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.
