Plant Gardens 101

pH is a gardening term used to reflect the acidity or alkalinity of a soil. The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14, with 1 being very acid and 14 being very alkaline. A pH reading of 7 is considered neutral. Most soils, due to climatic conditions, tend to be a little on the acidic side and these soils may need to have their alkalinity levels raised (meaning they may need to be “limed”). In dry arid climates soils are often on the alkaline side and for good gardening, they will need to have pH their levels lowered. Usually a phone call to your local county Extension office can give you a general idea of soil pH in your area. For site or garden specific information, the Extension Service offers soil collection kits and for a nominal fee, will provide the lab service needed for measuring your soil’s pH. They will also make specific liming or acidifying recommendation for your garden.

Different plants prefer different pH levels, however, as a general rule, most plants thrive in a pH range between 6.0 to 6.8. Some favorite Cottage Farms garden plants like azaleas, blueberries, and rhododendrons actually do better in more acid soils (pH 5.0-6.0). Hydrangeas do well anywhere from 5.0-6.8, but the flower color may be affected (blue flowers in acid soils and pink in more neutral soils). Having the optimum pH range insures proper nutrient availability and allows fertilizers to more readily absorbed by the roots, so checking your garden’s pH is important to insure gardening success. (more…)

It can mean the difference between life and death of your koi fish!

Alkaline Koi Ponds

Generally speaking, alkaline conditions are more common than acidic in ponds, especially the newer ones. If the pH remains over 8.5 for any length of time, the koi fish will become stressed or diseased. Here are some helpful examples:

Symptoms

• Lethargic or listless fish due to damaged mucus coating; prone to fungal infection and other disease

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The pH level is a scale that displays how acidic or alkaline something is. A pH level less than 7 means, whatever it is you are testing is dominantly acidic and a level over 7 means it is more alkaline. If you get a reading of 7 that means it is neutral which is normally water.

Simply just getting the pH reading is not enough. Once you have that reading you need to know how to make adjustments in your soil for optimum growth of the vegetables that you are planting.

Here is how you can raise and lower your soil’s pH level in your home vegetable garden.

Before you can do anything to your soil you have to know what the pH level is. The best way to obtain this reading is with a pH soil testing kit from your local home or garden center. They are as inexpensive as five bucks or as complicated and expensive as a hundred dollars. The choice of which one you get is up to you. (more…)

The pH of your lawn soil is an important factor that affects how your lawn grasses will grow. The pH value is an indicator that tells you whether your soil is acidic or alkaline. A balanced soil pH will ensure that your grasses are growing optimally.

First of all, you need to do a soil test to find out the pH value. You can do this in two ways. The first is to buy a do-it-yourself soil pH test kit at any nursery near you and follow the instructions provided by the kit. The result is not highly reliable but it is enough to give you an approximate pH value.

The other way is to let a soil test lab do the test for you. Obviously this is more expensive than the first option but the result is much more complete and reliable. Moreover, the lab result often contains much more information about your soil and not just the pH value. A good lab report will also advise you the remedial action to take if the test reveal any potential problems with your lawn. (more…)

Adjusting pH Levels in a Hydroponics System

Instructions for adjusting pH levels:

pH control is essential for stimulating vigorous plant growth. Nutrient solution pH that is too high (basic) or too low (acidic) cannot be properly absorbed by plants. Incorrect nutrient solution pH can slow growth, and can also lead to sickly plants and low yields. The pH scale measures acidity or alkalinity on a scale of 0 to 14. Below seven the pH is acidic. Above seven the pH is alkaline. 7.0 is neutral. The best pH for plant growth is generally in the range of 5.5 to 6.5; which is slightly acidic. There are several causes for incorrect nutrients solution pH. Tap water used to mix nutrients solution often contains minerals and impurities that can affect nutrient pH. Properly growing plants consume different nutrients at different rates, thus altering the solutions original pH. Nutrient pH within the range 5.5 to 6.5 you can you can assure you are crop maximum availability of all your nutrient minerals. This will give you higher growth rates, higher yields and healthier plants. Healthy plants have much higher tolerances for infestation and disease. Test and adjust nutrients solution every few days to maintain proper pH levels. Change your hydroponic solution once every 2 to 3 weeks

1. The optimal pH level for most plants is 5.5. (more…)

A measure of the hydrogen ion content of a substance, and thus a means of expressing the acidity or alkalinity of garden soil, soilless mixes, rain or irrigation water, fertilizer solutions, or pond water. See also pH scale.

Soil with a pH higher than 7. Commonly found in low-rainfall regions.

Rainwater that is acidic because it contains sulfur dioxide and other pollutants emitted from some industrial facilities. In parts of the United States and Canada, acid rain has damaged and even caused the death of forest trees many hundreds of miles from the source of the emissions.

Soil with a pH lower than 7. Commonly found in high-rainfall regions. A pH of 6 is considered slightly acid, pH 5 is acid, and pH 4 is very acid. Many garden plants thrive in soil with a pH between 6 and 7. See also pH.

Compost will take care of most soil’ shortcomings, but it will not guarantee the right degree of acidity or alkalinity, which is measured on a pH scale that runs from 0, for extremely acid to 7, for neutral, to 14, for extremely alkaline.

The correct level of pH in your soil is just as important as your compost. Most vegetables, fruits and herbs thrive in soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0, but each has its own “favorite” range. If your soil does not fall within the proper range for the plants you’re growing, you should correct it by adding the proper materials. You can easily determine the pH of your soil with an inexpensive kit sold at garden centers, or by taking or sending a soil sample to your local agricultural extension service for testing.

To raise the pH of an overly acid soil ½ to 1 unit, add 5 pounds of finely ground limestone to each 100 square feet of planting area. To lower the pH of alkaline soils, use either finely ground sulfur, which is slow acting but relatively long-lasting, or iron sulfate or aluminum sulfate, which work quickly but dissipate more rapidly in the soil. One half pound of ground sulfur or 3 pounds of iron or aluminum sulfate per 100 square feet will lower the pH by ½ to 1 unit. For especially heavy soils, increase all these amounts by about 1/3.   (more…)