Turning alkaline soil ph neutral

spikeislander

Member
Location
bedfordshire
As title not something I have trouble with here as we are the other way round.
Strange one really my cousin works in the Bahamas and in construction they need to grass at the airport , they are going to screen the topsoil but it’s very alkaline so need to level up ph.
Anyone have this problem and what can be used?
Thanks in advance
Something to ponder on a showery day
 

marco

Member
As title not something I have trouble with here as we are the other way round.
Strange one really my cousin works in the Bahamas and in construction they need to grass at the airport , they are going to screen the topsoil but it’s very alkaline so need to level up ph.
Anyone have this problem and what can be used?
Thanks in advance
Something to ponder on a showery day
depends, lots and lots of sulphur will drive whatever the excess cation is away if there is enough water.
 

Beowulf

Member
Location
Scotland
Your cousin is wasting his time trying to fight nature. It's the Bahamas, an Island chain that froms part of a limestone archipelago, which happens to be surrounded by salt water.

He needs to find something suited to the local conditions.
 
There will be a plethora of species you can buy commercially because of the conditions found across the length and breadth of the United States. You have virtually every biome or climatic condition from actual desert to just short of arctic freezing wastes and everything in between.

Short of importing tonnes of top soil that you like the look of, choosing a sown species that will tolerate alkaline conditions (and presumably salt spray) will be a lot easier than the alternatives.
 

PSQ

Member
Arable Farmer
Sulphur for reducing pH.
If they are screening topsoil then use as good a quality of topsoil to as great a depth as they can. Not the usual 100mm of subsoil over rubble. If they have a *huge* source of compost to mix in as they screen it would help with moisture retention too.
 

Bogweevil

Member
If free calcium carbonate present then unlikely to be able to drop pH. Add sample to acid. Fizzle = carbonate. Hi enough pH to prevent crop growth, unusual unless soil sodic. If sodic gypsum might be needed to displace sodium with calcium. Bermuda grass is favourite turf in hot countries - will grow well enough at pH >7
 

Mur Huwcun

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North West Wales
What he really needs is a trade deal with us here, for every ton of the alkaline soil he brings over he can take a ton of asidic, rushes infested mush back with him. In a few years he won’t have to worry about the soil as he airport will be covered in rushes!!!
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Chalk soils have such immense buffering capacity that nothing will ever lower the pH for long. Sulphur helps & AN fertilisers will reduce pH in more normal soils but for proper calcareous soils you'll never overcome the sheer bulk of alkalinity.
 

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