How to Adjust Your Soil pH

Soil pH could mean the difference in life or death for your plants. Have you ever planted a tree or shrub only to watch it slowly decline? It could be the pH of your soil. Different plants require different levels of acidity. By testing your soil and adjusting the pH, you can grow a garden full of the plants that you love.

In general, arid climates have alkaline soil and humid areas have acidic soil. Acidity levels can vary depending on what plants and trees you already have growing. Bring a sample of your soil to your local nursery or hardware store. Most will just test the pH of your soil for you. You can also buy your own testing kit, which is generally an inexpensive investment. If you discover that you will need to adjust the pH of your soil to grow the plants that you want to grow, then it may be worth it to go ahead and purchase the kit.

Lowering your soil pH will make it more acidic. Acidic soil is generally preferred for many common landscaping plants. Many people choose to naturally lower the pH of their soil by working in coffee grounds, pine needles or pine mulch over the course of several months or even years. If you need faster results, you may decide to use acidic fertilizers or sulfur, available at your nursery or hardware store. Peat moss is another great way to lower your soil pH, but it will only last for about one season.

Raising your soil pH makes it more alkaline. If you are planting things that need a more alkaline soil, it may be as easy as watering an area by hand over a period of time. Test your water to see if it is alkaline before using this method. Adding lime to the soil is a quick and easy way to raise the pH levels. Follow directions exactly so that you do not over do it. Soils that drain well may require more lime than soils that are hard or sandy.

In general, plants that require alkaline soils will need to have a pH of higher than 7.0, which is neutral. Be careful about going too high, because most plants will not grow in soil that has a pH of higher than 7.5. Plants that require acidic soil will require a pH of below 7.0. Usually you will not want your soil to be lower than about 6.2.

Gardening and landscaping can be an enjoyable experience when you know what to plant where. Adjusting the soil can make growing your favorite plants pleasurable. Keep your garden hose reel handy for easy watering, prune when necessary and your plants in their proper soil will need little else.