Do you know if your soil is acid or alkaline? Plants may not thrive well if their soil has a chemical imbalance for their needs. Get a pH reading of your soil by either purchasing a soil testing kit or taking a sample to your nearest garden center that offers this service. A pH reading of 7.0 is neutral, 5.5 and below is strongly acidic, and 8.0 and above is very alkaline. Geographical regions with moderate to heavy rainfall tends to be more acidic.

Neutral soil is perfered by most plants or very slightly acidic. Plants that do best in very acidic soil are azaleas, rhododendrons, oak trees, and blueberries.

To increase soil acidity add 10 to 20 pounds of sulpher dust for every 1,000 sq ft area. To increase a soil alkaline content add 35 to 70 pounds of ground limestone for every 1,000 sq ft area.

The soil's texture is equally as important as it's pH level. Grab a handful of your dirt and work your fingers through it. If it's very light & sandy, it needs more organic matter. If it's heavy & clumped, not crumbling easily, then it needs more sand. Plant roots need air to be able to get water from the soil. Heavy and compacted soil will not allow enough air around the roots so plants will not survive no matter how much they are watered.

If you have any soil tips, please share them with us on the Community Forum.