the retail level. Believe it or not, I've had the best luck with a very reasonably priced unit from LusterLeaf (Rapitest 4-way Soil Analyzer). I follow the directions for its use exactly, and it monitors the changes over time. But again, I've never compared its results with what an actual testing lab would come up with, so I can't give you a basis for comparison there. I use mine frequently, and it's the one I recommend on The Renaissance Garden Guy site. It's worked just as well or even better than a much more expensive one I've used (no names on that one - I don't want to get in trouble!). As far as this process goes, I think a lot of it has to do with trial and error, and time. If your hydrangeas are blue and your rhodies' leaves are good and green, keep a record of what your meter is reading, whether it's 5.8 or 6.8 or somewhere in between, and stick with that reading as your target. When my meter reads between about 6 and 6.6, things really look like they're supposed to. Again, I really think that unless you have your soil professionally tested by a lab, or you invest hundreds in expensive analysis equipment, there's just always going to be a margin of error. I hope this is helpful.
They sell same one at Home Depot and Lowe’s
Thank you
Of course, Annie!
Thx.
Welcome!
Thank you, I have a couple blueberries to plant.
Of course - good luck!
Is this good for blueberry plants also?
Yes. Blueberry bushes really benefit from acidic soil. Espoma is a perfect organic product for acidifying soil.
It’s not a good idea to do it the way you did because there is bacteria that break it down to acidifying your solid. They need warmer soil temps to do the job. Basically a big application in spring is better than one in winter and one in spring.
Thanks for watching and thanks for your input. This process, done at this time and in this fashion, works perfectly for me. It's very, very effective exactly as I described here in the video. Thanks again!
🙋🙋🙋👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋
Thank you!