Have you ever had your soil tested? I recently tested mine with this super simple Luster Leaf pH Soil Testing Kit. Basically, you just need soil samples and distilled water. To do the test, dig a couple of holes {the test comes with 10 capsules for testing} in your garden about 6″-8″ deep, collect some dirt, and put it into the provided test kit, as per the instructions. Top it off with distilled water, and voila: the pH of your garden.
pH testing your garden soil can save you tons of money. It basically tells you exactly how to amend you soil so that you don’t have to guess. You can waste a lot of money on fertilizers, etc. with zero benefits, because all you needed to do is change to pH of your soil. Raising or lowering your pH is a fairly simple and cheap task, to make soil more acidic, add finely ground limestone. To make soil more alkaline, add gympsum or ground sulfur.
pH levels in soil affect how well your plant can absorb nutrients. Most garden plants {but not all} prefer somewhere between 5.5-7.0 pH level.
You can order the Luster Leaf pH Soil Testing Kit from Amazon or pick on up the next time you’re at your local home improvement store.
Here’s a nifty little guide for the most common garden fruits and veggies, in case you decide to test your soil:
Ideal pH Levels |
|
| Asparagus | 6.0-8.0 |
| Beans | 6.0-7.0 |
| Beets | 6.5-8.0 |
| Blueberry | 4.0-6.0 |
| Broccoli | 6.0-7.0 |
| Cabbage | 6.0-7.5 |
| Cantaloupe | 6.0-7.5 |
| Carrots | 5.5-7.0 |
| Corn | 5.5-7.5 |
| Cucubers | 5.5-7.0 |
| Eggplant | 5.5-6.5 |
| Grapes | 5.5-7.0 |
| Lettuce | 6.0-7.0 |
| Onions | 6.0-7.0 |
| Peas | 6.0-7.5 |
| Peppers | 5.5-7.0 |
| Potatoes | 4.8-6.5 |
| Sweet Potatoes | 5.2-6.0 |
| Strawberry | 5.5-6.5 |
| Radishes | 6.0-7.0 |
| Raspberry, black | 5.5-7.0 |
| Raspberry, red | 6.0-7.5 |
| Rhubarb | 5.5-7.0 |
| Spinach | 6.0-7.5 |
| Squash | 6.0-7.0 |
| Tomatoes | 5.5-7.5 |
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Dee Wolters says
We bought a battery ph tester this year! So easy and you can get results instantly. Plus you can test different areas of the garden, because they might be diferent. $20 Lowes.
Kathy in Chicago says
Hi Mavis, I think you got this a bit backwards. You add limestone to make it more basic (alkaline) & sulfur to acidify.