Ornamentals or veggies?

For ornamentals, I just add organic matter to mellow things a bit and then go with things that will tolerate the acidity. Anything else seems an exercise in futility to me.

With the veggie garden, I am using a plot that is old enough that we found a harness bell from when it was plowed with horses. So I don't know how much the pH is altered from what is natural, but here I also add organic matter and wood ashes annually to sweeten things and in general my veggies do fine.

If I wanted to have my pH really controlled, I would build raised beds for veggies as I did at my previous house. We actually did test the pH there and used lime or wood ashes to keep it higher than was natural here. The beds were built on fractured granite ledge, and we sieved the "soil" to remove the rocks for about 1/3 of the bed volume and made the rest with compost and cow manure. Chopped leaves and compost were added every year along with lime and we were able to keep things at a good pH for veggies.

Personally, I don't think I would try buckets since I would have to watch moisture levels more carefully than I am able to do for a garden the size off mine. (I am just not that careful and I am sure I would kill things.) I'll be interested to see how your plants do.

I have tried growing vegetables in containers and I never am happy with the results. They always, always grow better in the ground. If you do want to grow vegetables, I would think acidic soil is not so good. They prefer between 6 and 7ph, right? I might consider doing raised vegetable beds.

I agree w Babs, that you might want to think about growing plants that prefer acidic conditions. There are lots of plants that I wish I could grow and my soil is not acid enough without adjustment. Blueberries for one. Rhododendron and Azalea for another. What about Hydrangeas?

Adding organic matter should make a big difference too.

If you go to the Espoma website you can look at their Hollytone fertilizer information and whatever plant is said to use Hollytone on it, should be a plant that enjoys acid soil. And you can type in individual names of plants and it will tell you if it wants Hollytone as a fertilizer too.

There are so many plants in the world...Personally, I like the challenge of finding the perfect plant that will love whatever conditions you have. Keeps you from growing the exact same thing as everyone else.

Are you thinking ornamentals, or vegetables?

I do a ton of containers. I don't dare count. But it has to be at least 60. I have a ton on my patio. I keep my hot peppers and herbs in pots on the patio. Plus annuals. And some hanging baskets of annuals.

I also scatter a bunch of annual pots around the garden beds. Instead of burying the pots, I elevate them on plant stand. I use them to add pops of color and season long blooms to the different garden beds.

I start a bunch of annuals from seed. Since I wintersow, my annuals are a bit late and I end not to have blossoms until late June/early July. Thats OK since my perennial beds are all in full bloom thru mid July. The annuals in pots add additional color in late summer.

If you are talking vegetables, I grow some in 5 gallon buckets. Was just outside planting some tomatoes in them actually.

I will admit the veggies in the buckets don't do as well as the ones in the raised beds, but I neglect my garden horribly. With a little more attention, I think they would do quite well.

Personally, I wouldn't bother sinking them in the ground - way too much work for me.

If you are talking perennials, and are sinking the buckets so it looks like the plants are in a bed, I would have to agree with edlincoln. Instead of trying to fit the conditions to your plant, fit the plant to your conditions. I might do the sunk-bucket thing with one or two plants I really wanted, but I think both the garden and the gardener will be happier when the right plant is in the right spot.

Have you done research on what plants fit your situation? If not, tell us about the conditions you have and you will probably get more suggestions than you would want, lol!

:)
Dee

I think you need to add more information about your garden such as the amount of sun it receives and condition of the soil. It is very sandy?

I have been happy with tomatoes grown in pots and always have some herbs and annuals in pots but the tomatoes are bigger planted in the ground. One year I lost cucumbers. I think we had so much rain that all the fertility washed out of the pots. On a garden tour I noted potted cucumbers looking as miserable as mine but elsewhere cucumbers planted in the ground looked great.

I should be ashamed to say I have never done a pH test. I took the easy way to veggie bed formation by following the guidelines in Lasagna Gardening. I built up layers with chopped leaves, kitchen scraps, grass cuttings, and topped with composted manure. You start with a layer of wet newspapers on top of existing sod. This has worked very well for me and I have a lot of earthworms. Since we heat with wood, I also added wood ashes. I got the equivalent of a raised bed but it didn't have solid sides. Eventually, the soil composted down to level with the surrounding lawn. I add more composted manure each spring. This year I will also add a lot more grass clippings as mulch around tomato plants.

I just have a sneaking suspicion that what you need is more organic matter.

Thank you all for your responses!

My 'vegie' garden is the one in question.
My tomatoes and peppers have suffered the most..

The plot 30 x 40 and has mostly sun.
Mostly because I purposely plant a lilac in front to give the garden a break from full sun.

I have an irrigation system set-up, so no lack of water and we do watch it not to over water.
Also I use only the ph balanced water, when we water.
That's how acidic we are, I have a ph balance system for the house.

Each year I turn in more composted horse manure and test ph to see where I am and where I should be going.
Each year I attempt to balance.

6 years ago I gave up on the flower beds and said very clearly, If it does like our soil, don't plant it.
3 years ago I did the same with the yard.

Flower beds look awesome
Yard's still a work in progress.. but I'm really liking the clover!!
Vegie garden is the next subject..

Living amongst the pines and oaks (and all the critters that help spread natures bounty), Mama Earth just seems to take back her ground likes she wants it to be..

Raised beds is definitely an answer.
Really liked what I saw at a Nursery with their container field.
Realizing they do this so they can just remove the container and sell you the plant, at any point of growth.
The size and healthiness of the plants amazed me.
Lines run to each container, from a 55 gallon container with feed.
Plant specific, soil specific, buried in the ground to aid in control and simple.

I really liked what I saw.

Now, I don't like using plastic containers, but it seemed an easy way to start and test.
Not to mention that handle to clear the garden in fall.
I only drilled holes in the bottom for drainage, felt removing the bottom was counter intuitive.
The buckets may be too small (5 gallon size) for the tomatoes, but I think should be about right for the peppers.

I should probably also mention that we don't grow Beef Steak or any of the large varieties of tomatoes.
I've always had my best luck with cherry or plum and the good old Roma's (Salad, sandwich or sauce.. I like Roma's).

That was longer than I hoped, but I think I touched on most of what you've asked (and a bit more..LOL)

Oh ya, worms..
Since I've gone organic in my yard, I moved the birds from feasting in the garden to my yard..
Seems the worms like my yard.. and the Birds...