Acidifying soil around fruit trees

[aliyesami]

I recently measured and noticed that my soil everywhere is highly alkaline . To make it acidic someone recommended the Amonium Sulphate (please see attached products). I have two questions related to this:
1) These looks like for flowers can I use it for for fruit trees?
2) Wont the Aluminum and Sulphur be absorbed in the fruits and contaminate them ?
3)If suitable which of the two products I can use for my fruit trees?

thanks

 

[Anniekay]

I use sulfur and ironite on mine . You can also mulch with pine straw to help add acidity to the soil.
No it won't add it to the fruit. It is necessary in the soil in order for the roots of the plant to absorb the nutrition in the soil. This is why you have to plant acid loving plants in acid soil: without the right amount of acidity they cannot " digest their food" (take up soil nutrients) nutrition. Same for alkaline loving plants.

 

[aliyesami]

so for fruit trees is there any organic acidifier i can use? I have pots with mulch but I dont see much acidity there also.

 

[Julian777ju]

so for fruit trees is there any organic acidifier i can use? I have pots with mulch but I dont see much acidity there also.

I saw something called garden sulfur brand down to earth. That's the kind of stuff you would be looking for

 

[aliyesami]

I use sulfur and ironite on mine

I forgot to ask , can you send me product links please and how you apply them ?
What's your soil PH after using sulphur n ironite?

 

[cpp gardener]

It’s VERY difficult to permanently change soil pH. Mostly you have to keep using soil sulphur annually. Aluminum is a major component of mineral soils so don’t worry about that. Any kind of organic matter will help, although not much.

 

[Anniekay]

I forgot to ask , can you send me product links please and how you apply them ?
What's your soil PH after using sulphur n ironite?

I don't have a link because I pick it up at my local Farmer's Coop. Ironite is the brand name and Garden Sulfer is what you look for.


You need to get a soil test from your agricultural extension agency and they will recommend how much you need to lower your soll's PH for the type plants you're growing. It takes about 6 weeks for it to finish changing the soil ph. A bit slow but works in the long run.

 

[aliyesami]

i got this organic sulphur but it does not say how much to use on fruit trees , anyone has any idea how much I should use on a 6 years old lychee tree ?

 

[cpp gardener]

The label says 12 pounds for 100 square feet. That's a 10' by 10' square. It also says 1/2 cup over the same area. I doubt 1/2 cup weighs 12 pounds, so somewhere between those would be safe. You could do the 1/2 cup rate once a month until you reach the pH you're looking for.
Don't expect it to stay where you want it.

 

[Meadowlark]

... , anyone has any idea how much I should use on a 6 years old lychee tree ?

The application rate depends on the soil type, its ph level, and the target ph (the Lychee tree prefers a range of 6 to 7.5):

1. Clay Soil: Apply about 1/2 pound of sulfur per square yard to lower the pH by 1 point.
2. Sandy Soil: Apply about 1/4 pound of sulfur per square yard to lower the pH by 1 point