As a Urban Forester for the City of Houston, I have workers who apply water to recently planted trees. These trees have a rough enough time growing in the nearly sterile, alkaline (pH 7.6-8.4) esplanades, which usually have a high percentage of cigarette butts and broken glass!
The guys water using 600 gallon tanker trucks filled with hydrant water, which has a pH of 7.6-7.8. Our Public Works people tell me that the water coming out of the wells or the surface waters is not so alkaline, but they somehow add something to bring pH up, as the slightly alkaline water does not erode the pipes as fast. Of course, alkaline irrigation water is the last thing these little trees need.
I have a quantity of 6# per gallon liquid sulfur I wish to use to add to each tankload to bring the pH back down to near neutral, but can't figure out how much to add to each tankload. Any chemists/urban foresters out there?

Reply to post by Bradford from Texas, on August 12, 2000 at 17:33:13:

I hope this helps.

Reply to post by Mark Goodwin, on August 12, 2000 at 17:33:13:

I thank you. The young trees thank you.