What is soil pH in layman's language?

Question

How to determine soil pH using a layman's tool?

Answer 1

Soil pH is the pH of soil water. It is based on the measurement of pH, which depends on the activity of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution. There are many different methods to collect soil water, all which influence the measured soil pH in one way or another .

The majority of food crops prefer a neutral or slightly acidic soil. Some plants however prefer more acidic (e.g., potatoes, strawberries) or alkaline (brassicas) conditions.

Answer 2

Be careful while experimenting this. In laymens language acid and alkali tastes different. So the simplest method for layman could be to put little amount of soil on the tip of tongue. But best practice could be to use pH paper strip or pH meter. Also one can test it using turmeric. In acidic condition it turns red.

Answer 3

the soil reaction

Answer 4

The reaction of the water mixed that particular soil.

Answer 5

In layman's terms, it is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. To measure it, get a test kit at a garden supply store and follow the directions on the box.

Answer 6

IT'S THE "SWEETNESS" OR ALKALINITY VERSUS THE ACIDITY OF THE SOIL.

Answer 7

pH stands for "Potential Hydrogen", it is basically hydrogen particles in a particular thing (soil, water, human body and every thing in this universe), to understand the acidity or alkalinity at a glance chemists have made a pH scale.

The pH scale is a measure of how acidic or basic a solution is. The scale has 0 to 14 numbers and intermediates. As you climb down the ladder each step is 10 times more acidic the lower one. No 7 being neutral, lower the number soil is Acidic and higher Alkaline.

There is no visual taste or home made test to judge this, you have to get the kit and follow instructions.

Answer 8

The degree of acidity or alkalinity in soil is expressed as a number and is called pH. What's really being measured is the concentration of hydrogen (H) ions -- the more hydrogen ions there are, the more acid the thing being measured is.  A clever scientist developed the pH scale. It runs from 0 to 14, where neutral is right in the middle at 7.0. Less than 7.0 is acidic (sour) and more is alkaline (sweet).

Why is pH is so important in gardening? Because soil acidity or alkalinity directly affects plant growth. If a soil is too sour or too sweet, plants cannot take up nutrients like nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). And plants need specific amounts of those compounds--just like we need proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins to grow--to thrive and fight off disease and stress.

Did you know?  Farmers and gardeners used to taste their soil to determine its pH. If it had a sweet taste or smell, it was alkaline. A sour taste meant it was acid.

In the Philippines, soil testing may be done using a testing kit through the Bureau of Soil and Water Management or the Department of Agriculture nearest you.  Also similar tests may be facilitated by the Soil Science Laboratory of various Agriculture State Colleges and Universities throught the country.  

For information on the following:

- pH from a practical gardening standpoint;

- Why pH is so important in gardening;

- Nutrient uptake and pH;

- the pH scale;

- Plant Preferences for pH Chart;

- How to use the information in the chart;

- Why soil pH varies so much;

- How to correct pH in soil and more;

Visit the this link.

http://www.plantea.com/pH.htm

pH analysis made easy:

http://www.eutechinst.com/index.html

http://www.joe.org/joe/2001august/tt3.ht...