Youre right, but a small amount to neutralise any acid "should" take
care of it after testing with a ph kit. Depending on how acid it may not
even be needed.
Jonno wrote:

Add some lime to the plants and you shouldnt have too many problems.
Rain water tends to turn soils acidic anyway, but your plants are in
for a treat. Its party time. (grin!) Youre mollycoddling those plants.
Its time to turn them into wine swilling tough aussie natives.


Dwayne wrote:

Mood morning Mark. My wife has several orange & lemon trees potted
and kept in during the winter. She has to put some acidic material
on them a couple times a year.

All good plants need the soil pH to be 6 or lower, depending upon the
plants (blueberries need 4 to 5.5, with 7 being neutral). The only
plants that I know of, that will grow in soil with a pH higher than
approx 9.5, is weeds.

I don't think you will have any problem. If you have any doubts,
take a pH reading, and if it is too high, fill the barrel with water
and add a box or two of baking soda and let it stand for several days
to neutralize any acid left in the barrel.

Dwayne

"M" wrote in message
news
G'day All,

I have a couple of large wine barrels that I've connected up to
catch rain water off the garage roof. Works well, but at this stage
the water from them still smells strongly of red wine. I suppose
that will wear off when they've been filled/emptied/filled a few times.

My questions a Will this wine-flavoured water, which I'm assuming
is pretty acidic, harm my native plants? Is it OK for the lemon
tree? What about vegies?

Any thoughts?

Mark.




Thanks, guys.

Jonno - I thought lime was no good for natives.

Dwayne - I'll drag out the aquarium testing kit. The baking soda sounds
good.

Ta,
Mark.