How to Test Your Soil

Have you ever wondered why you can grow some plants more easily than others? Do you need to learn which will naturally grow better in your garden? You may wish to test your soil's acidity and alkalinity to find out which plants have a more natural affinity to the ground in your area.

Acidity and alkaline content in soil is measured on something called the pH scale. Most plants grow better in soil that is toward the middle of the scale, at pH "7" but you can choose plants better suited to your soil, or you can work toward the ideal. It is important to note that if you are fighting your natural soil every year, the results may be good but only temporary.

To test your soil, purchase some litmus paper at a hobby or drugstore. Press the litmus paper in various points around damp soil in your garden area. If the paper turns blue, your soil is more alkaline, if it becomes pink or reddish, your soil is predominantly acid.

If you do have acid soil and want to be able to plant a better variety of plant, you can add more lime until you see the blue reading on the litmus paper. Remember that this must be done each year. This may only have a limited affect, though, as lime often eventually exhausts other nutrients in your soil. So it's really preferable to work with the soil nature has given you through local climate and parent rocks.

Some plants that thrive in acid soil are rhododendrons, mountain laurel and azalea. Others are columbine, camellia, dogwood, foxglove, silver bell, kiwi fruit, and types of huckleberry and blueberry.

Plants that do well in soil that is just slightly acidic include cowbell, ciborium, hobbleberry and blackroot.

Rocky, gravelly or sandy soil, of course, present a special challenge. However, there are many plants who thrive in and even prefer to grow in these places. Just a few of these are flowering onion, century plant, aloe vera, chamomile and Scotch heather.

You are sure to keep a more spectacular garden if you know the qualities of your soil. Try testing your soil's acidity today. Check with your local garden center for the best plants for your soil's particular acidity, and watch your garden grow!

Sources

Joy of Nature, p. Reader's Digest 1977
The Complete Botanical Database