You can conduct your own simple soil test using common household ingredients to find out if the ph of the soil in your yard or garden is acidic or alkaline. Acidity or alkalinity is measured on a scale ranging from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline) with 7 being neutral. Most plants prefer soil in the neutral to slightly acidic range (pH of 6-7).
How to Perform a Homemade Soil Test
- Put a soil sample in two small containers.
- Mix a little water to the soil in each container to dampen the soil.
- Add baking soda to one of the containers. If the baking soda causes the soil to bubble, it indicates that the soil is acidic with a pH below 7.
- Add vinegar to the other container. If the vinegar causes the soil to bubble, it indicates that the soil is alkaline with a pH above 7.
While not as accurate as a professional soil test, this simple homemade soil test will tell you whether your soil is generally acidic or alkaline. Watch this video to find out more.
Further Information
- Soil Test (video)
- Soil Evaluation (video)
- How to Correct Soil pH in Your Yard (article)
- What Is the Right Soil pH for Your Lawn or Garden (article)
Its seems to be well with the experience of the test conducted by kitchen instruments. please is there a manual for this testing. .so what kind of water is it a distilled water, what must be the structure of a soil which is alkaline or acidic?A sand soil could be acidic or alkaline? where i live some of the water used by the community is salty. maybe this indicates that the soil might be acidic. so if it is acidic what are the recomended ingredients?
How to test your soil close to the river