How to determine the acidity of the soil

Do you constantly bring minerals and fertilizer to the garden, and the result is significantly lower than expected? We advise you to pay attention to the pH level of the soil. For each plant there is its optimal soil acidity. That is why it is necessary to determine the acid-alkaline balance of the soil to determine the acid-alkaline balance of the soil on the site and obtain a good harvest.

The easiest way is the visual observation of weeds:

On very acidic soils grow: the slide ripper, the horsetail, the moc., The plantain, the spikelets are fragrant, mint, the Eask, Ivan-Da-Marya, the violet is tricolor, moss.
Lucerne, drinking, clover, coltsfoot, field wildlife, chamomile smelly, rosehip, buried the burdock preferred with weak acidity.
For lands with a neutral reaction are characterized by nettle, daisy medicinal, swan, red clover.
Alkaline soil plants: Wild poppy, plantain Lancing, white drill, bellyness, dressing chain, field mustard.

Consider only weeds historically peculiar to this area, eliminating those that could be brought with manure or peat, as well as animals.

If you often delete weeds with chemicals or thanks to the hard work you have practically clean beds, then the acidity indicator will come to help you. The leaves at the plant are completely red - the soil is acidic, green with red bodies - ground with a weakly acidic reaction, fully green - neutral pH.

At home, you can test the test using an ordinary table of 9% vinegar. Take the handful of earth, put on the dark surface and drip a pair of liquid drops. Stormy foaming and "hiss" is characteristic of alkaline soil, moderate - neutral reaction, no foam is not at all - the soil is sour.

More accurately set the pH level with the use of lactium paper. The acidity of soil on the surface and in depth can differ significantly due to fertilizers, dust or precipitation. For gardens, indicators are more informative at the location of the root system of cultures. Therefore, on each bed, it is necessary to dig a hole with a depth of 30-35 cm and take the land samples from there. Place each sample separately in the ass and fill with distilled water, so that it covers the ground only for centimeter. Mix thoroughly, let the solution stand for several hours, drain the translucent layer and profile. Place the indicator paper into the liquid, remove and compare the color changes with the reference scale for the pH.

Now, multifunctional meters for soil appeared on sale, which show not only acidity, but also humidity, soil temperature, as well as the intensity of sunlight. To obtain data, it is enough to just stick the terminal of the device to the ground and wait for numbers on the display. Using this apparatus, follow the same research rules as with lactium paper: take the indicators at the depth of the bayonet shovel, check different sections.

Of course, the most accurate and correct result can only be obtained by contacting the agrochemical laboratory. In the same place, you can learn other important types of soil: the content of trace elements, electrical conductivity, mechanical composition.

Many believe that acidic soil is a priori bad land for beds and a garden. But this is not so. Sorrel, beans, pumpkin, potatoes and peppers prefer precisely acidic soil with pH 5.0-6.5. And on a strong ground soil, at the pH level below 5.0, the cranberries, blueberry, lingonberry, juniper and rowan are eagerly growing.