Changing Soil pH

Changing Soil pH

Soil pH is important for plants because it affects the availability of nutrients. While the ideal range for pH is 6.0–6.5, some plants prefer higher or lower pH. Use a soil test to determine the pH of your soil. If you need to change it, the UC Vegetable Information and Research Center has an article on Changing pH in Soil.

UC Publication 8488: What Is pH and Why Do We Care?

    • Related Articles

    • Soil Testing

      The UC Master Gardeners do not offer a soil testing service. If you're interested in learning more about the composition of your soil, you should contact a commercial laboratory. Inexpensive do-it-yourself soil test kits are available but not all are ...

    • Checking Soil Moisture

      You don't have to have a soil moisture meter to determine if your soil is moist enough. Checking directly for both moisture and water penetration depth is a good practice for understanding how well your plants are watered. For trees or other ...

    • Chill Hours

      Many fruits and nuts require a certain number of chill hours in order to produce. The UC Home Orchard website describes chilling as "the number of hours below 45°F, is an important climatic factor that influences bud break, fruit set, and fruit ...

    • Composting

      The UCCE Composting Education Program is a partnership with the cities and county of Santa Clara to educate the community about composting. Their website has a lot of information about composting including: A summary of composting basics A schedule ...

    • Can I grow new fruit from my avocado pit?

      You can often sprout an avocado pit by placing it in moist soil or suspending the bottom (opposite the taper) in water. It can be a fun project, but not all avocado seeds germinate. If they do grow, they may not produce fruit. And if they produce ...