Soil pH Demystified: How to Achieve Optimal Growth for Your Crops”

what is soil PH?

soil PH basically is the soil alikalinity and soil acidity. PH values ranges from 0-14. Whereby; >7 that soil is alkaline, <7 that soil is acidic while 7 the soil is said to be neutral.

Fi.g 1. A diagram showing nutrients availability at different PH .

PH range for different crops.

Different crops require a specific PH for optimal yield. Some do well in slightly acidic soils others in slightly Alkaline soils. Most crops will perform better in a PH range of 5.5 to 6.5. However some crops are acidity or alkalinity tolerant.

crop	PH value
Vegetables	5.8-7.0
fruits	4.5-7.0
Grains and legumes	5.8-7.0
herbs	6.0-7.0

Symptoms of plants affected by soil acidity and alkalinity

• Nutrients deficiency e.g. yellowing, stunted growth, poor fruit formation etc
• Reduced root growth. e.g. root rot, reduced growth
• leaf malformation, curling and drop
• Reduced vigor and disease and pest susceptibility

How to determine your soil/media PH

To know the PH of your growing media you’ll need to do a PH test using PH meter or PH solutions. PH meter is the most reliable method as it will give the exact PH value of you media.

Fig. 2. PH meter

How do you correct/Adjust the PH?

Incase you find your Soil/Media PH value is great or less than the value your crop needs there’s always a solution. However this requires patience, because it takes time before you raise 1unit .

1. Raising Soil PH

incase your soil PH is low(acidic) you can raise the PH by Adding lime. Amount and when to apply lime depends with the current PH status, however it’s preferred to add Lime 3-6 months before planting.

2. Lowering the Soil PH

incase of Alkaline soil, add sulfur to lower the PH.

Gypsum is also used to improve soil structure. Continuous monitoring of the soil PH play a vital role in maintaining the right PH. Correct soil PH improves the microbial activities which in return avails nutrients for plant use.