How to Test Soil pH

easyGardening15 minutes4 steps

Safety Warnings

Avoid direct contact between lime and manure to prevent the rapid loss of nitrogen as ammonia gas.

Blue litmus paper — pH indicator strips

Moist soil — Handful sample from the garden area(1 handful)

Collect a handful of moist soil from the area intended for garden use.

Tip: Ensure the soil is moist for the litmus paper to react.

Take a piece of blue litmus paper and press it firmly upon the moist soil.

Tip: Direct contact between the paper and the soil is necessary for an accurate reading.

Observe the color change of the litmus paper.

Tip: If the blue paper turns red, it indicates the presence of excess acid.

Interpret the results to determine if liming is advisable.

Tip: Most vegetables succeed best in soil that is slightly alkaline.

Lime assists in making plant foods soluble and is best applied in the fall.
If applying lime in the spring, ensure manure is dug or plowed under first before spreading lime on the surface.

Synthesized from 3 verified sources:

Cornell Garden-Based LearningView →

Gutenberg: War Gardens GuideView →

Gutenberg: Manual of GardeningView →