Greensax shares on their blog how to do a simple soil test to see if your soil is alkaline or acidic for the type of plant you want to grow. Different plants respond and flourish in either type of soil.
Soil is measured on a pH scale, which runs from 0 (pure acid) to 14 (pure alkaline). The neutral point is 7 and the numbers increase or decrease geometrically – thus a pH of 5 is 10 times more acid than a pH of 6.
Click here to read the article:
http://www.greensax.ie/blog/?p=918
Here is a quick test
Take 2 pint glass mason jars and fill each jar halfway with soil.
In the 1st jar :add 1/4 cup vinegar – is there a reaction ? Your soil is extremely alkaline.
In the 2nd jar: add 1/4 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda – is there a reaction ? Your soil is extremely acidic.
Most soil is more neutrally balanced – a few points either way so you may not see anything.
* The best way to improve all types of soil is to add Organic Matter…compost, rotted aged manure and such. Dig deeply and turn the soil to add oxygen.
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