Has my soil the right pH and level of nutrients ?
To answer this question, the pH and level of nutrients in your soil will need to be checked. No panic, this is fairly easy to do. You just need to get a home soil test kit at your grocery center. The soil pH is a measure of the acidity of the soil. It ranges from 0 to 14, with 0 being most acidic and 7 being neutral. Ratings below 7 are for acidic soils. Above 7, the soil is alkaline or basic.
Requirements |
√ Home Soil Test Kit |
√ Ground Limestone |
√ Garden Sulfur |
√ Bone Meal |
√ Blood Meal |
√ Greensand / Kelp Meal |
Generally speaking, the optimum pH range for most plants is between 6 and 7.5. However, it should be noted that many plants have adapted to thrive in pH’s outside this range
Based on the results of the test:
- Add ground limestone to the soil to increase its pH
- Add garden sulfur to decrease its pH
If your soil lacks in nutrients:
- Add bone meal if it needs phosphorus
- Add blood meal if it lacks nitrogen
- Add greensand or kelp meal if it lacks potassium
And don't forget to add organic matter to enrich your soil after the above steps!
Guide Information
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.