What flowers love acidic soil. What plants can be grown in acidic soils?

Many people who have a dacha or their own country house often have the question, “What flowers can be grown if the soil is acidic?”

In order to determine this, you need to understand the acidity of the soil, which is measured in pH. The most optimal or neutral soil is a soil with a pH of 7. If the pH is greater than 7, then it is an alkaline environment, and if it is less, it is acidic.

The most optimal soil pH for most plants is 5.5-7.5.

ACIDIC SOILS: SOUND THE ALARM OR SEEK A SOLUTION

Acidic soils are a significant obstacle to the development and fruiting of a large number of garden and garden plants. Excessive acidity, interacting with nutrients, prevents the latter from being absorbed by plant roots, which leads to starvation and decreased immunity in garden crops.

With frequent watering and precipitation, excess acid is washed out of the soil, which allows a number of plants to develop normally, however, when some fertilizers are applied, the acidity of the soil increases again, and the crops stop growing again. Maintaining pH balance is very important for the health and development of garden plants.

Checking the acidity of the soil on the site before planting crops is a very correct and intelligent decision, because it is based on the results of soil testing that you can choose suitable crops for the garden.

There are a lot of ways to check, but the most accurate results will be when using litmus paper or a special device to determine the pH level.

PH METERS: HOW TO USE

The device allows you to quickly determine the acidity of the soil on the site. [Acidity level scale]

The operating algorithm is as follows:

1. Clear the area of ​​debris.
2. Moisten the soil with water, wait until the moisture is absorbed into the soil.
3. Wipe the device rod dry with a cloth and immerse it in the soil (at least 15 cm).
4. The soil next to the probe should be compacted.
5. Measurements are taken in several places on the site, after which the results are summarized and the total value is displayed.

Some weeds can also give a hint about acidification of the soil in the area: horsetail, moss, sorrel, wood lice, mint, pigweed, and buttercup. Plants that love acidic soil simply thrive in areas with high acidity.

There are two ways to grow rich crops in acidified areas:

1. Preliminary soil deoxidation is an active method that requires physical effort and material costs.
2. Using a special group of plants that like to grow in acidic soil is a more passive way to get around the problem.

It is the gardener’s decision to choose one or another option, but both of these methods have approximately the same efficiency.

Soil deoxidation can be carried out using several methods:

1. Sowing green manure, which not only enriches the soil with nitrogen, but also loosens it to a considerable depth with roots: legumes, rye, oats, vetch, phacelia.
2. Adding ash to the site is 0.2 kg. per 1 m2.
3. Liming - adding slaked lime to the upper layers of the soil; you need to add from 0.2 to 0.5 kg of the substance per 1 m2. The method is suitable for areas with heavy clay soil. Adding chalk and dolomite flour - used in areas with sandy light soil, the rate of application of substances is from 0.2 to 0.3 kg per 1 m2.

The second method is the selection of special plants, the easiest, because you can always select the necessary species and varieties, which will help you get a rich harvest of fruits, vegetables and berries and enjoy the beauty of flowering and ornamental crops that need acidic soil for normal development.

What plants are grown in soils of different acidity?

A roughly established classification of the main agricultural and indoor crops depending on the requirements for the reaction of the soil solution will make your search easier:

• On neutral or slightly alkaline (pH 7.0–8.0) soils, asparagus, onions, celery, cabbage plants (cauliflower), mustard, parsley, as well as raspberries, peonies, and delphinium thrive.
• On neutral and slightly acidic soils (pH 6.0–7.4), almost all vegetables will bear fruit with gratitude: carrots, radishes, cucumbers with other pumpkins, legumes (peas, beans), spinach, beets, lettuce, garlic and the main part nightshades (tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers). In addition, currants, red currants, sea buckthorn, gooseberries and most stone fruits love such areas. They are favorable for the bulk of garden flowers.
• Pome fruits, black currants, honeysuckle, strawberries, potatoes, lilies, and phlox grow well on slightly acidic soils (pH 5.5–6.0).
• Corn, raspberries, blackberries, watermelons, melons, and radishes are placed on medium-acid ones.

It should be borne in mind that there are often plants that perfectly tolerate various environmental conditions, adapting and changing their properties. An example of this is the large-leaved hydrangea flower. By the color of the flowers, you can understand what level of acidity she has chosen: in an acidic environment, the color of the flowers is blue, in an alkaline environment - pink, in a neutral environment - white-beige. Therefore, it is easy to control the color of the flowers you like.

However, acidic soil is not always a problem. The list of plants that love acidic soil is quite extensive. Consequently, from such plants it will be possible to easily create completely decorative areas, forming a unique landscape. Soils with pH values ​​in the range of 5.5–6.5 are most preferable for these crops.

Soil deoxidation

The composition of the soil is different everywhere, and the acidity level also varies, which has a direct impact on the survival rate of plants. Acidic soil is characterized by the transition of microelements into various states, due to which many of them become difficult to access for plants, while others acquire a toxic form. So, if you plant an unadapted plant in acidic soil, you can observe signs of chlorosis and a lack of growth and flowering. Such soils are heavier, have poorer air permeability, and often become waterlogged.

Important! How to measure soil acidity using instruments and available tools can be read in this material.

Weeds that grow most actively can tell you how acidic the soil is. These are the so-called acidophiles - plants of acidic soils. If you diligently control sedge in your area, mosses thrive in the shade, and plantains, horsetails and horse sorrel multiply in the sun, probably a pH indicator. in the area is reduced.

If the ph level. below 5, then such soil requires deoxidation. You can adjust the indicators using fertilizers and organic matter. Read more…

• It is advisable to choose calcium and phosphorus mixtures as fertilizers, since it is these microelements that plants in an acidic environment are sorely lacking. Good results are achieved by adding calcium nitrate, or superphosphate. Other deficient microelements include manganese, molybdenum, magnesium, and copper. But keep in mind that a visible effect can only be achieved over time if you regularly replenish the mineral reserves of the soil. How and when to fertilize? The article garden fertilizers will answer these questions.
• If you are just planning to create a flowerbed or bed on your site, you can prepare the soil by planting green manure - crops that improve the structure of the soil and enrich it with nitrogen. For acidic soils these are: legumes, rye, oats, vetch, phacelia. Once they have served their purpose, they can be used as mulch.
• Soil deoxidation by isolating - adding ash is considered one of the safest and most useful methods. In addition to alkalization, ash itself is a source of valuable elements. Application rate – 0.2 kg. 1 sq.m.
• To improve acidic soil, liming is used - adding slaked fluff lime to the surface layer of soil. This method is suitable for heavy clay soils, and even then only for digging. The approximate application rate is 0.2-0.5 kg. 1 sq.m. depending on the acidity level.
• If deoxidation is carried out on light sandy soil, you can use dolomite flour and chalk, which, in addition to alkalization, enrich the soil with calcium and magnesium. Application rate – 0.2-0.3 kg. 1 sq.m.

BUT! You should not combine organic matter with mineral mixtures; in this case, it will be difficult to predict the result of the chemical reaction.

What plants like acidic soil: list

Let's look at a situation where you have a plot with acidic soil, and there is no possibility, and sometimes no desire, to correct this situation in the near future. Don't be upset. There is always a way out! It turns out that there are a significant number of plants that love it. Here are some of them.

What plants like acidic soil in the garden?

Such acidophilic plants, also called acidophytes, include almost all conifers, forest berries (blueberries, lingonberries, as well as medicinal blueberries and cranberries), azaleas, wild rosemary and many other representatives of the plant world.

Ferns

Plants that inhabit acidic areas everywhere. Their most common representative is the decorative multi-row spiny plant, which has an attractive spreading bush.

Shrubs

Rhododendrons are widespread across our vast territory - tall, up to two meters, shrubs that are pleasing to the eye from April to July, as well as their late varieties such as rhododendron Veresk, low, no more than half a meter in height, growing until the month of October. Most of their representatives are winter-hardy, but there are specimens that require special shelters in harsh climates.

Flowers

Everyone's favorite peonies prefer acidic soils, with very low pH values. In such beds, the flower grows well up to 1.5 m, bushes and pleases us with lush color. Perhaps for this reason it is not possible to grow your favorite flower in your area.

Lupine simply loves such soils. Moreover, the more sour, the better. In such conditions, it can grow up to a meter or even higher, and is also an excellent green manure.

Forget-me-nots and lilies of the valley also grow well in such places. Lilies can also be placed in acidic areas. True, not all, but only Asian hybrids.

It may come as a surprise to some that the queen of flowers, the rose, simply loves sour areas. Try to please the rose bushes, add special acidifiers to the soil. However, there are some varieties with other soil preferences. Therefore, be careful. Read the characteristics of the variety before purchasing in a store or nursery.

Poppies, purslanes, various carnations, which grow quickly in June-August, being an excellent honey plant, attract pollinating insects. It does not react at all to the high acidity of zinium, regardless of the wide variety of its types.

Trees

You can plant coniferous trees of any kind, creating a wonderful corner for relaxation. Both stylish and reasonable.

Vegetables

Surprisingly, the most popular garden crop, potatoes, also prefers a pH level of less than 6.0. If, during harvesting of this crop, a large number of root crops infected with scab disease are noted, it is time to conduct an acidity test.

Which houseplants like acidic soil?

Indoor plants: azaleas, camellias, fuchsia, cyclamen, monstera, begonia, pelargonium, asparagus also prefer non-alkaline soils. To plant them, you should prepare a substrate with a predominance of peat (preferably high peat) and compost obtained from rotted coniferous or oak leaves. For even greater acidity, sphagnum moss can be successfully used.

However, most of us prefer to buy soil from the store. The packaging must contain a mark indicating the acidity value. You can also acidify the soil using sawdust, pine litter, and fresh manure. Other home methods for this are also applicable: using lemon or sorrel, as well as ordinary citric acid - dissolve 15 g in a liter of water.

How to increase soil acidity

Sometimes, but extremely rarely, there is a need to increase the pH. Although it usually happens the other way around. But for example, you really want to have an avid acidophyte on your site. What to do? Bring in acidic peat and use it as an organic fertilizer, mixing it with the existing soil in an area pre-designated for your intended pet. There are other ways to make an area more acidic:

• add acidic complex fertilizers, the choice of which is huge in stores, and any seller will help you;
• add compost or manure, which will help to slowly acidify the soil;
• simultaneously with digging, add waste from coniferous trees: shavings, sawdust, litter;
• use urea - one of the fastest acidifiers.

Low acidity - what to do?

If the acidity is too low, it is considered alkaline. The latter is harmful to seedlings - they stop developing and wither away. Also, the leaves of fruit plants begin to turn yellow and fall off. This is characterized by a lack of manganese, iron, zinc and copper, as well as phosphorus in the substrate.

To increase acidity, perform the following activities:

• They bring in peat.
• Dig up the soil along with manure or humus.
• Using spruce branches in the form of mulch not only acidifies the soil, but also saturates it with useful substances.
• Urea has a beneficial effect - it not only smoothly reduces the alkalinity index, but is also a mineral fertilizer.

There is no need to increase acidity in sudden leaps. This will not only negatively affect the plants, but can also completely destroy trees and shrubs. Activities that increase the pH level should be carried out carefully and gradually.

Flowers that love acidic soil

Most people who have acidic soil wonder what flowers love it . First you need to measure the acidity of the soil. If it has a pH value of 5.5-6, then on such land you can safely grow:

1. lilies of the valley;
2. zinnia;
3. aster;
4. primrose;
5. cornflower;
6. sage;
7. sunflower;
8. nasturtium;
9. space;
10. calendula;
11. crocus;
12. chrysanthemum;
13. anthurium.

However, in this matter we should not forget that if the pH of the soil is alkaline or neutral, then the plants on this land will not be able to grow normally and produce the necessary flowering. This is especially true for flowers, since they are planted mainly to decorate a plot of land and make it more attractive.

Ornamental plants that love acidic soil

Today it has become very fashionable to grow not just ordinary flowers or any other plants on your plot of land, but also to plant ornamental ones. Quite unusual and ornamental plants include:

1. rhododendron or azalea;
2. heather;
3. caustic buttercup (is poisonous);
4. moss;
5. marsh viola;
6. hydrangea;
7. viburnum;
8. May lily of the valley;
9. Fortegilla Gardena;
10. multileaf lupine.

Not only do they love acidic soil, but they also have a very unusual appearance. So such flowers can decorate absolutely any plot of land and make it completely unusual.

Badan

Bergenia is a lover of the most acidic soils. Increasingly, this beautiful and medicinal plant adorns stone gardens, hills and the area around the pond. Look how good he is at landing. The flowering period of bergenia occurs in spring. It has extraordinary thick leaves, from a distance reminiscent of burdock leaves. And the inflorescences of bright crimson color attract attention. In floriculture, thick-leaved or Mongolian bergenia (pink and crimson inflorescences) and heart-leaved bergenia (pink inflorescences) are very common. I often see on packets of seeds that slightly acidic soil is preferable for bergenia, but this is even an understatement.

Various crops that prefer acidic soil

In addition to flowers and ornamental plants, vegetables also prefer acidic soil, such as:

1. potato;
2. sorrel;
3. pumpkin;
4. tomatoes;
5. carrot;
6. rosemary;
7. cucumber;
8. turnip;
9. spinach.

The following trees germinate and bear fruit well in acidic soil:

1. maple;
2. Apple tree;
3. juniper;
4. dogwood;
5. witch hazel;
6. magnolia;
7. acacia;
8. birch;
9. blueberry.

On acidic soils, in addition to a variety of crops and flowers, weeds can also be parasitic. This type of soil is preferred:

1. toric;
2. bear ear;
3. nettle;
4. sow thistle;
5. wild radish;
6. fern;
7. sorrel;
8. plantain.

If the soil in the garden is too acidic or even alkaline, then this is not a death sentence for the gardener. Often, ash or lime is used to deoxidize the soil. They will be able to quickly bring the soil to the required pH and then you can safely grow the desired crops on it.

Provided that the soil is slightly acidic, then fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate can be used to acidify it. Or simply increase summer watering - this will also help increase soil acidity.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Before weeding, inspect the soil for the appearance of weeds that did not previously grow on the site. They will help you respond in a timely manner to changes in the soil.

Liming is shown:

• on heavy soil - once every six years;
• on the lung – one neutralization every four years;
• on peatlands - every three years.

Normalization of the acid reaction and fertilization should not be done simultaneously. The procedures alternate: if correction is carried out in the fall, then fertilizers are applied in the spring and vice versa. If the sequence is not followed, the chemicals react with the oxidizing agent and block the flow of micronutrients to the plants.

Ash can be obtained by burning the remains of tops, corn stalks, weeds and wood waste after pruning fruit trees.

WHAT PLANTS NEED ACIDIC SOIL: REVIEW OF SPECIES

First, it’s worth talking about trees - after all, they form the basis of any garden. The first tree in the garden is an apple tree; it is the one that is tolerant of the increased acidity of the soil and bears fruit well in such conditions. Interesting varieties that can be planted on slightly acidic soils: Melba; Antonovka dessert; Cinnamon Striped; Granny Smith; Red Delicious; Golden Delicious.

Japanese quince is another representative of the Rosaceae family, which can easily develop in acidified soils. The best varieties: Crimson and Gold; Clementine; Garnet bracelet; Rubra. Japanese quince produces small, edible fruits; during the flowering period, it decorates the garden with numerous carmine-red or orange flowers.

Dogwood is a shrub or tree with numerous oblong berries with a refreshing sour taste. The culture grows well both in soils rich in lime and in slightly acidic soils. The plant bears fruit in early autumn and is resistant to winter frosts. Productive varieties: Coral; Big Apple; Amber; Red Star.

Birch - a white-trunked beauty - grows well on problematic soils. The best varieties for landscape decoration: Golden Treasure.

WHAT ORNAMENTAL PLANTS LOVE ACID SOIL

In fact, there are not many ornamental plants that thrive in areas with high acidity.

1. The rose itself, the queen of flowers, develops well in slightly acidic soils. There are a lot of varieties of roses; you can choose varieties for creating borders and hedges, planting in groups and containers. Climbing roses are ideal for growing in tandem with clematis. Among them, noteworthy varieties are: Black Queen; Gloria Clyming; Golden Carpet.
2. Rhododendrons are spectacular and graceful at the same time; these plants prefer to live in nature on soils with high acidity. Any imbalance and alkalization of the soil will lead to the death of charming plants. The best varieties of rhododendrons for garden decoration: Hanya; Tenderness; Blue Silver; Red Jack.
3. Hydrangeas - the average soil pH for this flower is close to 5.5. Plants thrive in areas with such acidic soil, delighting with numerous caps of bright flowers. Recommended varieties: Red Miss Hepburn; Nikko Blue; Fiery beauty; Endless summer.
4. Magnolia is a spectacular tree with flowers that look like graceful butterflies. You can always choose a variety to decorate your garden, the best of them are: Nigra; Susan; Black Tulip; George Henry Kern.
5. Japanese maple is an elegant tree with incredibly beautiful leaves that change color in the fall. Among these plants, one can note the chic varieties: Orange Dream; Wilson Pink Dwarf; Flamingo; Little Princess.

Of the flower crops in areas with high acidity, lupins, peonies, nasturtiums, poppies, purslane, ferns, chrysanthemums, heather and simple village cornflowers grow well. Ground cover purslane can also grow on problematic soils.

Berry bushes produce excellent yields on acidic soils: raspberries, honeysuckle, cranberries, blueberries, blueberries, and viburnum.

Even in acidified areas you can grow a fragrant garden; all you have to do is choose the right plants.

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Polygonum spinosa

A beautiful fern about 80 cm high. It can grow both in the shade and in open sunny areas, but an important condition for its growth is high soil and environmental humidity.

Of course, the choice is not limited to the plants listed, and although their variety is not so great, you can also come up with successful “arrangements” from them that will delight you for many years.

In addition, today there are plants specially bred for acidic soils.
I especially envy the residents of the southern regions, where camellia can be cultivated. This is a very common plant on the Black Sea coast. I first saw camellia in Sochi in the botanical garden, its alluring aroma and beautiful flowers struck me to the core. But she also prefers soils with high acidity. In contact with