Why is soil pH So Important?
Soils change constantly. Erosion, leaching, growing and harvesting crops affect the availability of soil nutrients. A soil test indicates the current fertility and pH levels. If the soil pH level is too high or too low, plants will not be able to effectively use fertilizer nutrients. This means fertilizers are wasted when the proper soil pH is not maintained.
Many plants grow well over a wide range of soil pH as long as other growing conditions are ideal. Some plants, however, grow best within a narrow pH range. The soil pH test kit is an easy way to determine if a soil is acidic, neutral or alkaline. The pH scale is much like reading a thermometer with the range of alkaline and acidic materials divided into 14 points. Some plants (rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries) like to grow in acidic soil with pH levels below 7.0. Most flowers, ornamental shrubs, trees, vegetables and turf grasses grow best in slightly acidic soils with a pH level between 6.1 and 6.9.
The availability of most soil nutrients is greatest at a pH near 6.5. When pH rises above this level, trace elements such as iron, manganese, copper and zinc become less available to plants. When the pH level falls below 6.5, calcium and molybdenum become less available.
You can make a cabbage water pH test
Measure 2 cups of distilled water into a sauce pan. Cut up and add 1 cup of red cabbage. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to sit for up to 30 minutes.
Strain off the liquid – which will be purple/blue. This will have a neutral pH of 7.
To test: add 2 teaspoons of soil to a jar and a few inches of cabbage water. Stir and wait for 30 minutes. Check the
color. If it turns up pink, your soil is acidic.If it is blue/green, your soil is alkaline.
Amend your soil with wood ash or lime, if it’s acidic. Amend your soil with sulfur or pine needles, if it’s alkaline.
You can test your garden soil pH with vinegar and baking soda
Collect 1 cup of soil from different parts of your garden and put 2 spoonfuls into separate containers. Add 1/2 cup of
vinegar to the soil. If it fizzes, you have alkaline soil, with a pH between 7 and 8.
If it doesn’t fizz after doing the vinegar test, then add distilled water to the other container until 2 teaspoons of soil
is muddy. Add 1/2 cup baking soda. If it fizzes you have acidic soil, most likely with a pH between 5 and 6.
If your soil doesn’t react at all it is neutral with a pH of 7 and you are very lucky!
Soils change constantly. Erosion, leaching, growing and harvesting crops affect the availability of soil nutrients. A soil test indicates the current fertility and pH levels. If the soil pH level is too high or too low, plants will not be able to effectively use fertilizer nutrients. This means fertilizers are wasted when the proper soil pH is not maintained.
Many plants grow well over a wide range of soil pH as long as other growing conditions are ideal. Some plants, however, grow best within a narrow pH range. The soil pH test kit is an easy way to determine if a soil is acidic, neutral or alkaline. The pH scale is much like reading a thermometer with the range of alkaline and acidic materials divided into 14 points. Some plants (rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries) like to grow in acidic soil with pH levels below 7.0. Most flowers, ornamental shrubs, trees, vegetables and turf grasses grow best in slightly acidic soils with a pH level between 6.1 and 6.9.
The availability of most soil nutrients is greatest at a pH near 6.5. When pH rises above this level, trace elements such as iron, manganese, copper and zinc become less available to plants. When the pH level falls below 6.5, calcium and molybdenum become less available.
You can make a cabbage water pH test
Measure 2 cups of distilled water into a sauce pan. Cut up and add 1 cup of red cabbage. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to sit for up to 30 minutes.
Strain off the liquid – which will be purple/blue. This will have a neutral pH of 7.
To test: add 2 teaspoons of soil to a jar and a few inches of cabbage water. Stir and wait for 30 minutes. Check the
color. If it turns up pink, your soil is acidic.If it is blue/green, your soil is alkaline.
Amend your soil with wood ash or lime, if it’s acidic. Amend your soil with sulfur or pine needles, if it’s alkaline.
You can test your garden soil pH with vinegar and baking soda
Collect 1 cup of soil from different parts of your garden and put 2 spoonfuls into separate containers. Add 1/2 cup of
vinegar to the soil. If it fizzes, you have alkaline soil, with a pH between 7 and 8.
If it doesn’t fizz after doing the vinegar test, then add distilled water to the other container until 2 teaspoons of soil
is muddy. Add 1/2 cup baking soda. If it fizzes you have acidic soil, most likely with a pH between 5 and 6.
If your soil doesn’t react at all it is neutral with a pH of 7 and you are very lucky!
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