5 ways to determine the acidity of the soil at home

Contents, after chemical reactions turn into ions, which are actively absorbed by plants. The more hydrogen ions left after the reactions, the greater the acidity of the soil. In an acidic environment, most horticultural crops are not free to grow and eat.

Low soluble salts perfectly dissolve in the acidic soil, the metal content increases. Because of this, the plants are poisoned, they accumulate harmful substances that prevent the entry of useful elements.

How to determine the acidity at home

To denote the measure of hydrogen activity and the degree of acidity, it is customary to use the pH value.

pH 7.0 is a neutral medium in the soil. This indicator corresponds to clean water. If the pH value is below 7.0, then the soil becomes acidic, above - alkaline.

Perhaps every gardener is concerned about the proper development of their crops. Therefore, the acidity of the soil can be determined independently.

Soil pH scale

Using the special device

Acquiring acidity with a special device is the easiest way. First you need to make a recess in the ground, after clearing it of foreign objects( stones, branches, grass).Then pour there pure distilled water, since only it has a neutral medium.

As soon as the water reacts with the ground and becomes dirty, the meter probe should be lowered into the water for 1 minute. After this, the instrument displays the acidity value.

pH meter for soil

On plants in the area

On acidic soil well grow cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplants, pumpkin, potatoes, sea buckthorn, currants, gooseberries, lemongrass, roses, geranium, peonies, daffodils, tulips.

Cabbage, beans, peas, carrots, beets, radishes, celery, parsley, apple, pear, plum, cherry, raspberries, garden strawberries, dahlias, irises feel great in the soil with neutral medium .

The plants that prefer the alkaline soil include: cornel, barberry, hawthorn, arnica, lilac, juniper, cedar, quince, purple, apricot, mulberry, edelweiss, lavanda.

bean grows well on neutral ground

weeds

In an acidic environment prefer to grow: sedge, willow-wheat, fern, plantain, horse sorrel, field horsetail, rosemary, mint field, heather, cornflower, bloodroot, tricolor violet,dandelion, clover, chamomile.

Neutral environment attracts adonis, sow thistle, field bindweed, nettle, quinoa, red clover, shepherd's bag.

Chicory, spotted milkweed, thyme, sage, Badan, thistle, mustard grow in alkaline soil.

Euphorbia spotty prefers alkaline soil

Using chalk

Two full tablespoons of the ground from the plot should be put in a bottle. Then pour five tablespoons of warm water and a teaspoon of chalk, previously ground into powder, into it. Put the rubber fingertip on the bottle, removing air from it. After that, you should shake it.

If the fingertip straightens out, it means the soil is acidic. If it is inflated only by half, it is slightly acid. If changes do not occur - neutral.

Determination of acidity with chalk: the fingertip did not swell, so the soil is neutral

Litmus paper

Determination of acidity using test strips is the most accurate method. You can buy them in stores for gardeners. They are sold in the form of a set of 50 - 100 strips together with a color scale of pH values.

For the experiment, place the ground and clean water in a 1: 4 ratio, after which everything must be mixed well.

After the appearance of the earthen sediment, put litmus paper in water for a few seconds. Within one minute, a color should appear on the strip by which the soil pH can be easily determined.

Litmus indicator for determining soil acidity - the most reliable and time-tested method.

How to decrease or increase acidity at the cottageThere are several ways to do this:

1. Lime, previously slaked with water, is applied to the soil per 1 hundred square meters:

• , the strongly acidic pH level is 50-75 kg;
• medium-acid - 45-45 kg;
• weak acid - 25-35 kg.

1. With the help of limestone flour( another name is dolomitic), it is possible not only to reduce the acidity of the earth, but also to saturate it with magnesium, calcium, and also other trace elements. But this method will be inferior in speed slaked lime.

The finer the dolomite flour, the faster the chemical reactions will take place in the soil.

Calculate the required amount of flour is not difficult:

• highly acidic medium - 500-600 grams per 1m2;
• medium acid - 450-500 grams per 1m2;
• is slightly acidic - 350-450 grams per 1m2.

1. Calcium-containing substances can also lower the pH level:

• Crushed chalk to 1m2 will add 300 grams to the highly acidic soil, 300 grams to the medium acidic soil, and 100 grams to light acid.
• Peat ash should be fertilized with a measure that is 4 times higher than the chalk application rate.
• Wood ash is used at the rate of 100-200 grams per 1m2.

1. The most convenient way to deoxidize the soil is to buy special means to normalize the soil.

In case the soil is alkaline, it must be acidified:

1. With the help of organic matter, such as fresh manure, sheet compost, high-moor peat, moss-sphagnum, rotted sawdust and needles. These substances slowly acidify the earth, but act for a long time.
2. Mineral compounds will help reduce the alkalinity of the environment faster than organic:

• Colloidal sulfur significantly increases acidity. It is necessary to make it for the winter to a depth of 10-15 cm. The result will appear in about a year.
• Iron sulphate is faster, for this you need to take 0.5 kg of substance for 10m2.

1. The fastest method is to use acid solutions:

• dilute 50 ml of sulfuric acid in 10 liters of water. This volume is designed for 1m2 garden plot;
• 1-2 tablespoons of citric acid mixed with 10 liters of water.

The level of soil acidity is the most important indicator of plant growth and development. For the absolute majority of horticultural and fruit crops, a neutral environment is most favorable. To achieve such conditions, you can timely deoxidizing or acidifying the soil.