Don’t Use Sulfur as a Soil Acidifier

Photo courtesy of ecstaticist at Flickr.com.

Although sulfur is the traditional favorite for quickly acidifying soil (which may be necessary if you want to grow acid-loving plants like blueberries or apricots), it has an unfortunate tendency to combine with water to form sulfuric acid, which even in low concentrations is a death sentence for many beneficial soil microorganisms.

To avoid this unfortunate side effect, use acid-rich organic materials as soil amendments rather than pure sulfur; you’ll get a time-release effect that isn’t nearly as hazardous. Good materials to use include coffee grounds, aged sawdust, pine needles, pine bark, and composted leaves or bark from beech, chestnut, and oak trees.