Soil can be tested for its pH, which varies greatly between acid and alkaline, according to constituent elements and environment.
Soils, like all substances, can be tested for pH balance, or how acid or alkaline it is. If your soil is alkaline, a pH test will give results between 7.0 and 14.0. The alkaline in soil may be traced to a number of its constituent elements or environmental factors. Depending on what you wish to plant in the soil, you may decide to change the soil pH by adding specific elements to counteract high alkalinity. For example, blueberries require highly acidic soils. On the other hand, olive trees thrive in the alkaline soils of the Mediterranean.
Rainfall
Climate can dramatically affect a soil's pH. In areas with high rainfall, the soil tends to be quite acidic. In these regions, you can find azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and blueberries flourishing. In prairie lands with moderate rainfall, you tend to find soil with neutral pH readings and a broad variety of plants. In low-rainfall areas, you typically find alkaline plants, including acacia, cabbage, date palms, eucalyptus, geranium, olive and thyme.
Limestone
One reason for alkaline soil is the presence of lime or limestone-derived particles on the soil. For this reason, gardeners may add ground or powdered lime to the soil to combat excessive acidity. The amount of lime necessary varies depending upon the soil texture; clay will require more of it than sand, for example. As another form of calcium, some gardeners may also add oyster shells to their soil to raise alkalinity.
Wood Ashes
Wood ashes may also raise soil alkalinity, and are frequently used by gardeners to neutralize acidic soil. This is because wood ash can contain 70 percent calcium carbonate in addition to trace elements including potassium and phosphorus. If you have had brush fires or bonfires and mixed the debris with surrounding soil, you may have inadvertently caused high alkaline levels. A relatively small amount of wood ash can raise pH tremendously; two pounds can make an appreciable difference over 100 square feet of soil, its effects lasting for years.
Fertilizers
The type of fertilizer you use may affect your soil's pH, sometimes causing high alkaline levels. Manures sometimes contain high degrees of soluble salts, which have a high pH. Sulfur or commercial gypsum can be added to the soil to rid the soil of excess sodium and indirectly reduce alkalinity. On the other hand, using chemical fertilizers with high nitrogen contents may make your soil more acidic.If you're uncertain of your soil's pH level, using natural compost tends to maintain a relatively neutral pH level.
Related posts
Alkaline solutions have a pH greater than 7.Alkaline, or basic, soils have a pH greater than 7. Different plants have different tolerance ranges for pH; some plants don't mind a higher pH, while o...
Soil is important for plants because their roots absorb from soil the water and nutrients necessary for proper plant growth and flower and fruit development. The necessary nutrients vary by plant,...
Lime, or gardening lime, is a powder that is made from crushed limestone. It is used as a soil additive, usually to lower the acid level of soil to improve plant growth. You should test the PH of...
Soil tests vary based on compounds and measurement devices.Soils are tested for important nutrients like sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, along with many other minerals and compounds. The...
Many lime treatments are derived from limestone.If your soil is too acidic to grow a certain kind of plant, you can add lime to make it more alkaline. This effectively raises the soil's pH, a meas...
