REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.comREALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK

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DESIGN ELEMENTS
Growing plants on Alkaline Soil; which plants love this type of soil?
By now you know what your soil pH is and want to know what to grow in it without having to change it.
There’s quite a lot of plants that prefer either alkaline or acid soil, so today’s episode is concentrating on the alkaline pH.

I'm talking with Glenice Buck, Consulting Arborist and Landscape Designer.

Beared Iris are alkaline soil loving photo M Cannon

Listen to the podcast to find out which plants prefer alkaline soils in this segment about soil pH.

Soils in arid climates and also on coral tropical islands tend to be alkaline, with a pH factor of 7.0 or higher.
Also those parts of Australia that are based on Limestone parent material such as the Limestone Coast, will have alkaline soils.
This is caused by the high percentage of lime (calcium carbonate) in soil of these regions. 

That Hydrangea Question:

Pink Hydranges photo M Cannon

Pink Hydrangeas means you have alkaline soils.

Some of the plants that were mentioned as preferring alkaline soil:

Evergreen shrubs (e.g.Buxus , Ceanothus - California lilacs, Aucuba, Bottle brush (Callistemon Harkness), Coastal Tea Tree (Leptospermum laevigatum), myoprum, plumbago, acacia, agonis and banksia)

Deciduous shrubs (e.g., lilacs, mock oranges, Forsythia species, tamarix)

Perennials (e.g.Acanthus, dianthus, Heuchera hellebores,Helichrysum, Plectranthus, Bearded Iris,

Trees – eg Hibisicus syriacus, Quercus robur, Crabapple, Poinciana trees, Arbutus unedo -  Irish Strawberry tree

Many succulents.

Just a reminder that soil pH is important because it influences how easily plants can take up nutrients from the soil.  
If you’re soil’s too acidic or too alkaline, it will take quite a few months to change the pH, but that doesn’t mean you should give up now.