I tested my ph with that green multi tester today. Everything was at 7 the potted figs the ones inground and even random areas around the yard. I tried it with making the soil muddy per the intruction and I just stuck in the ground it didn't change the reading. Would lime benefit the trees? If so, homedepot has garden lime powder, but I don't think its the preferred
kind. A nursery has the dolimetic (sp?) Kind, but it is pelitized.

What are your concerns?

I have a Knock off Pro-mix I'm using that has dolomite lime added to make it neutral.  A few on the forum have suggested adding quite a bit to make it more alkaline. If you are concerned, I would add I small amount as a top dressing.

Here is a pH scale

http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/184ph.html

Or you could make a few 3 inch holes and fill with the lime. The pellitized is what the local guy recommended for all.

If you look at the scale every # up or down is either 10 times more Acidic or 10 times more Alkaline.

So A pH of 8 is 10 times more Alkaline than a pH of 7.

I don't know if its a concern. Really. I know I have seen adding lime mentioned a lot and your topic not that long ago. I thought I read 7 was where you want to be. I'm just not sure if it would benifit my trees. I know the guy I bought them from told me to add lime on them and basically dunp a pile on them

I think the problem with any topic, whatever it may be, there is no set rule or answer.

People learn different ways and suggestions.

The soil, peat moss mix, that I have has been balanced at 7. So my goal will be to shoot for that or as close as possible.

A pH of 7 is what I have read and heard.

Dominick ,
Just curious what the knockoff Pro-Mix that you are using is called.

Figs reportdly like a slightly sweeten soil,  7.0 is fine and considered neutral anything above is getting into sweeter soil teritory.
Figs will grow in just about anything.
Hydrated labeled lime raises ph faster compared to dolomitic lime .
I use the dolomitic pellitized which contains ca and mag as well .

So I guess it won't hurt to add a little lime.

I go fossil hunting in Monmouth County once a year or so. Almost all of NJ is coastal sediment deposits. Their composition depends upon the time period and conditions in which they were deposited. I found some info here on acidic forming soils in NJ.-
" Sulfide-bearing (pyritic) Cretaceous and Cenozoic marine and estuarine sediments, depicted on this map, are potential acid-soil producers."

Here's a map that describes the soils NJ.

So that should give you some idea of how much you would need to amend, as you can see there is plenty of limestone in parts of NJ.

Thanks, those maps are interesting. I have to admit though I think I am a little more confused now. I am near Trenton. so i guess that is Cretaceous. I know though that they have added top soil to the property years ago and also 90 years ago the home builder was an electrical contractor and they used all the crap they had laying around for land fill, so when you dig around here you start hitting all these ceramic peices from knob and tube wiring as well as all kinds of other stuff.

Pro-Mix knockoff is called BM-1 at Agway.

The guy there says it's their version- but its nothing special.

Just Peat, vermiculite, perlite, and added dolomite lime

Around here the idea of figs is alien. Don't even ask for soil mixes w/o fertilizer. First question they always ask is "what are you growing?'

I know its probably only close to their mix but even Fertilome is only carried at one place by the coast and its an hour away.

I guess it would depend where they got your topsoil from then. And if there is mortar and concrete in the rubble. 

Question, did you test that meter in something else? It not moving at all seems a little suspicious to me, if I remember correctly the cathodes of those meters can corrode just sitting around and fail to give a reading. If it does not read vinegar then use some super-fine sandpaper to clean the cathode, rinse off the vinegar afterwards with water anyway so it doesn't corrode. Good day to get a wet ground reading!

That type of cheap pH meter will only give you a pH indication......and not a really accurate measurement. The soil needs to be moist when you test it for pH.  All readings at 7 seems unlikely. So check to see if it reads on the acid side (lower numbers) by testing the pH of vinegar. Then check to see if it reads on the basic side (higher numbers) by testing some water with a little bit of baking soda added to it. If your meter still reads 7 with both vinegar and baking soda solution......your meter is broken.

Dan
Semper Fi-cus

I will test it out with the vinegar. I only bought it maybe two weeks ago. I think the needle moved around a little bit in different spots, but they were all in the neighborhood of 7. This topsoil could be 10 plus years and from the now deceased previous owner, so I don't know if that changes anything over time.

A very good topic!

Below is what Joe Morle does. Notice that he invites phone calls to discuss figs. Also notice he is not following any of that "nutrient ratio" baloney. If I grew figs in containers, I definitely would give his method a try. Take a look at how the fig trees are at his nursery:

http://www.figtrees.net/

That's the formula I use.

BTW I just tested my Made in China pH/light/moisture meter

For moisture, I inserted into my moist soil and said borderline moist/dry.
Then inserted into water and said it was pretty moist.

So I try Vinegar and it pins out on wet for moisture- A ha!
Try pH on vinegar and its a 7.

Seems like its working like a charm.
That's what I get for wasting my eBucks certificate on this plastic crap!

So to summarize:
Water is moist and Vinegar is a wet neutral. Got to love it!

-Going to see Joe Morle in a week or so for some more trees.

71GTO,

Thanks for all the info I tried the white vinegar and I went acidic to a4. I went out in the rain and tried the meter I let it is for a minute each time. I got a 5,6 and 7 reading in different areas.