It is commonly written on this forum that citrus are an acid loving plant. Actually this not correct. Citrus like a soil with a pH of 6.5 which definitely does not qualify the citrus tree as an acid loving tree. In fact a vast amount of the worlds plants prefer a 6.5 pH. Blue Berries, Azaleas, Heath, Holly, Camilla and the such are acid loving plants with pH of 3-4. A pH of 6.5 is about as close to natural as one can get.

"The Biology of Citrus" by Spiegel-Roy and Goldschmidt suggests a mildly acidic soil pH of 6.0-7.0. They note that you may obtain "satisfactory results up to a pH 8.0 or even somewhat higher." pg 148

They note earlier in the book that the poncirus trifoliata rootstock (dwarfing) is less tolerant of higher soil pH and high alkalinity/salt content. (chart on pg 129)

I've read in other places online that citrus prefer 5.5-6.5. The University of Florida extension site suggests 6.0-7.0 (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs120)

I acidify my tap water to around 5.5 because I read that the pH will rise as dissolved CO2 escapes. Hopefully this puts my soiless mixtures somewhere around a pH of 6 - or on the acidic side of what citrus prefer as that's what I've read flying dragon rootstock likes.

Silica I've seen you post authoritatively a few times. I'm not criticizing but I'd like to know if you're in the business or what your credentials are so as to better judge your advice (if that makes sense). It's just that when sources disagree I like to know what everyone's experience is and etc. I'm just a backyard grower etc.

This is a VERY interesting thread.

It makes perfect sense in my case. With my faucet water at a pH of 8.0 and higher, my trees do lousy until I add vinegar which lowers it to a range of 6.0-7.0

I can tell you too that the rain water that falls here registers at 6.5 and sometimes lower, and my trees explode with vibrancy once I get drenching rains!

Being one that has years of experience with fish tanks, I can tell you that the pH of municiple water around these parts is way to akaline to keep any fish alive unless the pH is lowered, not by vinegar of course..lol.

Thanks everyone

Mike

I affirm what Redshirtcat has posted from the two sources.

Thank you for the very interesting responses!

We have not (yet) had any formal soil testing done, but we know our soil is alkaline ---- we just don't know how alkaline, nor the pH of our water. It sounds like many of you have a home kit to do random pH tests. Where could I find a good one?

jenn

you can get PH test kits from anywhere that sells pools or fish supplies.

dont use strips they are inaccurate.

mike

As for water:

I already have test kits for that. I got mine at a fish store for 10 bucks. It is vital for all living things in my pond and tanks:-)

I think that I can get a soil test kit at a nursery or hardware store. I have seen them there. I am not sure how accurate the cheaper ones are as compared to the higher end more expensive ones though..I saw one for 200 dollars!

Mike

So interesting -- thank you! I've learned more in these forums than in all the gardening books I own.

My husband doesn't remember the name of the Tangerine we own; it's been here since he moved here in the late 60s and planted it along with a dwarf lemon. A few years ago, the lemon suddenly took a nosedive and didn't recover, so we unfortunately had to remove it --- after years of thriving in that spot, we're still wondering why, but perhaps the encroaching perennials near its drip did it in. :(

If it was the 60s, the fruit ripens around Christmas, has seeds, and have a deep orange color... it's probably a Dancy.

RE the lemon: From what I'm told by several folks (though I have yet to find it documented) is that Eureka lemons are not productive much past 20 years. This would be crop potential -- as far as true life span I have no idea. Also, some trees back then were on rootstocks that did not have the virus/disease protection that are commonplace now.

I think soil quality trumps PH for citrus, but that is my experience. Very heavy clay tends to be really bad unless there is about a foot of legit topsoil and then you tend to end up with stunted trees unless they are smaller satsuma/kumquat. Sandy soil tends, at least here along the gulf coast, to be more alkaline than acid and nutrient deficient yet we have grown and I have seen quite a few healthy trees over the years that have been completely neglected minus being on a slight incline or having a frost windbreak. As to the poster above, I have found "but being 36 its still hard to tell" that lemons tend to bear in general 25ish years and then alternative production biannually somewhat akin to pecans here. But again I am not presumptions enough to say what happens along the panhandle to Louisiana is the same as what happens in Orlando or even in Socal.

I have also found its best to take off all fruit until year 8 or around 8 foot of height. That helps get the tree into better production in years 10-11 when they really start to produce. Another trick for older people is trim back the central leader fast and early, start with a bushier specimen and you can espalierish a meyer lemon even make a hedgerow. We had one row like that that was nearly 40 years old before improved and it bit the dust 7 years ago. We didn't cut it down and you know what, after 4 years some of it came back not from rootstock but actually make meyer lemons this year. Nature is VERY Complex as they were dead as a doornail for years... Granted it was a 25 foot high lemon hedgerow.

Also because you hydrangia is sizziling pink doens't mean all your soil is the same PH. I think many homeowners tend to think that. I mean there are quite a few sizziling pink hydrangias near the house because of concrete runoff and the alkaline nature of the pad and fill yet in mostly acidic yards. I have a PH in my yard from blueberry 4.5 all the way to through the roof high "microclimate".

Will Apple Cider vinegar work to lower PH? And how many milliliters of it or white vinegar needs to be added to one gallon of water?