




In all America few flowers compare in 
richness and beauty with our acid loving 
plants... Camellias... Azaleas...and 
Rhododendrons. Their richness and beauty 
deserve the special care they require. 
“Over the years we have learned the 
temperature preferences of most flowers. 
And we learned their moisture require- 
ments. But flowers, all plant life, in fact, 
have another preference...a preference 
for soils within a certain acid, alkaline 
ratio. For short, scientists refer to this 
preference as pH’ range. 
In days gone by this reaction was diffi- 
cult to measure. Experienced gardeners 
through careful observation learned that 
certain materials produced the desired 
growth. To their dismay, the treatment 
often failed to achieve the blooms they 
expected. Then the soil was changed or 
the planting moved. 
Today the answer to their failure is 
known. Constant use of their specific 
materials had a reaction on the soil. It 
made the soil more acid or more alkaline 
to the point that the soil passed the 
preference range of the flowers dua 
were growing. It was too much of a 
- good thing. 
It is not at all difficult or mysterious to 
learn the pH of your soil. A simple, in- 
expensive soil test kit is available through 
most garden supply stores and it is easy 
to use. 
Camellias, Azaleas and Rhododendrons 
have a pH preference of 4.5 to 5.0 and 
will give the finest blooms year in and 
- year out if your soil remains within this 
range. 
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ACID: 
Ly did 



IF too alkaline (a pH higher than 5.0) 
treat your soil with an application of 4 
pounds of iron sulphate or aluminum sul- 
phate per 100 square feet (10’x10’) and 
and soak it into the soil. Make another 
test three weeks later and repeat the 
application if the soil reaction is not 
down to the proper range. 
IF too acid (a pH lower than 4.5) treat 
your soil with an application of 5 pounds 
of hydrated lime per 100 square feet. It 
is slow acting so wait 30 days before 
making a second check. 
The above mentioned materials are not 
themselves plant food. They are used only 
to condition the soil to the. proper pH 
range. Therefore, your Acid Loving 
plants must be fed in the same manner as 
other plant life. Care should be given in 
selecting the proper plant food so as 
not to throw the soil range out of 
balance. The steady use of ‘‘acid ferti- 
lizers” is not advisable as this will con- 
tinually change the range and these deli- 
cate shrubs will not react favorably. 
Vigoro plant food is neutral in soil re- 
action and supplies all of the many nu- 
trients these lovely plants require from 
soil. Feed your Camellias, Azaleas and 
Rhododendrons in early spring and regu- 
larly during the blooming period with 4 
pounds of Vigoro per 100 square feet 
for plants up to three feet high. Add one 
pound of Vigoro for each additional 
foot in height. 
With this fertilizing program and a 
careful check of the soils pH range these 
lovely flowering plants will produce an 
abundance of blossoms for many years. 
