How to Test Soil pH Level
Every good gardener knows that one of the key players in getting healthy plants is the quality of the soil. It’s important to know your soil’s chemistry, especially the pH, which is the level of alkalinity or acidity. Since different plants require different pH levels, you should test your soil and see if your plant will thrive in it. Here are a couple of ways to do this.
What You’ll Need:
Small garden trowel
Distilled water
Clear plastic container for every area you’re going to test
pH testing kit
Glass
Gloves
Method 1:
Determine which areas of the garden you’re going to test. It’s a good idea to test areas with different plant varieties separately. You should also include your potted houseplants when you do your testing, since pH levels in them can change too.
Using your garden trowel, dig a small hole in the soil. It should be at least two to four inches deep. Break up the soil in the hole properly, removing twigs and other foreign debris.
Put water in the hole, filling it. For this test, it’s best to use distilled water. Bottled water oftentimes does not have a neutral pH, while rainwater is slightly acidic. Keep pouring in the water until the bottom becomes a muddy and murky pool.
Get your pH tester. It must be calibrated and clean. Wipe it with a clean cloth or a tissue first. When you’re sure it’s clean insert the probe in the mud. Let it stay there for at least 60 seconds, and then read it. You can measure pH on a 1 to 14 scale, although some testers don’t have this entire range.
Method 2:
Wear your gloves, then get a handful of soil from the areas you’re going to test. Observe it: if it doesn’t fall through your fingers easily, has a dark color, and is moist, it means there’s a good balance between the sand and the clay.
Stir the handful of soil in water, then let stand for a few hours, or until the water clears and the soil settles. Clay floats on top, while sand stays on the bottom.
Using the trowel, scoop some soil from the ground, creating a hole, Then, scoop 1/2 to 1 inch from the back of the hole, and put in a clear container. Repeat for the other areas of the garden. Let the accumulated samples dry naturally in their specific containers.
Use the pH testing kit to see the samples’ pH level.
pH Levels
pH of 7 - neutral soil
pH below 7 - acidic soil
pH above 7 - alkaline soil
Tips:
The approximate pH in some testers is indicated as a color, and not a number. Dark green is for alkaline soil, while orange or yellow is for acidic soil. Green is neutral.
A single reading can be an anomaly. To make sure, take several measurements in different spots of a certain area of a garden.
Avoid incorrect readings and contamination by making sure the trowel and tester probe are clean. You also shouldn’t touch the soil without any gloves on.
Testing the pH level of your soil is the first step to getting healthy plants and a lovely garden. Just try either of these two methods, and you’ll surely get the right readings. If you enjoyed reading this article, you might as well read how to garden organically.