Urban Gardening-How to Test Your Soil

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:53:29 +0000

How to Perform Soil Test. By Patti Moreno, the Garden Girl Successful gardeners know that the key to growing great vegetables begins with nutrient rich soil. If you haven’t been happy with your vegetable production, it may be time to get that soil tested. I did just that by inviting over Mark Highland, a soil scientist, to evaluate the dirt in my raised bed and test the nutrients and pH with a simple kit. The nutrients that you test in soil are the Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). You’ll also want to test the pH in your soil. Some plants require more or less acidity in the soil for optimal growth. For example, blueberries require more acidic soil. If you find the dirt isn’t right, you can mulch around the blueberry bush with pine needles. Adding wood ash to soil increases the alkalinity in your soil, raising the pH. Both are eco friendly and wallet friendly solutions. Patti Moreno is host of GardenGirlTV.com, where you’ll find ideas, inspiration, and information about urban sustainable living. She lives with her husband, daughter, dog, rabbits, cats, and chickens in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

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Urban Gardening-How to Test Your Soil