Changing the pH Levels
Testing your soil is the first important step to learning about what is going on in the ground, and why certain plants that you have will not grow or produce, as they should. Testing your soil is easy and takes just a few minutes. After testing your soil, you will know if your soil has a pH level that is too high or one that is too low.

Posted Thursday, April 6, 2006

Testing your soil in the spring or in the fall after crops have been grown is optimal, as plants are going to use up certain nutrients from the soil to help in growth.

So, What is pH?

Testing your soil, and testing the pH levels of your soil, means you are looking to see how high the potential hydrogen or free hydrogen is in your soil. To change the pH or hydrogen levels in your soil you use two different elements; lime and sulfur.

The more organic matter in your soil, and the more your soil has been overturned and added to with organic materials, the more resistant the soil will be to change. Meaning if you have been adding organic materials to your soil for years, it is going to take a few seasons working with the soil to change the pH levels again.

If you have a loose, very sandy-like soil, it is going to be easier to change the pH levels. Loam soil, with the heavier organic matter, takes much longer to see changes.

For soils that are high in acid, adding lime, limestone or dolomite is going to bring the pH levels higher so that your plants, grass and your gardens will grow better.

If you have a very sandy loose soil, you should be adding about four to five pounds of limestone per one hundred square foot.

If you have a very sandy but loam type soil, you will need to add a higher amount of limestone, about six to seven pounds of limestone per one hundred square feet.

For loam type soil, one that is heavy in clay and organic matter combined, you should add about seven to eight pounds of limestone per one hundred square foot to change the pH levels of your soil.

For the heaviest soils, the clay soils, you can add even more limestone to your tasks. Spread seven to ten pounds of limestone over your landscape to help breakdown the clay in the soil and to balance out the pH levels a little more.