What is your soil’s pH level? Every plant prefers a different level of acidity. Use this Soil pH Chart to find which pH level is best for your plants. Then, you can adjust the pH level, accordingly.
A pH of 6.5 is just about right for most home gardens, since most plants thrive in the 6.0 to 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral) range. Some plants (blueberries, azaleas) prefer more strongly acidic soil, while a few (ferns, asparagus) do best in soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline. Acidic (sour) soil is counteracted by applying finely ground limestone, and alkaline (sweet) soil is treated with gypsum (calcium sulfate) or ground sulfur.
How to find out your soil pH? You can get a soil test—which is free or available for a small fee from your local cooperative extension. Here’s another way to figure out your soil type.
Once you figure out your soil pH, you can change or adjust it. The level of acidity will specify the amount of lime or sulfur that is needed to bring it up or down to the appropriate level.
Soil pH Levels for Plants
| Common Name | Optimum pH Range |
|---|---|
|
Trees and Shrubs |
|
| Apple | 5.0-6.5 |
| Ash | 6.0-7.5 |
| Azalea | 4.5-6.0 |
| Basswood | 6.0-7.5 |
| Beautybush | 6.0-7.5 |
| Birch | 5.0-6.5 |
| Blackberry | 5.0-6.0 |
| Blueberry | 4.0-6.0 |
| Boxwood | 6.0-7.5 |
| Cherry, sour | 6.0-7.0 |
| Chestnut | 5.0-6.5 |
| Crab apple | 6.0-7.5 |
| Dogwood | 5.0-7.0 |
| Elder, box | 6.0-8.0 |
| Fir, balsam | 5.0-6.0 |
| Fir, Douglas | 6.0-7.0 |
| Hemlock | 5.0-6.0 |
| Hydrangea, blue-flowered | 4.0-5.0 |
| Hydrangea, pink-flowered | 6.0-7.0 |
| Juniper | 5.0-6.0 |
| Laurel, mountain | 4.5-6.0 |
| Lemon | 6.0-7.5 |
| Lilac | 6.0-7.5 |
| Maple, sugar | 6.0-7.5 |
| Oak, white | 5.0-6.5 |
| Orange | 6.0-7.5 |
| Peach | 6.0-7.0 |
| Pear | 6.0-7.5 |
| Pecan | 6.4-8.0 |
| Pine, red | 5.0-6.0 |
| Pine, white | 4.5-6.0 |
| Plum | 6.0-8.0 |
| Raspberry, red | 5.5-7.0 |
| Rhododendron | 4.5-6.0 |
| Spruce | 5.0-6.0 |
| Walnut, black | 6.0-8.0 |
| Willow | 6.0-8.0 |
|
Vegetables |
|
| Asparagus | 6.0-8.0 |
| Bean, pole | 6.0-7.5 |
| Beet | 6.0-7.5 |
| Broccoli | 6.0-7.0 |
| Brussels sprout | 6.0-7.5 |
| Cabbage | 6.0-7.0 |
| Carrot | 5.5-7.0 |
| Cauliflower | 5.5-7.5 |
| Celery | 5.8-7.0 |
| Chive | 6.0-7.0 |
| Cucumber | 5.5-7.0 |
| Garlic | 5.5-8.0 |
| Kale | 6.0-7.5 |
| Lettuce | 6.0-7.0 |
| Pea, sweet | 6.0-7.5 |
| Pepper, sweet | 5.5-7.0 |
| Potato | 4.8-6.5 |
| Pumpkin | 5.5-7.5 |
| Radish | 6.0-7.0 |
| Spinach | 6.0-7.5 |
| Squash, crookneck | 6.0-7.5 |
| Squash, Hubbard | 5.5-7.0 |
| Tomato | 5.5-7.5 |
|
Flowers |
|
| Alyssum | 6.0-7.5 |
| Aster, New England | 6.0-8.0 |
| Baby’s breath | 6.0-7.0 |
| Bachelor’s button | 6.0-7.5 |
| Bee balm | 6.0-7.5 |
| Begonia | 5.5-7.0 |
| Black-eyed Susan | 5.5-7.0 |
| Bleeding heart | 6.0-7.5 |
| Canna | 6.0-8.0 |
| Carnation | 6.0-7.0 |
| Chrysanthemum | 6.0-7.5 |
| Clematis | 5.5-7.0 |
| Coleus | 6.0-7.0 |
| Coneflower, purple | 5.0-7.5 |
| Cosmos | 5.0-8.0 |
| Crocus | 6.0-8.0 |
| Daffodil | 6.0-6.5 |
| Dahlia | 6.0-7.5 |
| Daisy, Shasta | 6.0-8.0 |
| Daylily | 6.0-8.0 |
| Delphinium | 6.0-7.5 |
| Foxglove | 6.0-7.5 |
| Geranium | 6.0-8.0 |
| Gladiolus | 5.0-7.0 |
| Hibiscus | 6.0-8.0 |
| Hollyhock | 6.0-8.0 |
| Hyacinth | 6.5-7.5 |
| Iris, blue flag | 5.0-7.5 |
| Lily-of-the-valley | 4.5-6.0 |
| Lupine | 5.0-6.5 |
| Marigold | 5.5-7.5 |
| Morning glory | 6.0-7.5 |
| Narcissus, trumpet | 5.5-6.5 |
| Nasturtium | 5.5-7.5 |
| Pansy | 5.5-6.5 |
| Peony | 6.0-7.5 |
| Petunia | 6.0-7.5 |
| Phlox, summer | 6.0-8.0 |
| Poppy, oriental | 6.0-7.5 |
| Rose, hybrid tea | 5.5-7.0 |
| Rose, rugosa | 6.0-7.0 |
| Snapdragon | 5.5-7.0 |
| Sunflower | 6.0-7.5 |
| Tulip | 6.0-7.0 |
| Zinnia | 5.5-7.0 |
Top 10 Veggies.
Reader Comments
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Blueberries
Hello,
I planted a young blueberry bush in my garden in the spring. It did wonderful right away and even produced blueberries after only a few months. For the past month or so though, the leaves have turned reddish, and there are no more fruits. At first, I thought the cottontail rabbit babies we had in the yard were the problem, but they have since grown up and moved on, and there is no apparent damage to the tronc or leaves themselves, besides the color of course. After researching the problem, I decided to test the pH of the soil and found it to be about 7.2. While this is good for the olive tree I planted nearby, it doesn't seem to be ideal for the blueberries. But now that the shrub is planted and covered with a thick layer of mulch, and we are in late summer, how can I go about acidifying its soil? I thought of mixing a hydroponic acid solution with the water I use to water it. Would that work or do I need to change the soil entirely? Or worse, is the blueberry bush already dying?
(We live in Tennessee.)
Thank you!
Melanie
how to fix a blueberry
The blueberry is definitely struggling in the high pH soil. Your soil is too sweet; blueberries like it acidic. You can repair it. We would cease the hydroponic solution; honestly, we are not familiar with it in this application. Get gypsum, as mentioned above, or aluminum sulfate and sprinkle it on the soil. Work it in, and water. Mulch can be moved. Change yours to pine needles, if it is not. See more about bluebery bushes: https://www.almanac.com/plant/blueberries
Overall, depending on the proximity of the blueberry and olive, you may have to move one or chose a favorite. Or get a blueberry bush that will thrive in a pot.
Aluminium
I don't think it's recommendable using any aluminum compounds on a patch where edibles are grown.
aluminum
This is not harmful when used in vegetable gardens. The environmental concern, when it comes to aluminum, is in the process of making aluminum products. That is harmful to the environment. Also, when cooking, aluminum foil can leach into food when it’s heated up in a fire, on a grill, or on a stove, but not likely after one use. If it’s used multiple times to cook with, then it’s more likely.
Weeds and weed roots...........
I have an area under my bay window that I like to plant some flowers in but for 2 years now as much as I remove these weeds and heavily tangled roots of some kind and turn the soil they keep coming back. Before I had any plants there I even tried a professional weed killer and still they came back. I now don't want to use any strong chemical because I do have a beautiful Hibiscus at one end and in the middle I have a clematis I had for years and don't want to lose them. I tried the black weed netting and the weeds just come thru it. Please help me by telling me what I can do once and for all to get rid of these weeds & roots. Thank you for any and all help.
weeds...
Several inches of mulch tends to smother weeds. Here’s more on that aspect: http://www.almanac.com/blog/gardening/garden-journal/mulching-guide-bene...
Some will pop through mulch. Look here for more advice on identifying and dealing with specific weeds: http://www.almanac.com/content/weed-control-how-reduce-weeds-your-garden and here: http://www.almanac.com/content/common-garden-weeds
Your weeds will tell you a lot about your soil. See here: http://www.almanac.com/blog/gardening/garden-journal/weeds-indicator-plants
Finally, you might find this video advice helpful (and maybe redundant): http://www.almanac.com/video/how-get-rid-weeds
carrots
my carrots have got like a rust ring around them and not sure if its a bug or a maggot that's in my garden. what can I do about it and my ph is sitting around 7.5 - 8. do I need a fertilizer to bring ph down and, if so, what kind?
Carrot Rust Fly
That maggot could be the larval stage of the Carrot Rust Fly, which is a fairly common pest with carrots. Control lies with knowing its life cycle and making cultural changes to discourage its growth next year. For example, planting later than the end of May will avoid the first generation of egg-laying flies. Also, harvest early and completely (leave no plant behind). A sprinkling of rock phosphate around the base of the plant might inhibit egg laying. Covering the plant with a floating row cover is highly recommended.
fall leaves
Is putting the fall leaves on your garden for the winter good for your garden? We live in the river valley in Arkansas....
Using Leaves in the Garden
Yes, there are many benefits to using leaves in the garden. Read our new article about this very topic here: http://www.almanac.com/blog/gardening/gardening/value-leaves
this is going to be sweet
this is going to be sweet
Trees, Shrubs, Vegetables,
Trees, Shrubs, Vegetables, and Flowers
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An accurate soil test will indicate your soil's pH level will specify the amount of lime or sulfur that is needed to bring it up or down to the appropriate level. A pH of 6.5 is just about right for most home gardens, since most plants thrive in the 6.0 to 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral) range. Some plants (blueberries, azaleas) prefer more strongly acidic soil, while a few (ferns, asparagus) do best in soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline. Acidic (sour) soil is counteracted by applying finely ground limestone, and alkaline (sweet) soil is treated with gypsum (calcium sulfate) or ground sulfur.
Common Name Optimum pH Range
Trees and Shrubs
Apple 5.0-6.5
Ash 6.0-7.5
Azalea 4.5-6.0
Basswood 6.0-7.5
Beautybush 6.0-7.5
Birch 5.0-6.5
Blackberry 5.0-6.0
Blueberry 4.0-6.0
Boxwood 6.0-7.5
Cherry, sour 6.0-7.0
Chestnut 5.0-6.5
Crab apple 6.0-7.5
Dogwood 5.0-7.0
Elder, box 6.0-8.0
Fir, balsam 5.0-6.0
Fir, Douglas 6.0-7.0
Hemlock 5.0-6.0
Hydrangea, blue-flowered 4.0-5.0
Hydrangea, pink-flowered 6.0-7.0
Juniper 5.0-6.0
Laurel, mountain 4.5-6.0
Lemon 6.0-7.5
Lilac 6.0-7.5
Maple, sugar 6.0-7.5
Oak, white 5.0-6.5
Orange 6.0-7.5
Peach 6.0-7.0
Pear 6.0-7.5
Pecan 6.4-8.0
Pine, red 5.0-6.0
Pine, white 4.5-6.0
Plum 6.0-8.0
Raspberry, red 5.5-7.0
Rhododendron 4.5-6.0
Spruce 5.0-6.0
Walnut, black 6.0-8.0
Willow 6.0-8.0
Vegetables
Asparagus 6.0-8.0
Bean, pole 6.0-7.5
Beet 6.0-7.5
Broccoli 6.0-7.0
Brussels sprout 6.0-7.5
Cabbage 6.0-7.0
Carrot 5.5-7.0
Cauliflower 5.5-7.5
Celery 5.8-7.0
Chive 6.0-7.0
Cucumber 5.5-7.0
Garlic 5.5-8.0
Kale 6.0-7.5
Lettuce 6.0-7.0
Pea, sweet 6.0-7.5
Pepper, sweet 5.5-7.0
Potato 4.8-6.5
Pumpkin 5.5-7.5
Radish 6.0-7.0
Spinach 6.0-7.5
Squash, crookneck 6.0-7.5
Squash, Hubbard 5.5-7.0
Tomato 5.5-7.5
Flowers
Alyssum 6.0-7.5
Aster, New England 6.0-8.0
Baby's breath 6.0-7.0
Bachelor's button 6.0-7.5
Bee balm 6.0-7.5
Begonia 5.5-7.0
Black-eyed Susan 5.5-7.0
Bleeding heart 6.0-7.5
Canna 6.0-8.0
Carnation 6.0-7.0
Chrysanthemum 6.0-7.5
Clematis 5.5-7.0
Coleus 6.0-7.0
Coneflower, purple 5.0-7.5
Cosmos 5.0-8.0
Crocus 6.0-8.0
Daffodil 6.0-6.5
Dahlia 6.0-7.5
Daisy, Shasta 6.0-8.0
Daylily 6.0-8.0
Delphinium 6.0-7.5
Foxglove 6.0-7.5
Geranium 6.0-8.0
Gladiolus 5.0-7.0
Hibiscus 6.0-8.0
Hollyhock 6.0-8.0
Hyacinth 6.5-7.5
Iris, blue flag 5.0-7.5
Lily-of-the-valley 4.5-6.0
Lupine 5.0-6.5
Marigold 5.5-7.5
Morning glory 6.0-7.5
Narcissus, trumpet 5.5-6.5
Nasturtium 5.5-7.5
Pansy 5.5-6.5
Peony 6.0-7.5
Petunia 6.0-7.5
Phlox, summer 6.0-8.0
Poppy, oriental 6.0-7.5
Rose, hybrid tea 5.5-7.0
Rose, rugosa 6.0-7.0
Snapdragon 5.5-7.0
Sunflower 6.0-7.5
Tulip 6.0-7.0
Zinnia 5.5-7.0
Last autumn I applied dried
Last autumn I applied dried chicken manure (25 oz. over 30 sq. ft.) to my garden and worked it in w/compost I than put a ground cover of leaves over the winter. I intend to grow vegetables i.e. Tomatos, Beans, and some flowers. Will my soil be too sour and if so what can can I apply to counteract the effects?
Hi, Craig, that sounds like
Hi, Craig, that sounds like an enviable mix. Kudos! As for the pH, this is a different matter. Get yourself a test kit at a nursery or garden supply store (they are relatively inexpensive at a couple of dollars or even less) and check your garden. We would not want to hazard a guess at the current pH; best to know for sure.
Tomatoes like a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 and beans, being companions to tomatoes, generally like it about the same (6.0 to 7.5). Flowers can vary a bit but most are in the same range. See here for details: http://www.almanac.com/content...
Ok so I just added compost
Ok so I just added compost manure to the garden for when i plant the rest of my fall vegetables. Can I plant them in the soil the same week that I added my compost? will the compost harm them or should I wait a little while before planting them?
As long as you have worked
As long as you have worked the compost into your soil, there is no reason to delay planting.
As long as you have worked
As long as you have worked the compost into your soil, there is no reason to delay planting.
Folks.....there is some bad
Folks.....there is some bad news out there. Check out on YouTube "What in the World Are They Spraying?" Or...."Look Up".
We are being bombarded by "Chemtrails" (Geo-Engineering") which is making our souls turn alkaline. I have lost almost all my valley Locust Trees, the Oregon Grape isn't happy and don't know why the Pines are dying. Nobody hardly knows. Look into it......we have to stop this! Planes fly over leaving white stripes that spread out and cover our skies.....leaving aluminum, barium and strontium (reports even of flouride) in out soil and water. Spread the word, tell your government to STOP!! Its global.....sinister. They say its for Global warming, but it actually keeps the heat at night like a blanket. Monsanto has applied for a patent of Aluminum and Drought resistant seeds. They are manipulating the weather! Sorry for the bad news.....
sorry for the typos and the
sorry for the typos and the news....SOILS are turning alkaline. Let me know if anyone is aware of this! Our young black locust trees are all dead in ONE YEAR.... not one leaf. And the older ones barely have any leaves and they have been here for many many years, always healthy. Bumbles bees have been coming here for over 20 years. I did research and Black Locusts are highly sensitive to ALUMINUM! Greenhouses are now a very good idea....I just hope the Pines aren't dying from this too. They like acid soils....???? This is here in NE Washington.
Thank you for the post! Yet
Thank you for the post! Yet another worry. I have walked through patches of clover, planted organic comphrey and herbs which flower heavily all summer AND NOT ONE HONEY BEE! Only a few bumble bees...and no wasps, either. Three years ago there were handfuls of them. When I was a kid, the clover was alive with honey bees. If everyone could just take a second and notice what is happening. Something is terribly wrong right now.
hi ther have done a ph test
hi ther have done a ph test to my soil an its come back at 7.0 an other places on the plot are 6.5 i have some veg that is between 6.0 an 7.0 wich area would i be best to plant them in higher end of plants ph or the lower end of ther ph for the best yield
In Oct. I placed my own
In Oct. I placed my own composit on my Raspberry plants. Then in Nov, spread some pine needles on the bed. I have some Manure in a bag from the store. Would it be safe to spread a little of that also? I have had a decrease in my rasp. production in the last few years so I have been trying to figure out what the cause is. I would appreciate any help. Also how can I have the soil tested?
You can usually get a soil
You can usually get a soil test kit from your local county extension office, and they will recommend any amendments that your soil may need. Wait to add the manure until you get the results from the soil test. Also make sure that your raspberries are not too crowded. You may need to prune out some of the old plants.
well I put fresh manure in my
well I put fresh manure in my compost but this manure you got its already composted if your not sour how munch manure to put around your plants send me an e-mail and if you got any questions on composting ask me my e- mail address is charlierussell526@gmail.com if you don't have an e-mail address well just reply
Hi My garden soil is very
Hi
My garden soil is very sweet.
I want to plant Prorea plants which need a sour soil.
What can I do to change my garden soil to be sour?
Your assistance will be appreciated.
Regards
Wessie
Coffee grounds, pee on the
Coffee grounds, pee on the soil (not the plant), manure from a city horse farm would be good. Sulfer if you want to buy something.
You can use a proper mixture
You can use a proper mixture of white vinegar and water to boost the acidity of your soil or you can add pure sphagnum peat which has a very low ph. Blueberry bushes thrive in low ph and are suggested to be planted in pure peat. So this should remedy you ph issue for raspberry bushes..
Some pine needles contain a
Some pine needles contain a substance to inhibit the growth of other plants - I don't know if all do. This is an advantage to the pine tree as it stops other plants competing for nutrients wherever the chemical washes into the soil. If you have been adding pine needles over the last few years this may explain your decreasing produce.