PH, Soil and Water Substrates
The pH is a very important feature with all lands, the substrates for pots, planters, etc. and irrigation water.
The definition, if you have no knowledge of chemistry, do not say anything.
The pH is expressed as a number and can be between 1 and 14, but 99% of the cases will be between 3 and 9.
* Floor acid has a pH below 7.
* Neutral soil has a pH of 7.
* Basic or alkaline soil pH greater than 7.
Therefore, if we say: “This soil has a pH 6″ means it is acidic. O: “This soil has a pH 8.2″ means it is basic or alkaline. The neutral pH, even where the 7 as the theoretical value, usually considered neutral if it is between 6.5 and 7.
The best pH for most plants is between 6.5 and 7, ie neutral. Some called acidophilic, they prefer less than 6, and others (calcareous) are happy with a pH above 7.
How do you determine the pH?
I’ve mentioned before three pH’s:
* Soil pH
* The pH of the medium (those used for pots, planters, etc.).
* The pH of irrigation water
The determination in the case of a ground or substrate can be done in the following ways (for water, you have a little more below):
1.You can take to analyze the soil to a soil laboratory. Is best, but not usually done at the level of private garden.
2. Use a cheap kits that bring some reagents to cast a soil sample and determine the pH color comparison. The pH may be acidic, neutral or alkaline. If it is alkaline, it is likely that contains a lot of lime (ground limestone).
3. Take some dirt, throw in a glass with distilled water, stir well and after a while, pass it into a strip of paper or cardboard pH indicator (sold in pharmacies, for example.). Depending on the color will take if it is acid, neutral or alkaline.
4. Pour vinegar, ‘Sulfate’ (cleaning) or diluted hydrochloric acid on a soil sample. This provides an acceptable estimate for the reaction that produces:
* If the excitement that occurs is strong, says the pH is greater than 7.5 and the soil is alkaline or limestone.
* If the excitement is small (few bubbles), the pH will be around 7.
* If you do not produce effervescence (bubbles do not go) is a neutral pH soil (pH 6.5 to 7) or acidic (pH less than 6.5).
To find the pH of irrigation water can:
- Bring a sample to a laboratory to analyze water.
- Use litmus paper.
- Use a ph-meter instruments called, although it must be properly calibrated them to be reliable.