What’s the pH level of your soil look like? It may consist of nothing more than a number ranging from 0 to 14 on paper, but it can have a significant impact on the health and overall quality of your landscape.
When the pH level becomes too low or too high, grass or plants won’t be able to grow. Thankfully, there’s a quick and easy solution to this problem, which we’re going to discuss further in today’s blog post.
Test Your Soil’s pH
First and foremost, you should test your soil’s pH to determine exactly how acidic it is. It’s a common assumption that a high pH level is indicative of a highly acidic environment, but this isn’t true.
On the contrary, the higher the pH, the lower the acidity. So, what’s a good pH level for your soil? It really depends on what you are trying to grow, as some trees, grasses and plants prefer more acidic environments than others.
With that said, keeping it somewhere between 5.8 and 6.5 should suffice for most plant growth.
Increasing Soil pH
There are several different ways to increase the pH level of your soil, one of which is to apply a limestone product. Limestone is alkaline, meaning it will make your soil less acidic.
You can apply granular or pelletized limestone to your soil in an effort to raise the pH. Keep in mind that finely ground limestone will have a faster effect on your soil’s pH when compared to using large chunks or pellets.
Wood ashes can also be used to increase the pH level of your soil. If you have a pile of ashes from burning yard scraps, try shoveling and spreading some throughout your yard.
Lowering Soil pH
If your soil’s pH is too high, you can lower it by using either aluminum sulfate or sulfur, both of which are readily available at most plant nurseries and garden centers in the Williamson County area.
You should work these ingredients into the soil, allowing rainwater to dissolve them. Much like the aforementioned limestone, the effectiveness of aluminum sulfate and sulfur lies heavily on its conversion rate (e.g. the ability to dissolve and assimilate into the soil). This is why it’s recommended that you also use finely ground granules instead of large chunks.
Your soil’s pH level won’t change overnight. It may take several days, or it could take a full week. Just keep testing it after applying the appropriate ingredient and you should notice a difference.
The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.
If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or
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