How to Test the Soil's Acidity

When the time comes to beautify your lawn and gardens with new landscaping, it is vital to know the acidity of your soil. This will help determine what types of vegetation will grow best in your yard, as well as whether additional fertilization or composting needs to be added to bring the soil to the proper acidity level. Here are some methods for testing the soil's acidity in your yard.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hydrangea plant
• Home acidity test kit

The Old Fashioned Way

1. Buy and plant a hydrangea plant.

2. Watch the flowers and see if they change color. If the blooms are blue, the soil is acidic. If the blooms are pink, it is alkaline.

The Laboratory Method

3. Buy a home acidity test kit. This will measure the pH level to determine the soil's acidity.

4. Follow the directions that come with the kit. More than likely, it will ask you to add a little soil and a little powder to the test kit.

5. Determine the acidity in the soil by the test's calculations. Soil is considered acidic if the pH level is less than 7.0 and alkaline if it is over 7.0. The higher the hydrogen levels, the lower the pH, thus making the soil acidic.