ph value

"Ph" is a measure of acidity or alkalinity. Each plant in your garden or yard, has an ideal range that it will thrive in. It is helpful to test your soil ph and adjust accordingly. Keep in mind that the amendments you add could alter the ph.

Soil testing is not an absolute necessity, although it is recommended. If your gardening area has proven productive over the years and you are constantly adding amendments in some balance, you may opt not to test it. Some gardeners have never tested their soil.

New growers and especially people who are experiencing problems with growing other crops in the soil should definitely take this test.

Your local agricultural agency can either perform the test or direct you to an organisation that does. You can also ask your local garden store how to have your soil tested.

Another fun way is to buy an inexpensive soil tester and test the soil yourself. You can test for soil pH and basic nutrients.

In general the best pH value range for soil is approximately 6 or 7 as this is the range in which most nutrients can be readily available.

How to Make Soil More Alkaline (Increase pH)

If your soil is acidic or slightly acidic you can take steps to make it more alkaline to accommodate the plants you want to put there.

You can make your soil more alkaline (increase its pH value) by adding a form of lime. Lime is a compound of calcium or calcium and magnesium. It is usually applied in the form of ground agricultural limestone, burnt lime or hydrated lime (slaked lime).

The smaller the limestone particles then the quicker your soil will become more alkaline. For this reason hydrated lime will offer the quickest performance because it is slightly soluble in water so it can permeate the soil quicker and reduce acidity faster.

Increasing the pH of your soil is not an overnight process and it is best to allow 2-3 months to allow the lime to neutralize the acidity of the soil acidity.

How to Make Soil More Acidic (Decrease pH)

Some ornamental plants and fruit plants like blueberries require an acidic soil. To make your soil more acidic (decrease its pH value) you can use either aluminum sulphate or sulphur.

Aluminum sulphate is the quickest acting as it will increase the acidity as soon as it dissolves into the soil. The downsides are though that its effects can be short term and it is possible to over-apply it.

The more recommended but slower way to increase your soil pH is to use sulphur. Sulphur converts to sulphuric acid with the help of bacteria in the soil but this takes time depending on factors like the presence of bacteria, texture of the soil and moisture levels. This could take months if conditions are not ideal.