Some plants prefer acidic soil. Other plants, on the other hand, thrive better if they are rooted in alkaline soil. However, you can't tell what type of soil it belongs to. Only a pH value measurement can provide a clear statement in this regard. Here's how to do it.
How can I determine the pH of my garden soil?
To determine the pH value of the garden soil, you can use analysis kits, indicator strips, red cabbage or vinegar and baking soda. This will tell you whether the soil is acidic, neutral or alkaline and you can choose appropriate plants or adjust the soil.
Possibilities of determination
Determining the pH value in the garden doesn't involve every decimal place. It is usually enough to recognize a clear trend. That's why four tools come into consideration for the determination:
- Analysis sets
- Indicator strips
- Red cabbage
- Vinegar and baking powder
Analysis sets
Analysis sets can be bought cheaply in hardware stores. The process goes something like this:
- a hole approx. 5-10 cm deep is dug in the ground
- then the hole is filled with distilled water
- The dipstick of the test set is inserted into the mud that forms
- After a short waiting time, the measured value can be read
Indicator strips
Measuring the pH value with an indicator strip is a little cheaper. To do this, a soil sample is taken and mixed 1:1 with distilled water. The indicator strip is immersed in it. Its discoloration is then compared with a color scale on the sales packaging and the corresponding pH value is read.
Red cabbage
Red cabbage is a cheap home remedy for pH measurement. However, only the three states neutral, alkaline and acidic can be read. This method does not provide accurate measurements.
- Heat distilled water.
- Cut the red cabbage into small pieces and add it to the water.
- Let everything sit for several hours.
- Sift the mixture. Catch the purple juice as you go.
- Put in two tablespoons of the soil sample taken previously.
- Watch the color change. Purple means neutral, pink means acidic and blue or green indicates an alkaline value.
Vinegar and baking powder
Fill one cup with water and baking soda and one with vinegar. Add a tablespoon of the soil sample to each. If the soil is acidic, it will hiss in the cup with the baking powder. An alkaline sample, on the other hand, will cause a similar reaction in the vinegar cup. If nothing happens, you're dealing with neutral ground.
The Values
Results of the methods that produce numbers should be interpreted as follows:
- Values between 6, 5 and 8 are in the neutral range
- Values below 6 are acidic
- the lower, the more acidic
- Values above 8 are characteristic of alkaline soils
- the higher the value, the more alkaline
Tip
Use the results to improve the garden soil so that the plants growing on it are optimally cared for.
