Generally speaking, increasing acidity to optimum levels for a particular
plant will also allow for maximum nitrogen uptake. Clay soils in particular
are notorious for locking up available N and are, of course, relatively high
in pH.

If I were you, I would topdress, topdress, topdress with any organic
material I could find. Grass clippings (thinly laid), shredded leaves, pine
fines, shredded paper, compost..... anything. Simply topdressing over time
will leave you with a rick dark organic loam down 10-14 inches. I'm not sure
where you're located but it might be helpful to have a soil analysis done or
consult a local soil map, from the Soil Conservation Service.

Dave

"madgardener" wrote in message
...
Ok Dave, since you've got yer stuff together on the fertilizers, I need to
ask YOU a question.........my friend whose been in landscaping for years
now
(a couple of decades) has recently been fiddling around with mixing
Ironite
that Lowe's sells in granular form (a handful per container, or mixing
soils
and some ironite up with the soils and planting perennials). She
convinced
me to use it myself when I saw the massive improvement in the size and
health of her plants in just a year. If I'm only using this in my
perennials (the bag says NO BURN) why will they grow lush and larger? I
have
red clay soil and I've ammended with compost, worm soil, and cheap
topsoil.
I appreciate the trouble you're going to on this. I need to learn as much
as possible, and before I start mixing massive amounts of soils and
Ironite
I need to make sure it won't have long term effects on my plants and
possibly us. If it's safe, just let me know....
madgardener still learning about this whole thing
"David J Bockman" wrote in message
.. .
You might be battling a high pH soil, in which case long term acidifying
would mean laying down powdered aluminum sulphate (I like straight iron
sulphate), along with an acidifying fertilizer like Espoma's Hollytone.
The
coffee grounds can only help.

Dave

"Suzanne Couturiaux" wrote in message
...
I planted a couple Nikko blue hydrangeas two years ago, but the
flowers
haven't been blue (they were more of a pinkish white). I watered them
with an aluminum sulfate solution this spring and last fall to try to
make the flowers blue this year. Now, I'm considering adding old
coffee
grounds to the soil -- Will this counteract the aluminum sulfate, or
will it help to make the flowers blue?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Suzanne