I have a Solanum muricatum Pepino Melon. They prefer Alkaline soil.

Would limestone be safe to use for them to raise the Ph level from acidity ph?

Thanks

Have you had the soil tested for ph? Because treating with lime may get you the desired result but what level do you need to get to? For growing what?
Let's just say your soil ph is 6.4 and you want to get it to 7.2 or whatever. The amount applied can be calculated to be so many pounds for so many square feet. Without some figures, how do you treat properly?
When growing vegetables and flowers, I knew that my soil was just slightly acidic so I just raked in a "dusting" of crushed lime every spring at planting time.
A fairly inexpensive test kit could be purchased over the internet. You could bring in a sample to your local nursery and they can test it for you.

nessa76 said:I have a Solanum muricatum Pepino Melon. They prefer Alkaline soil.

Would limestone be safe to use for them to raise the Ph level from acidity ph?

Thanks

Is this for just that one plant? The range I saw given in several results on the web for it was 6.5 to 7.5 (a bit either side of neutral). Do you know your soil pH is more acidic than that? If it's only the one plant maybe you could grow it in a pot with commercial potting mix that would be pH adjusted. If you already have the plant now, limestone would probably take too long to adjust the pH in the garden for it.

BigBill said:Have you had the soil tested for ph? Because treating with lime may get you the desired result but what level do you need to get to? For growing what?
Let's just say your soil ph is 6.4 and you want to get it to 7.2 or whatever. The amount applied can be calculated to be so many pounds for so many square feet. Without some figures, how do you treat properly?
When growing vegetables and flowers, I knew that my soil was just slightly acidic so I just raked in a "dusting" of crushed lime every spring at planting time.
A fairly inexpensive test kit could be purchased over the internet. You could bring in a sample to your local nursery and they can test it for you.

Thanks, I haven't got a ph kit at the moment, but the plant is in the soiled pot it arrived in, so I'm hoping it's already in the the right ph. I will buy a ph kit, I've seen one on Amazon that's inexpensive and with great reviews, so I will purchase!

sooby said:

Is this for just that one plant? The range I saw given in several results on the web for it was 6.5 to 7.5 (a bit either side of neutral). Do you know your soil pH is more acidic than that? If it's only the one plant maybe you could grow it in a pot with commercial potting mix that would be pH adjusted. If you already have the plant now, limestone would probably take too long to adjust the pH in the garden for it.

Thanks sooby. If 6.5 will be okay, then I have seen a mixed soil with peat moss, sand and perlite that has a ph level of 6.5, so that should do, although it's not at the ph of alkaline.