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.

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!