I have been doing some research on Cacti nutrient uptake and how it is related to PH levels in the soil. I have read that adding lime to your mix will help with this. Does anyone have any info on this topic, or experience with this. Also does anyone know what a general PH for cacti is? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
This has been discussed extensively in books, journals and forums, and there are different opinions about it. Some epiphytic cacti prefers acidic soil, pH 4-5, most other cacti grow well at pH around 6. Whether species that grow in alkaline soil in habitat will benefit from addition of lime - well, this is what people disagree about. Seems as if these species are not harmed by a neutral to slightly acidic soil, though.
I agree with the above. Most plants will do well with a neutral pH. As said above, there are exceptions. Many of the terrestrial cacti tend to lean on the alkaline side, whereas the arborial cacti tend to be on the acidic side. In practice, if one is cultivating a large variety of plants for the purposes of sale, most will do fine with a neutral soil. Again, with a few exceptions. If one has a "prized" plant or is interested in getting the most out of the plant in terms of growth, foliage, flowers, etc. then a little research into the native soil, habitat, etc. should be a useful guide. Mark
