pH Soil Test Kit
A pH soil test kit will tell you the condition of your garden soil. Why is this important? Well, to borrow a saying from our article vegetable fertilizer, "if you feed the soil the soil feeds the plants."
I'm sure you agree that seems to be a common sense approach to get
your vegetable garden off to a good start. But in reality, most beginner gardeners give little thought to their garden soil. Yes, some beginner gardeners will have the mind to pick up a bag or two of fertilizer when purchasing their vegetable plants, but rarely look to see what's in the fertilizer or if it's the right amendment for the vegetable plants they are intending to plant. Therefore, it should come as no surprise many if not most of their vegetable plants will wither and die.
All too often, I hear first-time vegetable gardeners tell me "I tired a vegetable garden last year and everything died." That discouragement for most beginner gardeners put and end to their gardening experience."
If that is you and you're up to giving vegetable gardening one more try, let's begin by adopting the practice of any experienced gardener. And, that starts with paying attention to the soil.
For vegetable plants to grow healthy and strong, they need a correct soil balance of minerals and nutrients. That is to say, your soil needs phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, calcium, magnesium and not be too acidic or too alkaline.
Why a pH Soil Test is Important
Experienced gardeners know all vegetable plants have a pH preference. To give an example, if you plan to grow potatoes and you amend your soil for such, then forget about growing radish in the same soil, because they will not like the pH level your potato plants demand, and your radish plants will keel over and die. So it is important to know the pH level of your soil for the type of vegetable plants you intend to plant. That is not to say you can't plant both, but if you do then separate the growing area for each and amend the soil accordingly. Another approach is to grow vegetables in the same soil area that enjoy the same pH level. That's where a pH soil test kit becomes an important tool to get your soil just right.
Fortunately, there are many vegetable plants that enjoy the same pH level of your soil and will grow happy and content next to each other. Below, I have included a chart of vegetable plants and the required pH level of your soil. All you need to do is match the pH level or be reasonably close for the vegetable plants you wish to grow. Next, amend your soil pH accordingly and test for accuracy with your pH soil test kit.
By approaching your garden planning and planting using this method of vegetable gardening, you will be off to a good start planting a successful vegetable garden.
pH Soil Test
| Vegetable | pH Range |
|---|---|
| Artichoke | 6.5 - 7.5 |
| Asparagus | 6.0 - 8.0 |
| Basil | 5.5 - 6.5 |
| Bean | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Beetroot | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Broccoli | 6.0 - 7.0 |
| Brussels Sprouts | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Cabbage | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Carrot | 5.5 - 7.0 |
| Cauliflower | 5.5 - 7.5 |
| Celery | 6.0 - 7.0 |
| Chicory | 5.0 - 6.5 |
| Chinese cabbage | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Chives | 6.0 - 7.0 |
| Corn-Sweet | 5.5 - 7.5 |
| Cress | 6.0 - 7.0 |
| Cucumber | 5.5 - 7.0 |
| Fennel | 5.0 - 6.0 |
| Garlic | 5.5 - 7.5 |
| Ginger | 6.0 - 8.0 |
| Horseradish | 6.0 - 7.0 |
| Kale | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Kohlrabi | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Leek | 6.0 - 8.0 |
| Lentil | 5.5 - 7.0 |
| Lettuce | 6.0 - 7.0 |
| Marjoram | 6.0 - 8.0 |
| Mint | 7.0 - 8.0 |
| Mushroom | 6.5 - 7.5 |
| Mustard | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Olive | 5.5 - 6.5 |
| Onion | 6.0 - 7.0 |
| Paprika | 7.0 - 8.5 |
| Parsley | 5.0 - 7.0 |
| Parsnip | 5.5 - 7.5 |
| Pea | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Peanut | 5.0 - 6.5 |
| Pecan | 4.0 - 6.0 |
| Pepper | 5.5 - 7.0 |
| Peppermint | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Pistachio | 5.0 - 6.0 |
| Potato | 4.5 - 6.0 |
| Potato-Sweet | 5.5 - 6.0 |
| Pumpkin | 5.5 - 7.5 |
| Radish | 6.0 - 7.0 |
| Rice | 5.0 - 6.5 |
| Rosemary | 5.0 - 6.0 |
| Sage | 5.5 - 6.5 |
| Shallot | 5.5 - 7.0 |
| Sorghum | 5.5 - 7.5 |
| Soybean | 5.5 - 6.5 |
| Spearmint | 5.5 - 7.5 |
| Spinach | 6.0 - 7.5 |
| Squash | 6.5 - 7.5 |
| Thyme | 5.5 - 7.0 |
| Tomato | 5.5 - 7.5 |
| Turnip | 5.5 - 7.0 |
| Water Cress | 6.0 - 8.0 |
I hope you find the above pH soil test chart useful when planning and planting your next vegetable garden. But don't stop here with this article, there's more great information you need to know to help your vegetables grow strong and healthy throughout the gardening season.
I encourage you to read our companion article vegetable fertilizer, or organic gardening for more information on growing a successful vegetable garden.
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Happy Gardening
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