DIY Testing Soil PH

You don't need some fancy PH strips to test your soil PH. You can get a rough gauge of your soil's PH by using baking soda and vinegar. This will not accurately tell you exactly where on the scale your soil's PH is but it will give you a rough guide as to whether your soil is acidic, alkaline, or neutral.

Most plants prefer a neutral soil PH in the range of 6.0 to 7.2 which is pretty much neutral. Soil PH ranges from 0 (which is highly acidic) to 14 (highly basic or alkaline) with 7 being considered neutral.

To test your soil, you will want to gather samples from all over your garden (so that you get a general sense of the overall PH of your garden); or, as in my case a sample from a specific point in the garden I want to know the PH level.

You will divide your soil sample into two separate containers each with approximately 2 spoonfuls of soil (if you collected more than that, that's okay - just take two spoonfuls out).

In one container, add approximately 1/2 cup cup of vinegar. If the vinegar fizzes, your soil is alkaline (somewhere between 7 and 14 on the PH scale).

In the other container add about 1/2 cup distilled water (I used rainwater which is naturally distilled) and mix the dirt up so that it is liquid. Next, add 1/2 cup baking soda. If the baking soda fizzes, your soil is acidic (somewhere between 0 and 7 on the PH scale).

Neither of my samples fizzed meaning that my soil should be relatively neutral. As noted above, this is not an exact test so I seriously doubt that my soil was exactly 7 on the PH scale, but it is in the neutral range. This is what I needed to know, now I know why my blueberries are not doing well - they love acidic soil.

Watermelon Seedling (Citrullus lanatus)

We ended up losing the plant shortly after these pictures. But here a couple pictures of our attempt to grow a Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) - better luck next year I hope. 

Importance of Soil pH

Soil pH is a measure of the soil's acidity or alkalinity measured on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 being considered neutral (neither acidic nor alkaline). Moving down the scale closer to 0 (zero), the pH is considered more acidic. Moving up the scale closer to 14, the pH is considered more alkaline. In simple terms, the closer to zero you go, the closer to battery acid you get and the closer to 14 you go the closer to drain cleaner you get.

As a basic reference the following chart is a good example of common items and their lcoation on the pH scale:

There are more graphic examples out there - but you get the idea.

So why is this important for your plants? Soil pH directly affects nutrient availability and the toxicity of minerals to your plants. Aluminum and manganese become more available in acidic soils, while calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium are less available. In alkaline soils, phosphorous and most micro-nutrients become less available. Depending on what nutrients your plants require and in what quantities will determine the optimal soil pH level.

Most plants prefer a relatively neutral soil pH (between 6.0 and 7.5, approximately). Some plants do thrive in acidic conditions (pH of 4.5 to 6.5) and some in alkaline conditions (pH of 7.5 to 8.0). The Old Farmer's Almanac has a good listing of plants and their preferred pH ranges.

Passion Flower (Passiflora)

Passion Flower or passion vine is an edible vine that can grow up to 20 feet high. The leaves and stems can be dried (or used fresh) and used to make herbal teas, the flowers can be eaten in salads, and the fruit is tasty all by itself and makes wonderful jams and jellies.

The plant is said to be an herbal remedy for anxiety and insomnia. It's also really pretty compared to many other herbs.

The Passion Flower pictures below are from our yard and are a Passiflora Incarnata commonly referred to as a Maypop or Purple Passionflower. We have two plants that sprang up in our yard this summer.

Blueberries

The Blueberry bushes are producing, a small crop but very delicious. We just planted them this spring, hopefully they will produce more in the coming years as they become more established.

Cat's love the indoor plants

Banana Bush (Shrub)

The banana shrub or banana bush tree was brought to America from China. The scientific name has changed from Michelia figo to Magnolia figo as it is a member of the Magnolia family (Magnoliaceae).

This evergreen is a relatively easy plant to care for and has a wonderful fragrance. They say the flowers smell like banana (hence the banana bush name) but I think they smell more like Juicy Fruit chewing gum (maybe Juicy Fruit is supposed to be banana flavored, I really don't know). Either way, it smells wonderful when in bloom.

The banana shrub prefers acidic, well drained soil and is drought tolerant once it is established. It can grow in sun or light shade. It typically grows up to 15 to 20 feet tall with a spread of 5 to 10 feet.