Soil pH for Organic Gardeners

, written by Barbara Pleasant us flag

Adjust your soils pH with organic additions

A few years ago, our mature blueberry bushes seemed to lose their stiffness, producing arching limbs that should have been straight. All of the plants in one plot were affected, though we had not changed the way we cared for them. Could something have happened with the soil pH? Blueberries require acidic soil to grow well, so a pH nudging toward neutral is one of the first possibilities to rule out.

Using woody mulches helps maintain acidic soil conditions for blueberries.
Using woody mulches helps maintain acidic soil conditions for blueberries.

Oh, joy. This problem gave me a reason to get out my soil testing stuff, which makes me feel like a sixth grader with a new chemistry set. Most garden suppliers sell inexpensive pH test kits or digital meters, which are super simple to use. Whether you choose a probe type digital meter or tests where a soil sample is mixed with water in a reactive solution, testing your soil’s pH is a fun way to discover this secret aspect of different areas of your garden, or even large containers.

What Is Soil pH?

The pH describes the relative acidity or alkalinity of soil, which has huge implications for plants. Soil pH affects plants’ abilities to take up nutrients, as well as the balance between soil fungi and bacteria. Rich, moist soils with a slightly acidic pH host more life forms compared to soils that are very acidic (peat bogs) or alkaline (limestone outcroppings or deserts).

Asparagus can adjust to alkaline soil better than most other vegetables.
Asparagus can adjust to alkaline soil better than most other vegetables.

The pH of native soil varies with climate. Most soils in the USA range between 4.0 (very acid) and 8.5 (very alkaline). The acceptable pH range for a productive food garden is about 5.5 to 7.5, with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5 preferred by most food crops. There are exceptions, with potatoes and most berries growing best in acidic soil, and asparagus and cabbage family crops happiest in near-neutral conditions. The chart below shows the pH preferences of popular vegetables and fruits.

pH Preferences of Vegetables and Fruits

pH Range Adapted Vegetables Adapted Fruits
Very acid
pH 4.5 - 5.8
Chicory, eggplant, endive, potato, rhubarb, shallot, sorrel, sweet potato Blueberry, blackberry, crabapple, cranberry, raspberry
Moderately acid
pH 5.5 - 6.5
Bean, Brussels sprouts, carrot, chive, collard, corn, cucumber, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, parsley, pea, pepper, pumpkin, radish, rutabaga, squash, sunflower, tomato, turnip, watermelon Apple, apricot, cherry, currant, gooseberry, peach, pear, strawberry
Neutral to alkaline
pH 6.5 – 7.5
Artichoke, arugula, asparagus, beet, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, okra, onion, spinach Fig, grape, plum, pomegranate

Changing Soil pH

The pH of soil is easily altered within limits. When combined with organic gardening practices like using compost, mulches and organic fertilizers, lime (for acidic soil) or sulfur (for alkaline soil) can change the pH by 1 to 1.5 points over a period of several months. In beds or large containers, using lime or sulfur to correct extreme pH problems is easy and effective. Too much of either substance can burn plant roots, so be sure to follow the label instructions for how much to apply.

“Light
Light applications of wood ashes work like lime, and should only be used on acidic soil.

Simply gardening tends to have a neutralizing effect on soil pH, as does using compost and mulches. The pH of alkaline soil can be quite stubborn, but alkaline soil that has been improved with composted manure, vermicompost or other materials that are rich in humic acids can grow a very productive vegetable garden indeed.

My blueberries did have an elevated pH problem, which probably developed when veggie beds higher on the slope were dusted with wood ashes, which has a liming effect on soil. I’m happy to report that two years of mulching with pine needles and wood chips (and steering clear with wood ashes) has fixed the problem. The mystery is solved.

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Comments

 
"Thank you, Barbara. Very helpful. 2 of my young blueberry bushes also showed signs of problems with the soil, but the problem turned out to be a fungus infection. I removed these 2 plants. Now the other blueberries seem to be doing fine. "
Becky on Friday 16 November 2018
"I love your articles on how to grow vegetables. How ph affects the growth of vegetables "
Robert Clanin on Friday 8 May 2020
"I'm growing tomatoes, basil and potatoes here in central Italy. My yield and yellowing was getting worse every year. Using a swimming pool test kit I found out my ph was 8.5. What seems to have happened is that the soil is volcanic, the mains water is alkaline, the wood ash from the stove is alkaline and I had blossom end rot and read it was a lime deficiency so I limed it. I treated it with Elemental Sulphur and wine vinegar (it's cheap here) during the winter. What a difference! Dark green plants and basil and potatoes ready after 6 weeks. You can also put a trowel full of earth in a tray and pour vinegar on it - if it foams it's alkaline - if you pour bicarbonate of Soda on it and it foams it's acid."
Martin Poole on Saturday 13 June 2020
"How do you treat root nematodes? Look forward to your reply. Thank you in advance."
D J on Saturday 29 August 2020
"Nematodes can be reduced substantially by adding the shells of shrimp and crabs to the soil. The active ingredient that inhibits the nematode population is called chitin and it is found in shellfish. "
recess time on Sunday 20 February 2022

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