Soil pH for various plants. 12.26.13

Image source - vintageprintable.com

After having the soil tested, and reading the recommendations, I looked up what a number of my garden plants require.   According to the info I could find, many would tolerate soil pH in the range of my soil, pH 5.05.  Which must make sense, because they grew in it last year.  However, if I lime the soil, maybe some or most will be more vigorous, or more productive, or produce earlier.

From this site - the gardenhelper.com  I edited out vegetables I don't grow and don't plan to grow.

Vegetable Optimal pH Beans 6.0-7.0 Beet 5.6-6.6 Broccoli 6.0-7.0 Cabbage 5.6-6.6 Cantaloupe 6.0-7.0 Carrot 5.0-6.0 Catnip 5.0-6.0 Chili pepper 5.0-6.0 Chives 5.0-6.0 Cucumber 5.0-6.0 Dill 5.0-6.0 Eggplant 5.0-6.0 Garlic 5.0-6.0 Kiwi 5.0-7.0 Lettuce 6.5-7.0 Mint 6.0-7.0

Vegetable Optimal pH Okra 6.0-8.0 Onions 6.2-6.8 Parsley 6.0-8.0 Peasmage 5.6-6.6 Peppers 6.0-8.0 Potato 5.8-6.5 Pumpkins 5.0-7.0 Radish 6.0-7.0 Raspberry 6.0-6.5 Rhubarb 5.0-7.0 Rutabaga 5.0-7.0 Shallots 5.0-7.0 Spinach 5.0-7.0 Squash 6.0-7.0 Strawberries 6.0-7.0 Sunflowers 6.0-7.0 Sweet corn 6.0-7.0 Swiss chard 6.0-7.0 Tomatoes 5.5-7.0 Turnip 5.0-7.0 Zucchini 6.0-7.0

From various websites,

Image source vintageprintable.com

Apple - 5.0 to 6.8
Bearded Iris - slightly acidic to almost neutral, about 6.8
Buddleia 5.5 to 6.5, another site states 6.0 to 7.5. They grew like crazy in my ph 5.05 soil. Cherry - 5.5 to 8.0 prefer 6.5; another site state 6.2 to 6.8
Chinese Haw - 4.3 to 7.3
Dogwood 5.0 to 7.0
European Ash 5.0 to 8.0
Figs - 6.0 to 6.5
Ginkgo - 5.0 to 8.0
Golden Chain Tree - 5.0 to 8.0 Iris - 6.5 to 7.0
Linden - 7.0 to 8.0 but another site states 4.5 to 7.5 and prefers 7.0; another site states 5.0 to 8.0
Lilac 6.0 to 7.5 but there is a massive lilac in our soil pH 5.05
Mulberry - 5.5 to 7, another site states 5.5 to 6.5
Okra - 6 - 8 Paw Paw - 5.5 to 7.0 but another reference states 5 to 6
Peach - around 6.5
Pear - 6.0 to 6.5 but tolerate 5.0 to 7.5
Persimmon - 6.5 to 7.5 Plum - 5.0 to 6.5
Quince - 6.0 to 7.0
Red Twig Dogwood - 5.0 to 8.0
Tomato - 6.0 to 7.0 better if 6.5 to 6.8
Weigela 6.0 to 7.0


Acidic, 4.5 to 6.0:
 Pieris, Rhododendron, Azalea, Camellia.

Not related to this topic, but thought about after looking for images to ponder for this post.  The vintageprintable image at the top does not give a source, but the caption states those are 3 year old black locust trees, form seed, in Kentucky.  About 1910.   That's a lot of growth in 3 years.  It makes me wonder - is it because they are from seeds?  Because they are a fast growing black locust?  Because the climate and soil in that Kentucky forest was super good in the 1900s?  All?  I think more people should try to grow trees from seeds.  We would have more diversity, the trees would be free, and if some achieve that size, that fast, then there would be faster biomass accumulation and faster shade.

Ginkgo biloba seedlings.

Ginkgo biloba seedling.

Ginkgo biloba seedling.

 These are Ginkgo biloba seedlings growing among the irises and herbs.  I planted the seeds last fall.

There are around 5 or 6 seedlings.  I'm guessing I planted a couple dozen seeds.  There was evidence some seeds were dug and eaten by birds or squirrels.

These received no special care after planting the seeds last fall.  Whatever the irises and herbs got, the ginkgo seedlings got.

They are small enough, they can stay put for a couple of years.  Then transplant to another bed or someplace more permanent.

Ginkgo biloba seedling.