Fertilizer

I have a question on this.
Isn't there going to chemical reactions in the soil by the presence of water providing the hydrogen or hydroxyl ions that will form alkalinity (raising the pH) by the calcium displacement or binding or whatever the 'reaction' entails?

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Cabin, again, my original post was in reference only to the basic elements involved, not the many forms in which they may exist, and I will maintain that stand! That post was so stated as to employ the K.I.S.S. system. As with the different forms in which C represents itself, so too does N. N will not change soil pH but if it is in the form of ammonium sulfate, then it will. It's not the N which is changing the pH but the S in it.

Moonwolf, those pores in the soil contain air and water. Without that, you've simply got inert dry components. Atmospheric oxygen alone can't do it since again you'd still have dust. Add water to the picture and then the reaction can take place. What happens then is none of my business but it would appear that hydrogen would play a major role in it!

Martin

I'm not really sure what you are asking. As Martin said, soil moisture is needed for just about any reaction or displacement to take place in soil. In order for calcium to be displaced in soil, another cation is necessary to take its place on the exchange complex. If H+ is this cation, soil pH decreases.

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