Understanding Soil - Part 2: Testing the pH of Your Soil

We talked a bit last week about creating balanced soil for optimum growth of your garden, and one of the most important things to keep in balance is your soil's pH. It's easy to test the pH of the soil in your garden with the use of a simple and inexpensive test kit.

All you need to do with the test kit is take a sample of the soil and mix it with water and then compare the results in the sample to the colors on the chart. This will tell you whether the soil is acidic or alkaline.

Homeowners are encouraged to test their soils for nutrient needs, and to apply only what nutrients are needed for a healthy lawn and garden. Farmers practice the same testing procedure. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If the soil is too acidic you can add lime to bring it back into balance. If on the other hand there is too much lime and the pH reading is high you can add more compost to reduce the levels of the lime in the soil.

Soil that is slightly acidic tends to be more fertile.

Before the use of such test kits, home gardeners used to use a simple taste test to determine the condition of the soil. This method isn't recommended but it can be quite accurate.

If the soil tastes sour then it is likely to be acid. This is also represented by a sour smell.

Vinegar is another way to test whether there is enough lime in the soil, as lime will cause the vinegar to bubble.

Drop some soil into a cup of vinegar and if it starts to bubble then you know there is enough lime in the soil.

But for the low cost of a pH tester, you will get a lot more accurate reading and this will allow you to easily monitor the condition of your soils and adjust the nutrients accordingly rather than guessing what is needed and not having optimum nutrition.

You should also take samples at different points throughout your garden, as there can be changes in the soil from one area to the next depending on what has been added over the years and what has been growing in the various sections of the garden.

Balancing your soil's pH properly will help you achieve optimum results in the growth and health of your garden.

Be sure to check back next week when we'll discuss a few more ideas for creating healthy, balanced garden soil.


Soil pH Test Kits: