How to Raise pH in Soil

What should you do about your lawn’s acidic soil? The answer is easy! Apply Jonathan Green Mag-I-Cal or Mag-I-Cal Plus. Both of these soil amendments rapidly adjust acidic soil, faster than traditional lime. In acidic soils, weeds thrive, and grass struggles. By applying a steady diet of calcium carbonate with Mag-I-Cal, your lawn will look great in no time! Jonathan Green soil amendments get to the root of the problem- the soil!

Mentioned Products

Soil Amendments

Soil Amendments

Mag-I-Cal® Plus for Lawns in Acidic & Hard Soil

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Soil Amendments

Soil Amendments

Mag-I-Cal® for Lawns in Acidic Soil

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Video Transcript

Why should you care about acidic soil? Well, let’s demonstrate with some visuals. This lawn has a healthy neutral pH, but this lawn has acidic soil. Yikes! Lawns grow best in soil pH that’s between 6.2 and 7.0. Soil becomes acidic when too many hydrogen ions throw off the pH balance.

Here are four reasons why it could happen to you: 

First: excessive rainfall. Heavy rains flush alkaline elements out of the soil leaving room for acidic elements to take their place.

Second: organic matter. Decaying leaves, stems, and manures break down into natural acids that lower soil pH.

Third: fertilizers. Traditional fertilizers used by homeowners and farmers are high in nitrogen and break down into acidic compounds.

Fourth: acid rain. This occurs when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere mixes with normal rainwater and you guessed it: one way to acid town.

When soils become too acidic, grass struggles, and weeds thrive, toxic materials build up, and key nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium can’t dissolve in the soil water so then the roots can’t drink them up. Bye-bye nutrients, hello lawn troubles. 

Let’s look at nitrogen. When soil pH drops, the good bacteria in the soil stop functioning and can’t munch on that sweet, sweet nitrogen. Same with phosphorus. In acidic soil, phosphorus bonds with iron and aluminum becoming insoluble. In very acidic soil, aluminum can become toxic to plants. 

So, what can you do to stop it? Jonathan Green has two specific products for the job. Mag-I-Cal® for Lawns in Acidic Soils contains 35% fast-acting calcium carbonate in a water-soluble form that rapidly raises and balances soil pH. Mag-I-Cal® Plus for Lawns in Acidic and Hard Soils quickly raises soil pH, plus it loosens hard soil to increase root penetration, biological activity, and nutrient absorption. Both Mag-I-Cal® and Mag-I-Cal® Plus are super concentrated. In fact, one five thousand square foot bag is equal to five bags of regular lime and a fifteen thousand square foot bag is equal to fifteen bags of regular lime. You’ll spend less time pushing the spreader for half the price. Kick acid to the curb with Jonathan Green.