Soil pH Scale, Soil pH Importance, Soil pH Meter Cost

Soil pH Importance, Soil pH Scale in Agriculture

Today, let us talk about the importance of soil pH, soil pH scale and its significance in soil fertility along with soil pH meters and soil pH testing kits.

First and foremost, we should know what is soil pH? Well, the soil pH is defined as a measure of soil acidity or alkalinity. Why should we test the soil for pH? Well, different crops grow with different soil pH Conditions. For growing crops on a commercial scale, one should carry out the soil pH test foe finding the soil fertility. Actually, the soil test not only tells us the pH Value but also other nutrients and micronutrients in the soil.

Every soil pH meter will have a pH scale with readings. Usually, a soil pH scale will have 0 to 14 readings. If the soil pH value is below 7 then it is considered as acidic. If it is above 7 then it is considered as alkaline. If it is 7, which is considered as neutral. However, some trees and plants may thrive outside the range of the soil pH scale. In case of too low or too high soil pH conditions, the plant growth and crop yield may be affected. Your plant leaves may turn into yellow due to low iron in the soil. This is because, too much of pH in the soil will disrupt the process of nutrient absorption of the plant. You may question yourself that how the soil pH is measured?, the answer is you can do this on your own by taking soil samples in different places of the field or you can send the collected soil samples to the soil testing lab. You can get DIY (do it yourself) soil testing kits and soil pH meters online. You can purchase these soil pH meters on Amazon, which can cost about Rs.1000 to Rs.2000. It will cost more incase if you want to test the soil health indicators (like  Copper, Boron, Molebdinum, Iron, Cobalt, Silicon, and Mangnese) other than N, P, K.

Read: Vermiculture Process.

You should always balance the soil pH by using organic compost, manure. You can also consider applying sulfur, aluminum sulfate. You should ensure to till the materials into the soil and don’t forget rinse the plants after the application. As we said, On the soil pH scale, 0.0 is considered as the most acidic and 14.0 as the most alkaline. So what is the ideal soil pH?, the optimum soil pH range for healthy plant growth would be 5.5 to 8.0. You can add the Pulverized limestone to the soil to adjust the soil acidity.

How to collect the soil samples to test soil pH? You should dig randomly in the field and collect the soil (6 inches deep from the surface) from 10 to 15 places. Mix all the samples well and put it in plastic bags before sending to a soil testing lab. You can collect the soil just before 2 to 3 months of planting. This soil analysis will tell you the physical attributes and fertility of soil. Usually, you need a clean plastic bucket, and a shovel for the soil collection. The conclusion is, the  soil pH importance should be considered for healthy crop or plant growth. So one must have a have soil pH test kit for thier home  garden or commercial agricultural purposes.

Read: Growing Pearl Millet.