rec.gardens.ecosystems homepage -> archive: MOD$990429.29526@rec.gardens.ecosystems



Subject: Re: need help for soil?
From: danstern@concentric.net (Dan Sterner)
Organization: Working on it
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 99 14:06:32
Message-ID: <MOD$990429.29526@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$990426.20588@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$990427.14259@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



On 27 Apr 1999 18:23:13 -0400, ntbandit@globec.com.au wrote:

>the pine needles should be making the soil acidic so an application of
>dolomite lime at the prescribed rate will be needed to adjust this, soil ph
>test kits can be bought from better landscape centers to test the soil
>acidity.
Someone else posted this same idea the other day, and I'm not sure that's
true. A chicken and egg type of question I guess, does pine and oak make
soil acidic, or do they just like to grow in acidic soil?

I use pine needles and oak leaves almost exclusively as mulch, have done
so for years, and have noticed no change in the ph of the soil. As they
decompose, in the upper inch or so of soil, maybe. Once decomposed, I
doubt it, based on my own experience with it. My (cold) compost pile has a
lot in it as well, and though the ph of the soil started at about 7
several years ago it still sits right at 7.1 according to the soil test
this spring. My thought is that a soil tends to return to its natural
state, so any lime or acidic matter added would have a short term effect
at best, and unless it's dug in before decomposed, only on surface roots.

There was an article I read some time back written by a gentleman who
wanted to put this idea to the test. He collected christmas trees and
chipped them, built his whole garden based on decomposed pine. Claims to
have a wonderful garden with no ph problems. That agrees with my
experience.