Each of the Ways to Test and Balance the PH of Soil

There are four main ways to test soil and potting mix PH including:

• Baking soda and vinegar

• PH meters

• PH testing kits

• Litmus strips

A plant’s PH level needs will vary based on where they come from naturally. 6.5 is an ideal PH level for most plants, but does change with the genus and where they come from naturally. Tropical plants that grow natively in the Amazon may thrive in 4.17 to 4.94 PH levels (more acidic) which is the common PH level of Amazon soil. Desert soil (depending on the desert) will be much higher with a median at 8.64.

If you have tropical plants like Hoya, Monstera, and Philodendron, you’ll want a lower number, and plants like Cacti or Succulents will need higher levels. Most plants will be fine in the 5 to 7 range, so don’t panic if you have a mix of plants and only one bag of potting mix. If you’re curious about the level your plants are in, here’s how each test works.

The baking soda and vinegar test is an easy DIY way to test the PH balance of your soil or potting mix.

You will need:

• Two clean and dry containers

• Bottled or distilled water as it has to be alkaline neutral

• White vinegar

• Baking soda

• A clean spoon or stick

To run the test:

1. Dig up soil from between 4 and 6 inches down where the roots are absorbing nutrients from outdoor soil, and 3 to 5 inches down in a potted plant indoors for potting mix.

2. Divide the soil or potting mix evenly into the two clean and dry containers but don’t fill them up, the goal is to make a slurry.

3. Add a little bit of the alkaline neutral water (make sure to measure how much) so you can make a slurry (a liquidy mud with particles that haven’t absorbed into liquid form) by using the wooden stick or spoon to stir the water and dirt mixture.

4. Now add an equal part white vinegar as you had water (if ⅓ cup for the slurry, use ⅓ cup for vinegar and baking soda) to the first container, and add an equal part of baking soda to the other.

5. If the sample with vinegar fizzes it means there is a high level of alkaline, and if the sample with baking soda fizzes it means the sample is acidic. More bubbling or fizzing means the levels are stronger.

The downside to this test is you don’t get an actual number, only an indication of how alkaline or how acidic the potting mix or soil is. The good news is you can adjust fairly easily to balance it out.

The PH meter test is a very easy one to do.

You will need:

• One clean and dry container

• Bottled or distilled water as it has to be alkaline neutral

• A clean spoon or stick

To run the test:

1. Dig up soil from between 4 and 6 inches down where the roots are absorbing nutrients from outdoor soil, and 3 to 5 inches down in a potted plant indoors for potting mix.

2. Put the soil or potting mix into the clean and dry container but don’t fill it up, the goal is to make a slurry.

3. Add a little bit of the alkaline neutral water (make sure to measure how much) so you can make a slurry (a liquidy mud with particles that haven’t absorbed into liquid form) by using the wooden stick or spoon to stir the water and dirt mixture.

4. Now put the PH meter into the slurry.

The PH meter is now going to measure the hydrogen ion activity which will let it know what the PH balance is. Once you have the range you’ll know if the PH is balanced or which way to adjust it.

Each testing kit is different, so you’ll want to read the instructions on the package. What some packages won’t tell you is that you may want to separate out the soil samples and label them for the sections of your yard they came from.

For example you may have five soil samples you want to test. Put a piece of tape or paper on the table and label the area of your yard, or the pots the plants live in on the paper or tape strips. Some plants may cause soil to get more acidic when debris begins biodegrading like pine needles, so if you have pine trees in a part of your yard and not others, the soil may have a different PH level.

Another could be houseplants as they have different PH needs. If you know when each houseplant was last potted or is due for repotting, you can make a safer assumption on if you should repot now, or simply modify the PH levels if it's too alkaline or acidic.

This test is one of the easiest to do.

You will need:

• One clean and dry container

• Bottled or distilled water as it has to be alkaline neutral

• A clean spoon or stick

• A litmus strip and its matching color chart

To run the test:

1. Dig up soil from between 4 and 6 inches down where the roots are absorbing nutrients from outdoor soil, and 3 to 5 inches down in a potted plant indoors for potting mix.

2. Put the soil or potting mix into the clean and dry container but don’t fill it up, the goal is to make a slurry.

3. Dip the litmus strip into the slurry for 30 seconds up to the water line or however long it says on the kit and remove it.

4. Now line the litmus strip up to the color chart and once you find the closest color match you know the PH of the soil or potting mix.

Now that you know how to test the potting mix or soil, here’s how to raise and lower the PH balance to keep your plants thriving.

Raising and lowering the PH levels of potting mix and soil is easy, you just need to pick a method that works for you. It’s a matter of reducing or increasing the acids and bases (alkaline levels). The amounts will change based on how high or low you need to raise it, and the amount of soil or potting mix you’re applying it to.

Ways to raise soil and potting mix PH levels include adding:

• Ground agricultural lime like calcium carbonate

• Wood ash

• Crushed egg and oyster shells

• Baking soda like in the test above

• Pearl ash

Ways to lower soil and potting mix PH levels include adding:

• Aluminum or iron sulfate

• Peat or sphagnum moss

• Elemental sulfur

• Coffee grounds

• A bit of while vinegar like in the test above

PH levels in soil and potting mix determine how much or how little nutrition a plant can get. Raising and lowering the levels can be as easy as adding coffee grounds or crushed egg shells to the mix. Or you can buy bags of potting mix that are already balanced like our Dirt Bag or Coco Bag.