Soil pH and why it matters

The term “pH” stands for a measure of acidity. The pH affects whether fertilizer and other nutrients in the soil are actually available to your plants. You can fertilize and if the pH is wrong, some of the nutrients in the fertilizer get tied up in the soil chemistry so they are hardly available to your plants.

1. Why is soil pH important?
2. What does soil pH tell you?
3. What happens when soil pH is too high?
4. What is a good pH level for soil?
5. How do farmers adjust the pH of soils?
6. How do you correct pH in soil?
7. What is the fastest way to lower pH in soil?
8. What causes high soil pH?
9. What does a soil pH of 7 mean?
10. How do you treat high alkaline soil?
11. Are soil pH testers accurate?
12. How do I know if my lawn is acidic?

Why is soil pH important?

Soil pH affects the amount of nutrients and chemicals that are soluble in soil water, and therefore the amount of nutrients available to plants. Some nutrients are more available under acid conditions while others are more available under alkaline conditions.

What does soil pH tell you?

Soil pH or soil reaction is an indication of the acidity or alkalinity of soil and is measured in pH units. Soil pH is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. ... From pH 7 to 0 the soil is increasingly more acidic and from pH 7 to 14 the soil is increasingly more alkaline or basic.

What happens when soil pH is too high?

When a plant's soil pH increases, which is what would happen when its food's pH is too high, the plant's ability to absorb certain nutrients is disrupted. As a result, some nutrients cannot be absorbed properly. ... The soil's high pH prevents the iron present in the soil from changing into a form the plant can absorb.

What is a good pH level for soil?

A soil pH below about 5.6 is considered low for most crops. Generally, the ideal pH range is between 6.0 and 7.0.

How do farmers adjust the pH of soils?

To make soils less acidic, the common practice is to apply a material that contains some form of lime. Ground agricultural limestone is most frequently used. The finer the limestone particles, the more rapidly it becomes effective. Different soils will require a different amount of lime to adjust the soil pH value.

How do you correct pH in soil?

What Can Be Done to Correct Poor Soil pH? Overly acidic soil is neutralized with the addition of limestone (available at garden centers). Powdered or pelleted agricultural limestone is most commonly used. Don't overdo lime - it is much easier to raise pH than to lower it.

What is the fastest way to lower pH in soil?

Soil pH can be reduced most effectively by adding elemental sulfur, aluminum sulfate or sulfuric acid. The choice of which material to use depends on how fast you hope the pH will change and the type/size of plant experiencing the deficiency.

What causes high soil pH?

Soils may be alkaline due to over-liming acidic soils. Also, alkaline irrigation waters may cause soil alkalinity and this is treatable, but alkaline soils are primarily caused by a calcium carbonate-rich parent material weathering (developing) in an arid or dry environment.

What does a soil pH of 7 mean?

A pH of 7 is neutral. As numbers decrease from 7, the acidity gets higher. As numbers increase from 7 so does the alkalinity. Soils generally range from an extremely acidic pH of 3 to a very alkaline pH of 10.

How do you treat high alkaline soil?

If your soil is alkaline, you can lower your soil's pH or make it more acidic by using several products. These include sphagnum peat, elemental sulfur, aluminum sulfate, iron sulfate, acidifying nitrogen, and organic mulches.

Are soil pH testers accurate?

pH test strips are advanced versions of litmus paper. They're more accurate than litmus paper because they have several color spots on each strip. Accuracy will depend on the range they cover, the number of colored spots, and the general quality of the product.

How do I know if my lawn is acidic?

A lawn in acidic soil may become yellowed and limp. The lawn may also thin out and have bare patches. Also, highly acidic soil reduces the effectiveness of fertilizer, so if you have been faithful with application but your lawn still looks unhealthy, it is time to get a soil test done.