Hello all. I need to make some extreme soil ammendments before next years garden season over the winter. Im going to use manure and place it in the soil so that it can replenish its nitrogen. But. My soil is like bleach with a ph of 8. Its making it very difficult for my plants to get some of the nutrients they need. I need to drop it by 2 or more points. So what should i use to do this? I figured when I rehydrate the soil before I put in manure I can add a ph adjuster whatever that might be. I've heard of aluminum sulfate and sulfur. Which one would be better or if there is something else, safer, and where could I buy this for the best bang for my buck since ill probably be needing alot of it. Thanks!

If I were a gardener as you seem to be, I would eliminate all thought of "extreme" adjustments or amendments. In the nearer term, grow more things that tolerate your existing soil regime while you make the efforts to convert your soils to something more amenable to more plant types.

I would do some research, and reach out to local knowledge bases like your county Cooperative Extension Service office. You will not have been the only person to ever have encountered your soil type, and wished it were different in order to grow certain things. You live in The Garden State, after all.

Gloucester County Cooperative Extension Service has a website: https://gloucester.njaes.rutge...

They have lots of information you can use, and you've already paid for it via your taxes. Get some tried and true mileage out of that.

I would expect that you should continue the path of incorporating diverse organic matter to your existing soil. Look to learn whether specific sources of organic matter will trend your pH higher or lower. Adding minerals to alter the soil pH is typically a much slower process, but will result in changes albeit over a longer time period.

Learn what the pH and alkalinity of your water is. It will be worse than disappointing to work hard to lower your soil pH, while providing moisture with high pH water. Consider a way to lower your watering pH with something like household vinegar to counteract that.

I am familiar (through the Holly Society of America) with an excellent company whose home is in your state: Espoma. They are the originators of Holly-tone and a variety of other soil amendments targeting specific results. You could also read up on their products, and see if they are appropriate for your goals.

Buying in bulk is likely to give you the best value per pound of whatever you are purchasing. Farm supply stores are typically good places to do this. Talk to them often, and determine when is the best time to buy for your area. That likely is NOT spring, but during the off-season. Depending on how much you need (how big the area is you are trying to alter) and how much you can afford, you should look to buy a pallet of bagged material at a time.

Good luck. Post often on the trends and results of your efforts.

Size of your garden?
Elemental Sulphur is best for a slower longer change.

We only grow vegetables, zuchini, tomatoe, eggplants, etc. They leach the soil. Its already becoming unfit for most vegetables.

Nate, how have you determined the pH of your soil? It seems highly unlikely that the plants you have grown have "leached the soil", making it unfit for most vegetables.

If you go to your county extension get a soil test that will go to Rutgers University. Include what type of plants you want to grow and they will send you recommendations on what to use. Adding Peat Moss is a pretty safe way to lower ph.

Well. Its a 3+ year old raised garden bed that has had 0 ammendments since it was made. I use a soil tester to get a general view it was over 8. While my newly added bed was around 6.8.

Even with that previously withheld information, I still will not change my recommendation.

CHECK THE pH OF YOUR WATER.

If your soil tester is the least bit accurate, and you have made no other amendments since constructing the raised bed, then the main addition has been whatever you use to irrigate. Others' experiences may differ, but I've never heard of garden vegetables driving pH so high as to render soil unfit for growth.

A high quality soil test is worth its weight in summer produce. Know what ALL your baseline measurements are (pH, alkalinity, minor elements, N-P-K), and get recommendations for amendments to suit how you intend to use the site. I'd wager the Cooperative Extension Service will echo what has been said here - including paying attention to your irrigation water!

I learned stuff like this from a Rutgers University horticulture graduate back in the 1980s, who grew up around Upper Saddle River and used to manage gardens at the Phipps estate. I don't make it up.

Nate4Garden said: Well. Its a 3+ year old raised garden bed that has had 0 ammendments since it was made. I use a soil tester to get a general view it was over 8. While my newly added bed was around 6.8.

Where did the soil come from?

I never meant it was unfit for growing, but least optimal. Sure plants can grow in anything, but that dosen't mean theyll produce much if anything. It was some sort of mushroom soil that we got at a local place. Different stuff in the new bed.

Use some elemental Sulphur and mix in some bagged Garden Soil.