Gardenias

[aykhan]

Too close to the neem and it will have to compete for root space and nourishment and probably loose the battle. Put the 50 ruppee one near neem and another in pot and see which one does better. We really got a very good deal there I went back and bought more

[khabbab]

Of course i will do that. One 50 rupee under neem tree, one in pot and one in normal soil bed. I hope at least one of them will grow good. If not, i am out of gardenia and will revert to motia fan just like Brig Sb.

[Izhar]

now this is an issue as Gardenia roots dont like interference..

[M Farooq]

Is diluted vinegar is an option instead of ferrous sulfate?

I have a related question. How good is elemental sulfur powder as a soil acidulant? I assume it will be very slow but it must be effective for a long time. Vinegar seems like a very temporary solution to lower soil pH because it is somewhat volatile. Particularly, if the soil has some carbonates (e.g. of calcium) pH will not be lowered at all by the amount of vinegar present in feed water. The salts that result from acetic acid neutralization with the alkaline materials are still pH >7. Just check if your soil bubbles with a drop of vinegar. If it does (indicating carbonates), vinegar is not a good option as a feed.

Regards.

[Izhar]

One of the cuttings of Gardenia i am growing in a potting mix with some elemental sulfur in it.. its been 7 months and so far so good... i did used Ferrous sulfate in it initially as the elemental sulfur is a long term pH lowering additive..

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

REQUEST, Show me (picture) of a gardenia bush full of flowers.
Now I consider it I ALSO HAVE IT type of plant
I am planting a bed of Various types of Gardenias as an experiment.

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

This may be of some HELP.

LOWERING PH OF SOIL
Two materials commonly used for lowering the soil pH are aluminium sulphate and sulphur. These can be found at a garden supply centre. Aluminium sulphate will change the soil pH instantly because the aluminium produces the acidity as soon as it dissolves in the soil. Sulphur, however, requires some time for the conversion to sulphuric acid with the aid of soil bacteria. The conversion rate of the sulphur is dependent on the fineness of the sulphur, the amount of soil moisture, soil temperature and the presence of the bacteria. Depending on these factors, the conversion rate of sulphur may be very slow and take several months if the conditions are not ideal. For this reason, most people use the aluminium sulphate.
Both materials should be worked into the soil after application to be most effective. If these materials are in contact with plant leaves as when applied to a lawn, they should be washed off the leaves immediately after application or a damaging leaf burn may result. Take extreme care not to over-apply the aluminium sulphate or the sulphur.
You can use the following tables to calculate the application rates for both the aluminium sulphate and the sulphur. The rates are in pounds per 10 square feet for a loamy soil. Reduce the rate by one-third for sandy soils and increase by one-half for clays.

Pounds of Aluminium Sulphate to Lower the pH
Desired pH
Present pH
6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5
8.0 1.8 2.4 3.3 4.2 4.8
7.5 1.2 2.1 2.7 3.6 4.2
7.0 0.6 1.2 2.1 3.0 3.6
6.5 - 0.6 1.5 2.4 2.7
6.0 - - 0.6 1.5 2.1

Pounds of Sulphur to Lower the Soil pH
Desired pH
Present pH
6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5
8.0 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
7.5 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
7.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
6.5 - 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
6.0 - - 0.1 0.2 0.3


To avoid plant injury, don't exceed 2 pounds of sulphur per 100 square feet per application. Wait at least 3 months to make another application.
Aluminum sulfate and iron sulfate react more quickly with the soil than elemental sulfur. However, aluminum sulfate and iron sulfate must be applied at a 5 to 6 times greater rate. Do not apply more than 5 pounds per 100 square feet of aluminum or iron sulfate at any one time. Excessive amounts of these two sulfates can also injure plants.
Some types of fertilizers can help to acidify the soil and most of them are safe to apply. Acidifying fertilizers include ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, urea, and ammonium nitrate. Read the label on the fertilizer bag to determine if it is an acidifying fertilizer.
Research suggests that wood chips as a surface mulch may actually allow greater nutrient absorption by some trees. Spread a layer about three inches thick at least out to the dripline. Each spring add more mulch to keep the depth at about three inches.

[khabbab]

Last night i talked to Umar khan mardan and he said that he never used any fertilizer in his gardenias under tree. He also never used any thing to lower the PH. Falling leaves naturally form compost, that is all. How important is it to use something specifically for lowering the PH?

[Izhar]

pH of soil in his area is lower then ours... but now he has started using ferrous sulfate on my advice and its working nicely on his acid loving plants http://www.gardeningpakistan.com/viewto ... ?f=5&t=918

I personally dont compare jasmines with gardenias... they are very different plants with different requirements and different fragrance..

[khabbab]

Okay. And for new plants which have been just planted in soil bed or in pot, when should they be started feeding the Ferrous sulfate, after 6 months i guess?