Acidic Organic Soil

I'm in Texas and have to keep my soil acidic due to several plants in my garden.

What matter (such as coffee grounds) can I add to my compost bin to make it acidic? I need a pH of 4.5 - 5.0 for my blue hydrangeas.

Thanks!

Tracey

Howdy tlschaefer... And WELCOME to DG!

Sounds like you should add anything from pine needles to oak leaves to your compost bin. However, many organics will 'neutralize' eventually and the pH will change.

If you need to you can always add a bit of sulphur to your soil/compost...that will reduce the alkalinity and give you the color of flowers you are looking for.

Again, Welcome! Hope to see you around. Would love to see some pics of your hydrangeas.

Thanks Horse! I just love this forum as everyone is friendly and helpful...definitely the best forum I've seen on the internet.

I'm new to gardening and my hydrangeas are just now going into the ground (we're installing landscape now) but I'll definitely be posting photos when they start to bloom and look a little better.

Thanks again!

Tracey

I should've mentioned also that peat is acidic also...that would help your compost a bit. And if you want to bump up the heat you can throw in some cottonseed meal...it will add N and is also usually used for acid-lovers.

Looking forward to your pics!
Happy Gardening!

Cottonseed meal is great for any acid-loving plant. Most Camelia/Azalea food is mostly cottonseed meal. I use it on my fuschias, camelias, azaleas - they love it.

Hi Cattknapp -

Do you put that on your soil or do you use it in your compost? I recently read that you can put acidic matter in your compost, but it will neutralize so I'm thinking I'll mix it in when the compost is ready to use...what do you think?

Thanks, Tracey

Tracey, it doesn't take very much cottonseed meal (and it can get rather expensive) so I'd recommend using it directly where your plants are, either at planting time or as a side-dressing.

Hi, here's a stupid question from a new member and new gardener. Is there a benefit to just coffee grounds in and around my garden? Is there such a thing as too much, the espresso from starbucks at the base of my rose garden is stunning, my wife thinks it smells like a truckstop now but the neighbors cat found a new place to do number 1 and 2. Thanks for any advice.

Hi some:

That's not a stupid question, at least I hope not since I've been trying to determine that same thing. I've read numerous threads where people use coffee grounds to add acidity to their soil and I'm going to try it, it sounds simple and free! It must have some benefit as it seems like quite a few people swear by it.

Sorry about that cat, I'm constantly chasing a couple out of our yard...don't know what they like about our yard but I can't stand the smell they "leave" and it seems to linger for days.

Welcome to Daves! This is a great place with friendly and helpful people. You can search the forums and you might try searching for "coffee grounds".

Tracey :)

Thanks Tracey, I hit up the local coffee chains and donut shops here and some are cool, some think i'm nuts. Starbucks keeps me happy, Tim Horton's (Timmy Ho's) donuts isn't the friendliest but they throw me a bucket now and then. Until I hear its bad I'll keep doing it and swear I heard slugs hate them so I've placed coffee grounds around all my hostas and they seem to love them. And most important they're free.

I haven't heard that about slugs but that would be too perfect.

coffee grounds . . . slugs hate 'em, worms love 'em. Can't be bad!

I like to mix it into the soil, especially when I'm building a new bed. Lots of coffee grounds, and lots of shredded leaves. Also good to top dress roses and azaleas and such. Good for creating a slug barrier around plants, too. I can't believe people throw this stuff away . . . LOL!

If you've got a good earthworm population, you shouldn't have a problem with too much coffee grounds. Worms really like coffee grounds. I don't use it as a mulch, tho I don't know any reason not to . . . I mix it in the soil. It works for me!

Cheri'

Thanks Cheri and Tracey, boy this site is so friendly, I have a feeling more people will be on to coffee grounds soon, there just too easy to get and make use of.

I see this is quite an old thread now, but I've also heard that planting citrus rinds around acid-loving plants helps. Has anyone tried this? I haven't yet, but want to try it around my hydrangeas, too.

Wanted to bump up this good info here. My lilacs and okra have both loved it when I put banana peels and old bananas under their mulch. Good source of potassium, and maybe acidic too. Maybe putting the coffee grounds UNDER a mulch would keep the cats away? I don't have that problem here, too many coyotes...

Someone told me the other day (old farmer neighbor here) that cirtrus rinds would repel squash bugs, so I am giving that a try!