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It is necessary to acidify the soil for hydrangea if the measuring device shows an increased alkali content. Before adding special products, you need to find out why the flower loves acidic soil, and also consider several ways to reduce the pH level and choose the most suitable one.
Why hydrangea loves acidic soil
Plants that like soil with high acidity are called acidophytes. These include hydrangea. In nature, its natural environment is moist soil near water bodies, rich in peat and with an acid content of about pH 5.3.
The reason why hydrangea grows better in acidic soil is the special structure of its roots. Most plants have microscopic suction channels through which they absorb nutrients and water. Hydrangea and other acidophytes do not have such channels. Instead, mycelium develops, thanks to which the plant receives nutrition from aggressive soil, which is soil with an acidity level of pH 3.5-7.The plant and these fungi cannot exist separately from each other. They are a symbiosis that can only live in an acidic environment.
What soil acidity should be for hydrangea?
Before planting hydrangea, you need to measure the acidity of the soil in the area. This is done using a special device or folk remedies. The unit of measurement is called pH. The table in the photo below shows the parameters of different soil types:
The more intense the color of the strip, the more pronounced the acidic or alkaline properties of the earth
Hydrangea blooms well and develops correctly when the soil acidity is 5.5 pH. The inflorescences on the bush become lush and their color is bright. It is by the shade of the petals that experienced gardeners notice when it is necessary to increase the acidity of the soil, because if the soil is acidified artificially, then as the bushes grow, they absorb all the nutrients.
The frequency with which the acidification procedure needs to be repeated depends on the initial soil pH. Neutral and slightly alkaline soil should be acidified 2-3 times per season, and slightly acidic soil – 1-2 times. Strongly acidic soil from 1 to 3 pH, on the contrary, is deoxidized using wood ash.
How to determine the pH level by the shade of hydrangea flowers:
- On neutral soil, the flowers turn white or have a slight blue tint.
- Pink color indicates an acidity level of 7.5-8 pH.
- The bright pink color of the petals indicates that the acidity level is at around 6.3-6.5 pH.
- The inflorescences turn blue when the pH is 4.8-5.5.
- The petals acquire a blue tint at an acidity of 4.5 pH.
- Purple flowers can be seen when the soil acidity is 4 pH.
The colors of the inflorescence differ at different pH levels
These changes are not relevant for plants whose petals should naturally have one shade of color. For example, there are pure white inflorescences, and they do not change them throughout the entire flowering period.
How can you acidify the soil for hydrangea?
Before planting hydrangeas in open ground, gardeners fertilize the ground with humus from last year's leaves, pine needles and sawdust. For neutral and alkaline soils, this method of acidification is ineffective, so additional means must be used.
Acidify the soil during watering. Special agents are dissolved in water:
- Apple vinegar;
- oxalic acid;
- lemon acid;
- electrolyte;
- colloidal sulfur.
Succinic acid (sodium succinate) is considered one of the most effective remedies. In addition to acidification, such a solution nourishes the roots well and activates their development. Protects against diseases and pest attacks, and also accelerates the regeneration process of the entire bush. If the hydrangea has suffered a disease, then succinic acid will help the plant quickly recover and return to normal. In addition, sodium succinate helps bushes in the process of photosynthesis and does not tend to accumulate in the soil and oversaturate the plant.
Succinic acid can be purchased at a pharmacy in tablet form or at a flower shop in powder form.
How to make soil acidic for hydrangeas
Before acidifying the soil, you need to measure the pH level. To do this, gardeners purchase a special device, litmus tests, or use the folk method. Soda is sprinkled on the ground and, if the soil is strongly acidic or slightly acidic, a chemical reaction will begin.The grains will “bounce” and fly off in different directions. If you spill vinegar on alkaline soil, it will hiss and bubbles will appear with a small amount of foam.
To better examine the reaction, soil samples should be collected in glass or ceramic dishes
You can acidify the soil for hydrangea using simple methods without purchasing special chemicals. The most popular methods of soil acidification are carried out using:
- vinegar;
- oxalic acid;
- mineral supplements.
How to use these tools correctly is described below.
How to acidify soil for hydrangea with vinegar
It is recommended to use vinegar to acidify the soil only in extreme cases, when the plant loses its attractiveness, develops poorly, and its flowers become pale and dry. Frequent use of vinegar for acidification has a detrimental effect on the mycelium located in the roots. Excess acid can completely destroy the plant.
To acidify the soil with a vinegar solution, it is better to use apple essence. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to 1 bucket of water and stir well. Water the bush with the resulting solution. You can repeat the procedure with this remedy no earlier than after 3 months.
How to oxidize soil for hydrangea with oxalic acid
Oxalic acid is sold in powder form. You will need 100 g of product per 10 liters of water. To dissolve quickly, the liquid can be slightly warmed so that it is not too cold. Add the acid in a thin stream and mix thoroughly. One bucket is enough to water the ground under one adult panicle hydrangea bush.You can acidify the soil in this way once every 1.5 months.
How to make soil for hydrangea sour with mineral supplements
Experienced gardeners recommend acidifying heavy clay soil with mineral fertilizers. Suitable for this purpose:
- Colloidal sulfur. This product must be added directly to the ground. Fertilizer is dug under the bush, deepening it by 10-15 cm. It is advisable to carry out this procedure in the fall, before the onset of the first frost. In the spring, after the snow melts, the chemicals will begin to react, and after 5-6 months the acid levels will decrease by 2.5 pH. This method of acidification should not be used too often. Once every 2 years is enough, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the root system.
- Iron sulfate. These fertilizers help achieve a faster and more gentle effect. Just like sulfur, they are added to the soil before winter. At 10 m2 500 g of substance will be required. The acidity level decreases by 1 unit in 3 months.
- If the pH level of the soil is slightly different from the norm, then you can use ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate or potassium sulfate.
Mineral fertilizers in the form of granules dissolve upon contact with water and saturate the soil with useful microelements
You can learn how to acidify the soil from the video:
Useful tips
For successful soil acidification and good hydrangea growth, experienced gardeners advise:
- Once a month, add citric acid to the water for irrigation. For 10 liters you will need 1 tbsp. powder. This method will help maintain normal soil acidity levels.
- For mulching, it is best to use larch needles.
- Water seedlings that have recently been transplanted into open ground with a solution of succinic acid. This will help young plants gain vitality.
- When using organic fertilizers to acidify the soil more, it is better to give preference to oak leaf humus.
- When lowering the pH balance of the earth with saltpeter, waste material cannot be used. It increases the content of lead, which pollutes the soil and interferes with the normal growth of hydrangeas.
- After sulfur fertilizers for clay soil, you should wait about 8 months before planting hydrangea, otherwise the plant may not take root in the new place, since the soil at this time will be oversaturated with acid.
- To maintain the optimal acid balance of the soil, you can use green manure. They are also called green fertilizers. When the first shoots appear from the seeds, they are buried. Such green manures include oats, white mustard, and lupine.
- In flower shops you can purchase special alum for hydrangea. They contain heptahydrate of aluminum and potassium salts. These substances acidify the soil and give the flowers a blue tint.
- To change the color of the petals from blue to pink, you need to water the bush with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Sometimes gardeners plant 4-5 bushes nearby and increase the acidity of the soil only under some of them. Then the flowers take on different shades, and the hydrangea flowerbed plays with new colors.
Conclusion
You can acidify the soil for hydrangea with home remedies or ready-made mixtures from the store. The main thing is to check the initial pH level before adding fertilizers or acids.Every month you should repeat the measurements and acidify the soil if necessary, then the plant will bloom well and develop properly.
