Please wait till spring. Also you want to be able to flush the salt out of the soil when watering. I worked at a coke plant where it was our by-product. We could get all we wanted for free. It would set up in a bucket if not completely dry. Needed a chisel & hammer to break up. A little too much and it would kill your plants. Not very good for house plants. It contains only the N part. This stuff eats thru metal like anything.
Stush

Do you have a link to this article. I would be interested in reading it. I water with rain water so it is a bit acidic. I do not fertilize with ammonia sulfate. I have never tried. I use a Morebloom at 1/4 dilution and I think my cactus are thriving. They bloom.

I don't but I watched some videos about fertilizing with coffee. The guy claims it works great. Coffee's very acidic. I don't use it myself but I guess it'd be considered more organic.

Thanks Stush :) I'm a little nervous about using it lol but I'll try to find the link for everyone. My Cactus and Succulent Society talk about using 5% vinegar to acidyify the water, I'm giving it a go! Fingers crossed

Cactus fertilizers so cheap. One bottle lasts for years so why bother with vinegar?

LisaPlantNerd- What is the pH of your tap water that you feel a need to lower the pH? Which C&S do you plan to try this on? I ask because some C&S grow quite well in alkaline climes. Did you get exact ratios of vinegar to water (i.e 1 tsp per gal)?

It is usually best to know where you are before taking a step in any direction.

tj

My tap water is in the 9-10 range. Yes I have read and researched many articles on the subject. A few members of my CSS have reported significant results with their plants. Here is where I began my research

http://www.absolutelycactus.com/pages/eltons_corner/turbinicarpus_panarottoi_RH_151.html

Add white vinegar to a gallon of water until the pH drops into the 5.2 - 5.8 range. Record the amount of vinegar needed to bring the pH down. Then, simply add that amount to your gallon of water each time you water, or just when you fertilize (either way is fine). Very easy and very inexpensive.

Josh

Here's what I would do if I had your pH. I would add my fertilizer to the water and check the pH. Sometimes the mix will contain acidifying ingredients like ammonium sulfate. When I add my fertilizer to my 7.4 water I end up in the 6.2 range. Then add vinegar or sulfuric acid to it like Josh described until you hit your target pH.

Thanks guys!

Add better orthophosphoric or citric acid than sulfuric.

I've used vinegar for two years and started with the ammonium sulfate for a few months last summer (I think you should only use it when they are actively growing).

My Echinopsis loved it. If you like to grow your plants hard, don't use it because the growth gets really green. But it had amazing results on plants that were in bad spider
mite condition or on plants that just refused to grow.

I'm going to have to watch more closely because I think it sacrifices flowers for growth. If I find that to be true next summer, I think I will stop using it since I'm all about the flowers.

I didn't use the AS on my Aloes or Jades so no info there.

I live in the western mountains so my water conditions are probably similar to Elton's and maybe that's why it works so well for me.

Although I agree that plants grow in the wild in alkaline conditions, when you put them in pots, that's a totally different environment.

Yes, there is no 'bother' in adding vinegar. It is cheap, easy and effective.

Christopher