local source for elemental sulfur? (Pennsylvania, USA)

Hi. I need to amend the soil of my newly planted blueberry patch. The year before hubs & I planted the bushes, we prepped the ground with plenty of peat moss (soaked for days), fallen pine needles from under our white pines, and bushels full of wild rabbit poop mixed with years old evergreen needles that I shop-vacc'ed out of the pea-gravel landscaping.  When we planted the bushes, I added a handful of Espoma soil acidifier, which is a short(er) acting acidifier. I'm looking to buy big ol' 40# or 50# bags of elemental sulfur to mix in to the soil around the bushes for longer release action, but I am having a hard time finding a store that stocks it, or even one that can order it in.

Has anyone else had trouble finding this product recently? I found a source in Virginia, but shipping costs are more than the product cost. Maybe it's just another product fallen prey to a "shortage" created by the pandemic insanity? I'm not sure where sulfur is mined... guess I could look into where it's quarried. But I'm hoping the all-knowing permies peoples will have an answer...

Could I ask why do you want to use elemental sulfur rather than sulfate sulfur?

You can buy it here:

https://www.7springsfarm.com/products/elemental-sulfur-90-50-lb-bag  

Thanks, that's the same place I found the elemental sulfur. The shipping costs are more than the product, but I may have little other choice.

I wanted elemental sulfur because the sulfur is released very slowly as rainwater and soil organisms work on changing the unavailable, neutral elemental sulfur into sulfate ions. It serves as an acidifier over the long term, instead of needing repeated applications like the short acting, immediate release products.

I've not heard of sulfated sulfur, but it sounds like it's a quick acting form since it's already in acid-base form. Do you use this form on your blueberry or other acid-loving plants? Is it something I could find at my local Agway type store?

Hi Dai,
This might not be very helpful to you because I live in Arizona. I have been using elemental sulfur for a lot of years. It seems to last 4-5 years in each bed or plant before it becomes obvious that I need to replenish it. I use it because our soil and water is usually around 8 ph.

I can find very expensive 4 pound bags at my local big box stores, usually for $6-7-8 or more. I mostly buy 20 pound bags from Ace Hardware. Big garden. Not all Ace's carry the 20 lb. bags. The one here in Sedona doesn't carry it. But I can drive down to a nearby town, Cottonwood, about 16 miles away and they carry 20 lb. bags for about $16.00. Or I sometimes go to a store called Builders First Source. (They used to be called ProBuild here). They are usually the most expensive hardware store in the area but they also carry 'Arizona's Best' elemental sulfur in a 20 lb. bag for about $16.00. Perhaps if you call your local hardware stores they might be willing to order some for you. I hope this helps.

Dai DeGardner wrote:I've not heard of sulfated sulfur, but it sounds like it's a quick acting form since it's already in acid-base form. Do you use this form on your blueberry or other acid-loving plants? Is it something I could find at my local Agway type store?

I was given two blueberry bushes one Mother's Day.  They just will not grow here due to alkaline soil.

Let your fingers do the walking and call your local Agway type stores.

Do you have a Tractor Supply?  You might try calling them to see if they have the sulfur you want.  If they don't carry it they might be willing to order it sent to the store so you will not have to pay shipping charges.  That goes for the big box stores that have garden supplies and plants.

I would also check to see if any of your local feed stores carry it.

To Anne Miller: We think alike. I did just that over the summer. Made calls everywhere, even stopped in the big box stores when they were along the way. It's like the product disappeared! And when I'd ask if they could order-- specifically the local agways and ace/true values, they had no listing in their systems. It's really weird.

To Debbie Ann: Your answer answered a related question for me. I had found a listing online for "Arizona's Best" elemental sulfur-- exactly what you are describing. The website says it's not available, or out of stock in any stores basically east of the Mississippi. (Ironically or maybe not, it was in stock in several Arizona locations!) So I called my local store (it was either True Value or Tractor Supply) and gave the associate the upc or sku code for that product, ask her to order it, tell her I don't care how long it takes to come in, etc. She tells me that when she first typed it in, she saw a listing for something for "Arizona's Best" but it won't allow her to see any more info, and when she tried the code again, nothing came up at all. She tried an other way, then searched for sulfur, elemental sulfur, slow acting sulfur, anything I could think of that would link to the stuff I want. The only products that came up were the sulfates, like ammonium sulfate, the fast/short acting acidifiers. Weird, but consistent with my online searches... no elemental sulfur seems to be available for the northeast. Our soils here tend to be acidic to begin with, so I can understand it may not be a big seller. I can order a 50# bag (I think, or maybe 25#?) from 7 Springs Farm in Virginia (from the site Anne found), but the product is about $25 and the cheapest shipping is $30. I know the product is heavy, but I have a hard time forking over more in shipping than for the product. (Maybe I should just tell myself the product is $55 with free shipping?!?) Anyway, that's why I thought ordering it through a local store would work, since they'd pay shipping... but so far, no go.

Thank you both for the replies, and although my search continues, it's reassuring to see that I'm not overlooking something obvious. Happy harvesting to you!

I understand what you are saying about paying more for shipping than the product costs.

A lot of times I check to see how much free shipping is and add more products that I need to get free shipping.

Another way to look at those is like you say "50 lb with free shipping is $55.00.

That is $1.10 a pound which to me for something I want is really cheap.

After looking for this on eBay $1.10 a pound is still really cheap.

Thanks Anne, I appreciate the time you put into this issue! I'm going to do one last search for big box stores that can order it-- maybe there's a seasonal availability to it. If not, you made a great point about $1.10 a pound, so I have that option, too. Thanks again!

Ding ding ding, we have a winner! I ordered & received #50 elemental sulfur through Tractor Supply! Free ship to store, and with tax I think it came to around $40. Much more expensive than yesteryear, but considering the recent upward trajectory on prices for e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g, I was happy to pay less than a buck a pound. Was a particularly warm February day, so I mixed it into my blueberry patch today. Maybe I was looking at a bad time of year before. Thanks again for your suggestions, Anne Miller and Debbie Ann.

Thank you for letting us know that you found it and I am so glad it worked out for you.

Now we will all know to order it from Tractor Supply.