Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 17:42:39 +0000 From: Clarke Brunt <clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg4371$foo@default> Subject: Re: water pH
On 12 Nov 97 at 5:31, Susan Farrington wrote:
> Correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that fertilizers
> like MirAcid don't actually lower pH, but are just formulated in such
> a manner that acid-loving plants can use the nutrients. Can the
> knowledgeable in the crowd address this?
Just looking on my box of 'Miracid' (assuing the stuff is the same
here in England as elsewhere): It seems to me that it tries to do
both things. The ingredients list includes Copper, Iron, Manganese,
and zinc, all chelated by EDTA. This is supposed to maintain the
accessibility to plants of these trace-elements even in alkaline
soil. But it also says that it 'gently lowers soil pH - increases
acidity'. I don't know what ingredient it relies on to do this -
perhaps it's relevant that of the 30% total Nitrogen which it is said
to contain, 27% is 'Ureic Nitrogen'. Is Urea acidic?
In any case, I wouldn't even consider putting the stuff on my
Carnivorous plants - it's for my Camellias and other lime-haters.
-- Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk) http://www.brunt.demon.co.uk/ Cacti in Mexico, Cacti in flower, Seeds from Cambridge University Botanic Garden
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