As you know, there are some plants that need a special soil. Whether it is an acid, sandy, or universal substrate... This time we want to focus on the acid substrate and we will do it to give you the keys so that you can buy the best ones on the market.
After all, they are food for your plants and they will thank you. But, What to look for when we talk about land? How to buy it? Can it be done at home? All of this, and much more, is what we are going to talk about next.
Top 1. The best acid substrate
Pros
- 20 liter capacity (and availability of 50).
- It has the composition in the description.
Cons
- Low or no soil acidity.
- Expensive.
Selection of acid substrate brands
Here we leave you some more acidic substrates so that you have a choice in case that first option does not convince you.
Flower Substrate Acidic Plants
It is a five-liter bag with guano (although we do not know the rest of the components). It is fast growth and prolonged flowering.
PINDSTRUP SUBSTRATE ACIDOPHILOUS Plants 20 L.
This acid substrate is a 20 liter bag for acidophilic plants. Have a high peat content and 30% wood fiber. You also have nutrients for about 4 weeks once you use it.
NATURAL FERTILIZERS HNOS. AGUADO SL Substrate Acid Plants 20L
No products found.
We are talking about an acid soil for acidophilic plants. The composition of the substrate does not appear, but they do tell us that the pH it has is low, although ideal for plants such as rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, camellias... Even so, it could always be raised.
Substrate Acid Plants 50l.
This acid substrate is a 50 liter bag (actually 40 + 10 liters free) although they also have a 20 liter bag available. It's appropriate for hydrangeas, gardenias, azaleas, camellias... It also contains fertilizer.
Substrate Acid Plants BOIX 50 L (Pack 3 Sacks)
Don't be scared by its price because you must take into account that it is a pack of 3 bags. Each of them is 50 liters so you will find 150 liters. Yes indeed, You should know that to deliver it you have to pay shipping costs of almost 20 euros.
The substrate does not have the composition, but they do tell us that it has a mineral fertilizer with a controlled release of nutrients incorporated.
Acid Substrate Buying Guide
When buying an acid substrate, the worst thing you can do is get carried away by the price of the bag alone. You need to pay attention to other factors that can be even more decisive. What are those? We discuss them below.
number of liters
One of the first things you have to see is how many liters the bag of feed has. It is true that, the more liters, the higher the price, but here other aspects such as composition, fertility, drainage... also influence the final result.
In other words, even if you opt for those that carry the most, in reality it will depend on the composition to know if it is good or not.
Composition:
Another aspect to consider is the composition of the acid substrate. Whenever you can, check the ingredients or what it's made of to make sure it has peat, leaf compost, and soil. If it doesn't have it, or doesn't clarify it, you really won't know if it's the right one for your plant.
In fact, it's not a bad idea. run a pH test if you buy it to see if it's really good (must be between 4,5 and 6,5).
Fertility
Fertility refers to the fact that the acid substrate have the essential nutrients that your plants will need for them to grow and prosper properly. If it already has it incorporated, you won't have to buy anything else, but if it doesn't, then you may have to purchase a subscription to complement it.
Trademarks
The brand is another of the most important aspects. There are some well-known ones that are related to quality, while others, more unknown, may or may not be good. The best thing in this case is to try, but always carefully and taking precautions since plants are living beings and can suffer.
Opinions of other buyers
Related to the above, You could pay attention to the opinions that other buyers have. You can find these in the item itself that you want to buy or, if there is none, using the search engine to put the brand followed by opinions. So you can find websites where it is discussed and get an idea of whether it is a good option or not.
Price
We come to the price, and here you will already know that, depending on the number of liters you buy, the brand and the composition or extra that the acid substrate has, it will vary. In general, you can find yourself in the market with prices that go from 4 to 25 euros.
What are the plants that need acid soil?
Not all plants need an acid soil, actually, there are several that do feel much better with this type of soil. Which is it? we can quote you maples, rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, ericas, camellias, kalmia, magnolias…
They are plants that develop much better in that land than if you use a different one.
How to make acid soil for plants?
Don't you want to buy an acid soil and prefer to make it yourself? Well, no problem, because here we give you the steps you should follow to achieve it.
- Make a common soil mix with peat and a leaf compost. You should add 3, 1 and 1 respectively.
- Next, add humic acid or aluminum sulfate; both are chemicals you'll find in garden stores. As for the proportion, follow the instructions that come on the package to do so.
- Now, you must stir so that the ingredients are mixed well. Of course, we recommend that you do it with a shovel or similar, not directly by hand in case the chemicals hurt you.
- The next thing is to check the pH of the soil. This can be done using a pH test kit. For it to be acid you have to try to make it between 4,5 and 6,5.
Note that, Even if you get the right value at that time, the pH of the soil can change over time, so it's best to check it every little bit to see if it's right for your plant.
Where to buy?
The last thing we have left is to help you choose where to buy the acid substrate. The truth is that you will not find it everywhere. If you have nurseries nearby you can ask, since there will be a greater probability that they have it, but if not, the options that are most sought after on the Internet are the following:
Amazon
Amazon is where you find the most variety, but they don't have as many products as with other items. Besides, You have to be careful with the price, since sometimes it is much more expensive than if you buy it outside (usually sold by third party sellers).
Leroy Merlin
In the case of Leroy Merlin, the truth is that, searching for an acid substrate, it does not give us a result (actually there is one of substrate for hydrangeas and azaleas, but nothing else).
Now, looking at the description of this bag of earth, we have searched for acidophiles and that's when we got more articles, most of them from fertilizer, but also (ultimately), from three options (two of them the same except for the amount of soil) available.
Do you already know which acid substrate you are going to buy next time?