Plants come in many different types. The different types of plants in your garden are dependent upon varying degrees of acidity in the soil. Soil acidity or alkalinity is measured by the potential Hydrogen ions or pH in the soil. This can be measured with a pH meter or pH test kit. Some plants are extremely sensitive to soil pH while others prefer a lot of acidity or alkalinity. For example, Clematis plants do better with alkaline soil while Rhododendrons and Heathers won’t tolerate lime in the soil.
Typically, dry climate soil is more alkaline while moist climate soil tends to be more acidic. Acidic soil contains pH lower than 7.0 and soil with pH higher than that is alkaline. Soil should be adjusted according to the plant that will occupy the area if it’s not already within the plants requirement range. A pH meter will allow you to determine what range the soil is in. You may have to do a little research to determine what the plant’s requirement is.
Many garden centers carry a pH meter or even do soil tests for you. If the garden center doesn’t carry the pH meter or test kit, you can also find them in nurseries or hardware stores. A pH test kit typically contains a test tube, test solution and a color chart. To use the test kit, you put a sample of your soil into the test tube and add a few drops of the solution. Shake it up and let it sit for about an hour or so to let it settle. The testing solution will change color depending upon the pH level of your soil. Simply compare the color with the color chart that came with the kit in order to get the pH measurement.
To use a pH meter, put it into the soil and wait about 10 seconds to get an accurate reading. A pH meter made for testing soil may contain built in features that allow you to add something such as dolomite or sulfur depending on if your soil is too acidic or too alkaline. This is a simple way to test and adjust the pH level in your soil.
The pH is one of the most important factors in growing plants and investing in a pH test kit or pH meter is essential to healthy plant life. Many farmers even taste their soil sometimes to see if it is acidic or not. If the pH levels in your soil aren’t correct, nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, iron, and phosphorous won’t be used correctly by your plants. This can result in the plant having hidden hunger which means it looks okay but it may not be growing or flowering like it should.
Business such as greenhouses and farmers rely on pH testing tools such as the pH meter in order to ensure their crop is growing and prospering as it should. Testing and adjusting the pH levels helps ensure that their vegetation is as fruitful as it should be which is generally better for business.