Soil pH
Soil pH measures how acidic or how alkaline (basic) your soil is, which affects the availability of nutrients in the soil.
Soil pH can be broken down into a scale:
| Extremely acidic |
3.5-4.4 |
| Very strong acidity |
4.5-5.0 |
| Strongly acidic |
5.1-5.5 |
| Moderately acidic |
5.6-6.0 |
| Slightly acidic |
6.1-6.5 |
| Neutral |
6.6-7.3 |
| Slightly alkaline |
7.4-7.8 |
| Moderately alkaline |
7.9-8.4 |
| Strongly alkaline |
8.5-9.0 |
A pH range of 6.0-7.0 is desirable because most plant nutrients are readily available in this range but sometimes you end up with a pH that is too low or too high.
Soils with a pH below 5.5 are considered low. This type of soil may not have calcium, magnesium or phosphorus readily available to your plants. To correct a low pH, lime the soil. Liming is a process that involves adding finely ground limestone to your soil to increase the soil's pH. First, you need to have a soil-testing laboratory assess your soil to determine how much limestone you will need to apply. The proper grade of limestone can be purchased at most garden centers.
A soil pH of 7.8 or more is considered high. This soil may have a low availability of phosphorus. Sulfur and aluminum compounds are usually added to reduce the pH. Consult your local soil-testing laboratory for proper application amounts.
|
