How often do your thoughts turn to the soil under your feet? Most likely, you have never thought about it. It is vital to our existence. It is not only the surface of the earth, but it also holds our buildings and houses. We also rely on it for our food and plants including crops.
Many things can impact the quality of soil, including the chemicals we use on the land or those that seep in from other sources. We also use different building materials. The pH of the soil can be affected by the way we treat the land, and the products we use. This will directly impact the plants we can grow. For information on Contaminated Land Remediation, go to soilfix.co.uk/
You may not know these facts about soil pH:
The pH of the soil is the level of acidity or the alkalinity. The pH scale runs from 0-14 and is used to measure the acidity and alkalinity of other products. As the number drops below 7, the acidity increases. Alkalinity also increases as the number goes up from 8.
The pH of the soil can affect the type, amount and quality of nutrients available to plants at that soil location. Plants with yellowing leaves around the edges may be lacking iron. It is not a lack of nutrients, but a low level of acidity in the soil that allows the plant to produce iron that it can absorb.
You can adjust the pH level in several ways, but you must do so in a gradual and measured manner if your plants are already established. Use sulphur to reduce the pH and limestone to raise it. These are available in both pellet and powder form in most garden centres.
