Article #4: pH Preferences Of Some Plants

The chemical symbol "pH" is used to indicate acidity or alkalinity. On a scale of 0 to 14, pH values from 0 to 7 indicate acidity; values from 7 to 14 indicate alkalinity; pH 7, the value for pure water, is regarded as neutral.

Quite Acid (4 to 5)

Azalea Holly
Gardenia Ixora

Moderately Acid (5 to 6)

Fern Pine
Orchid Potato
Parsnip Pumpkin
Persimmon, Japanese Watermelon

Acid. Near Neutral (6 1/2 to 7)

Beet
Kale
Broccoli Leek
Cantaloupe Lima Bean
Chives Marigold
Corn Onion
Cucumber Pea
Eggplant Peach
Endive Radish

Slightly Acid (6 to 6 1/2)

Allamanda Oyster Plant
Avocado Palm
Banana Papaya
Bean Bottlebrush Pecan
Citrus Pepper
Copper Philodendron
Croton Pineapple
Dracena Pittosporum
Fig Poinsettia
Grape Powderpuff
Gloxinia Schefflera
Hibiscus Shrimp-plant
Jasmine Squash
Live Oak Strawberry
Loquat Tomato
Mango Turnip
Rutabaga

Alkaline, Near Neutral (7 to 7 1/2)

Alfalfa Geranium
Cabbage Lettuce
Carrot  Nasturium
Cauliflower Petunia
Celery Sweet Pea

The following is a partial list of available materials for "sheet composting" or compost piles, with some of their percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash:

% of Nitrogen % of Phosphorus % of Potash
Activated Sewage Sludge 4.00-6.00
Banana Skins 3.25 41.76
Blood Meal 7.00-15.00
Bone Meal (Also contains potash and calcium) 5.00 22.00-35.00
Cantaloupe Rind 9.77 12.21
Coffee Grounds 2.08 .32 .28
Corncobs 50.00
Corn Stalks and Leaves .30 .13 .33
Cottonseed Meal (May increase acidity of soil) 6.00-9.00
Crabgrass, green .66 .19 .71
Fish Scraps, Fish Meal, Fish Emulsion (May have pleasant odor) 2.00-10.00 1.50-8.00
Granite Dust 8.00
Grapefruit Skins 3.58 30.60
Human Hair Clippings (Get from Barber Shop) 16.00-18.00
Manure 3.00-4.00
Oak Leaves .80 .35 .15
Orange Culls .20 .13 .21
Phosphate Rock 30.00
Pine Needles .46 .12 .03
Tea Grounds 4.15 .62 .40
Wood Ashes 1.00 4.00-10.00