Measuring soil pH with litmus paper. How to determine the acidity of the soil yourself in your area? How to determine soil acidity by the appearance of plants

Acidity- a soil property determined by the content of hydrogen ions in the soil solution. Soil reaction is critical for plant growth. The reaction of the environment (it is determined by the value pH) is measured in units from 1 to 14. According to acidity, soils are divided into: strongly acidic soils (pH 3.5-4), acidic (pH 4.6-5.3), slightly acidic (pH 5.4-6.3 ), neutral (pH 6.4-7.3), slightly alkaline (pH 7.4-8), alkaline (pH 8.1-8.5). A number of indicators are used to characterize soil acidity:

• Current acidity - this is the pH of the soil solution (in practice, the pH of the water extract is measured at a soil:water ratio = 1:2.5 for mineral soils and 1:25 for peat). At pH 7, the reaction of the soil solution is neutral, below 7 it is acidic, and above it it is alkaline. Podzolic soils of the forest zone have a predominantly acidic reaction (pH aq 4.5 - 5.5), podzols and high peat bogs have a strongly acidic reaction (pH aq 3.5 - 4.5).
• Potential acidity soil- acidity of the solid part of the soil, it is expressed in mEq per 100 g of dry soil. Options potential acidity also take into account the influence of PPC cations, which can acidify the soil solution (H + and Al 3+).
• Metabolic acidity soil is caused by exchangeable cations of hydrogen and aluminum, which pass into solution from the soil absorption complex when interacting with neutral salts. In humus-rich horizons it is caused mainly by H + -ions, in low-humus mineral horizons - by Al-ions. The exchangeable acidity of podzolic soils in the forest zone is pH KS1 3.5–5, or 0.5–6 mEq per 100 g of dry soil; in gray and brown forest soils it is significantly lower.
• Hydrolytic acidity — pH of the extract with a solution of hydrolytically alkaline CH 3 COONa (allows you to more completely displace H + from the PPC). It is determined by H + ions that pass into solution when hydrolytically alkaline salts interact with the soil, and includes less mobile H + ions that are not displaced by neutral salts. In podzolic soils, hydrolytic acidity is 1-10 mEq per 100 g of dry soil. The value of hydrolytic acidity can also be judged by the saturation of the soil with bases.

Increased soil acidity negatively affects the growth of most cultivated plants due to a decrease in the availability of a number of macro- and microelements, and vice versa, an increase in the solubility of toxic compounds of manganese, aluminum, iron, boron, etc., as well as deterioration physical properties. To reduce acidity, liming is used.

Why is acidic soil dangerous in the garden?

1. Increased soil acidity inhibits the growth and development of plants. This happens due to the fact that in acidic soils the content of soluble aluminum and its salts, as well as manganese, predominates, which bind alkaline minerals: calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, etc., preventing their absorption by plants.
2. Protein and carbon metabolic processes in plants are disrupted, which is why reproductive organs may not appear at all, which leads to loss of yield.

The more acidic the soil, the faster it becomes swampy; after a while, only some marsh and coniferous plants will be able to grow on it.

How to determine soil acidity?

The most accurate result can only be obtained by contacting soil analysis laboratory and providing them with soil samples. Samples for soil chemical analysis for acidity, pH, are selected in accordance with GOST 17.4.3.01-83 “Nature conservation. Soils. General requirements to sampling."

I touched on the topic of soil acidity and explained the dangers of a high value of this indicator. Today I want to cover in detail the ways self-determination soil acidity - including both simple and free, and those requiring some costs.

Soil reaction varies greatly from bed to bed and is also affected by changing seasons, harvesting, and so on. Therefore, it is better to carry out measurements using samples from different places in the garden and twice - at the beginning of the season and at its end.

Below is the table different cultures, which are divided into groups according to the requirements for soil acidity.

As can be seen from the table, if you maintain acidity around 6 pH throughout the garden, this will favor the growth of most garden crops.

Method No. 1. Litmus paper

This simple acidity analyzer is sold in gardening stores, pharmacies, specialty chemist stores and online. It consists of a number of strips treated with a special reagent that changes color depending on the reaction of the environment. All the necessary data on matching the resulting color and pH level is included in the kit.

The order of your actions is as follows:

1. Take soil samples from different depths and with different beds. If you want to calculate the average acidity value for your dacha, simply select soil from different places in random order. Just keep in mind that according to the laws of statistics, the average value will only be reliable if the number of samples is at least 30. Ten samples is the bare minimum, although then there will be a serious error.
2. Wrap the selected soil in three-layer gauze and place it in a jar of clean distilled water. It must be purchased separately at the pharmacy.
3. Shake the jar of liquid thoroughly and then dip the litmus paper into the water for a couple of seconds until it changes color.
4. Determine the acidity using the insert in the kit and repeat this procedure for the remaining samples taken.

Method No. 2. Alyamovsky device

The device is a set of reagents for analyzing water and salt extracts of the earth. When using it, the same manipulations are required as described in the previous method.

Method number 3. Soil meter

Nowadays, the modern gardener has access to a whole line of multifunctional devices. They allow you to accurately determine the reaction of the soil, its humidity, temperature, illumination and other parameters.

The advantage of such gadgets is that they are purchased once and for life, and the big disadvantage is the steep price.

Method No. 4. Chemical laboratory

Perhaps this is the most accurate method, but also the most expensive, because soil analysis must be carried out many times different places plot.

Method number 5. Vinegar or hydrochloric acid

With this method, you need to lightly water a handful of soil from the garden with strongly diluted hydrochloric acid or regular vinegar. If the wetted soil begins to “boil”, that is, small bubbles appear on its surface, then the pH value for this sample is normal. If you still don’t get any reaction, then the soil needs liming.

Method number 6. Currant leaves (cherry, bird cherry)

Place the leaves of one of the plants in a glass container and pour boiling water (you need to use 4-5 leaves for 1 glass). After the water has cooled, throw the prepared soil sample into the resulting broth. If the water changes color to red - the soil is acidic, to blue - slightly acidic, to green - neutral.

Method number 7. Grape juice

For this option, you will need a glass of grape juice, into which soil taken from the garden is dipped. If the sap changes color and bubbles remain on its surface for a long time, you can be glad that you have normal (neutral) soil on your site.

Method number 8. Chalk

The method is more complicated than the previous ones, but I consider it necessary to mention it to complete the picture.

You will need: two full tablespoons of garden soil, five tablespoons of water room temperature, one teaspoon of chalk.

All this stuff is poured into a bottle, onto the neck of which a fingertip (for sewing) is placed, previously removed from the air. The bottle is placed in paper so that heat from your hands does not distort the results of the experiment.

If the soil on your site does not have enough lime (that is, it is acidic), then in the process chemical reaction will appear in the bottle carbon dioxide. It will begin to rapidly fill the fingertip and it will straighten up. If the soil has a slightly acidic reaction, the fingertip will only straighten halfway; if it is neutral, it will not straighten at all.

Method number 9. Weeds on the site

The soil with the simplest acidity is the weeds that have taken a fancy to your dacha. The only thing here is that you need to analyze wisely and look only at the most common weeds. After all, those brought with seedlings or random guests cannot serve as a reliable basis for reliable conclusions.

In the table below I have provided a list of weeds, divided into groups according to the nature of the soil they prefer.

An error has crept into the sign - nettles on the site signal neutral, not acidic soil!

This is not an exhaustive list of methods for determining acidic soil. On my site to test soil acidity I use Garden Show litmus paper. The set includes 80 strips, which last me for three years - I usually take measurements twice a year, in spring and autumn. At the same time, each time I spend 10-12 strips on a garden of 5 acres.

ABOUT folk methods measuring the pH of garden soil is described in detail and interestingly in the video.

Home Gardening What is soil acidity, how to determine soil acidity yourself

What is soil acidity, how to determine soil acidity yourself

Soil acidity (pH)

Acidity (pH) or soil alkalinity is the reaction of the soil environment. The agrochemical properties of the soil and plant growth depend on this indicator. On soils with high acidity or alkalinity, vegetables grow poorly and produce a small harvest.

Typically, soil acidity refers to exchangeable acidity (pH KCl), according to which the soil grouped into classes:

- very strongly acidic (pH< 4,0),
– strongly acidic (pH = 4.1…4.5),
- acidic t (pH = 4.5...5.0),
– slightly acidic (pH = 5.0…5.5),
- close to neutral (pH = 5.5...6.0),
- neutral (pH = 6...7).

At pH > 7 the soil is considered alkaline.

On acidic soils(at pH< 6,0) резко снижается доступность растениям фосфора, кальция, магния и молибдена; подавлена азотофиксация бобовыми растениями.

On alkaline soils(at pH > 7.5) the availability of phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper, boron, magnesium, and zinc to plants decreases greatly; filtration, capillarity, permeability, and soil swelling deteriorate.

For most plants optimal level pH = 6...6.5. The exceptions are blueberries and strawberries (optimal pH = 5...6, at higher pH they suffer from iron deficiency) (Deryugin I.P., Kulyukin A.N., 1998).

Determine soil acidity, or pH value, can be done using litmus test indicator paper — it is sold in “Chemicals” stores or simply in pharmacies.

If you buy, ask for a set of indicator paper for the acidic range of the environment

How to determine soil acidity yourself

To determine soil acidity Take 20 grams of soil from the topsoil and place it in a clean glass beaker. Pour in 50 milliliters of distilled water (you can buy it at a pharmacy or auto store) and shake for 5 minutes.

Then leave for an hour, shaking occasionally.

Moisten a strip of indicator paper with the resulting suspension.

If paper the color hasn't changed- this means that the soil has a neutral reaction, there is no need to lime it.

"Blush" paper - compare its intensity with the scale that is printed on the box or bag with indicators.

This way you will know the pH value.

How to determine soil acidity

And using it, determine the dose of lime for soils of different granulometric compositions (Table 1).

Organic matter content assessment table

You can find out what acidity your soil has in city ​​agrochemical laboratory, where for a small fee they will conduct a soil analysis, incl. and other indicators.

ABOUT increased acidity can be found out indirectly: horsetail grows on such soils, onions The tops of the leaves turn yellow.

In most regions, the soil tends to be acidic or slightly acidic. Therefore, to reduce acidity, soil liming lime fertilizers (lime).

Excess alkalinity is eliminated by adding gypsum-containing materials(on solonetzes and solonetzic soils). Slightly solonetzic soils can be improved due to the introduction of large amounts of manure.

How to independently determine the acidity of the soil?

For good productivity, many plants need neutral soil, since acidic soils nutrients are less absorbed, and the effectiveness of applying fertilizers containing potassium and nitrogen decreases.

How to determine the acidity of the soil yourself in your area?

Accordingly, plants develop worse, and not only the quantity, but also the quality of the crop decreases.

How to check the acidity of the soil in order to take timely measures and save yourself from unproductive work on the site, we will learn in this article.

Methods for determining soil acidity

There are a few simple ways for those who do not know how to independently determine soil acidity:

1. The first of them requires the purchase of litmus indicators. This set of strips with a standard scale can be purchased at a chemical store.
2. On the site, we dig a hole 35 cm deep and collect soil from the vertical walls in four different places. In total you should get 80 grams of soil. Mix it with distilled water, squeeze the indicator together with the wet soil and observe the color changes.
3. If the soil is acidic, the paper will turn yellow to dark red. If the reaction is alkaline, the indicator will show a color from green to dark blue. Red color is highly acidic soil, pink is medium, yellow is slightly acidic soil.
4. You can make a soil acidity meter yourself and not buy any kits. For this we need regular red cabbage. Finely chop it and cook in water for 30 minutes, strain. We need the resulting decoction. In it we soak strips of plain white paper and dry them. Now our indicators are ready. We check the soil in the same way as described in the first paragraph.
5. We observe the so-called soil acidity indicator plants. If pansies, horsetail, horse sorrel, buttercups and plantains grow abundantly on the site, then the soil here is highly acidic.
6. Neutral soil is chosen by clover, coltsfoot, bindweed, blackberry, and nettle. Of course, no one gives a 100% guarantee with this method of determination, but many gardeners keep these features in mind.
7. Vinegar as a determinant of acidity. Take a handful of soil from the plot and pour drops of vinegar on it. If the earth “boils” and you see bubbles, this will mean that the sample is normal in acidity. This experience will remind housewives of extinguishing soda. Actually, this is the whole “trick” - if there is enough lime in the ground, vinegar will “extinguish” it. But if the reaction does not occur, then the soil is highly acidic and you need to add lime or chalk to it.
8. We are watching external signs. If in an undeveloped area the water standing in the depressions has a rusty tint and an iridescent film on the surface, and after the liquid is absorbed a yellow sediment remains on it, this means that the soil in the area is highly acidic.

Now that we know how to find out the acidity of the soil, we can begin to save the situation.

Deoxidizing the soil

First of all, you need to add chalk or limestone to the acidic soil. Can also be purchased in special. stores dolomite flour or fluff lime. Just remember that you can’t bring all this in with manure.

You need to deoxidize the soil immediately before planting, evenly scattering lime over the surface of the garden and thoroughly mixing it with the soil. This liming will last you 6-8 years. After this, the process will need to be repeated.

The need for liming is obvious. However, you should also understand that some plants, on the contrary, like more acidic soil. Therefore, try to approach this individually. If you need to increase the acidity of the soil, sulfur will do, pine needles or kefir. You just need to water the plants with their solution.

Methods for determining soil acidity

Soil acidity is a very important indicator in the garden, since the harvest directly depends on it.

Same variety cultivated plant on acidic soil will grow twice as small and with more acidic fruits than the same variety, but on neutral soil. Therefore, we determine the acidity of the soil at our dacha.

1. Litmus paper.

We determine the acidity of the soil using litmus paper, that is, an indicator. To do this, we dig a hole in the garden with a depth of 20-25 cm. From this depth we take a little soil and moisten it with rain or distilled water. We apply litmus paper to this soil and determine the acidity of the soil based on the resulting color.

• Red color - the soil is highly acidic,
• Pink color - medium acidic soil,
• Yellow color - slightly acidic,
• Greenish-blue color - the soil is close to neutral,
• Blue color - neutral soil.

2. Black currant.

5 ways to determine soil acidity at home

Take 2-3 blackcurrant leaves and brew them in a glass of boiling water. When the water has cooled, remove the leaves. In the resulting solution we lower a piece of soil taken from the garden at a depth of 20-25 cm.

If the water turns red, the soil is acidic. If the solution turns green, then the soil is close to neutral.

3. Weeds.

We determine the acidity of the soil by the weeds growing in the garden. If the soil is acidic, then woodlice, horsetail, sedge, plantain and others will grow in the garden.

On slightly acidic soils creeping wheatgrass, chamomile, bindweed, and coltsfoot will grow.

What can you do to change the soil from acidic to neutral?

• To do this, in the fall we scatter fluffed lime over the soil at the rate of 400 g per 1 square meter. m. After this, the soil needs to be plowed.
• You can also deoxidize the soil by adding 30 g of calcium and sodium nitrate per 1 square meter. m. soil. It can be applied dry, scattered on the soil for autumn plowing. Or dilute it in a bucket of water and pour it over the area.

And you can find out how to use the resulting harvest on my channel “The Joy of Being”, where I publish for you many exclusive homemade recipes.How to germinate zucchini before planting. Very simple and easy A unique way to grow cucumbers using a 5-liter plastic bottle How easy it is to get rid of wireworms in the garden forever. The best folk remedies Soda from ants in the greenhouse - my mother-in-law's secret secret

It will be most favorable for them.

In our article we will tell you how to determine the acidity of the soil yourself, since it is this indicator that has a serious impact on the development of crops.

Types of acidity

Soil acidity is one of the important indicators when conducting soil analysis. It is measured in pH, a scale that ranges from 0 to 14.

There are three types of acidity:

• slightly acidic (soil with a pH value above 7);
• neutral (soil with a pH value of 7);
• acidic (soil with a pH value below 7).

Important! The acidity level can be different at a distance of even 1 meter. Therefore, before planting, take samples every 2 meters, this will help to more accurately determine the pH level.

For most crops, neutral or slightly acidic soil is more suitable.

How to determine the level at home?

To plant a plant in the “right” area, you need to know how to determine soil acidity.

Vinegar

The easiest way to find out the pH level of the soil is to use table vinegar. To do this, you need to pour a few drops onto a handful of earth.

If you see small bubbles appearing on it, this indicates that it is neutral or non-acidic, that is, it is quite suitable for planting.

Grape juice

To test the pH level this way, you will need a glass of grape juice and a lump of soil.

The soil must be lowered into a glass and observed the reaction: if the color of the juice begins to change and bubbles begin to appear on the surface, this indicates the neutrality of the soil.

Indicator strips

Not everyone knows how to test soil acidity at home using indicator strips. This is very convenient way, since you can purchase them at any specialty store or pharmacy.

Litmus papers are impregnated with a special reagent, the color of which changes depending on the pH. Usually the packaging shows a color scale that can be used to determine the pH level.

Did you know? The number of microorganisms in one teaspoon of soil is the same as the population of the entire planet.

To conduct the experiment, you need to wrap a handful of earth in several layers of gauze and lower it into a container with purified distilled water. After this, you need to shake the container well so that the salts from the soil are well dissolved in the water.
After this, you need to lower the litmus paper into the container for a few seconds. Soon its color will change, and then it will be possible to determine the pH level using the table.

Red cabbage

Let's look at how to find out the acidity of the soil on a site using red cabbage. To do this, you need to finely chop the head. We will need a decoction, by the color change of which upon contact with the ground, we can determine the level of acidity.

Cabbage must be boiled in distilled water for 10 minutes. After this, the broth is filtered. Purple juice has a neutral pH.

Let's start the procedure. To do this, you need to pour the juice into a cup and place a spoonful of earth there. Then you need to wait about 30 minutes and look at the color of the juice. If it remains unchanged - purple, then the pH of the soil is neutral.
If you purchased the juice pink color, this indicates sour soil. The more saturated the color, the higher. The presence of blue or green color indicates the neutrality of the soil. If the color is bright green, the soil has high alkalinity.

other methods

There are other methods for determining pH levels. Let's look at them.

Appearance

You can try to determine the pH level by appearance. If you notice that the water in the holes has a rusty tint and an iridescent film, and after it is absorbed, there is a brown sediment on the surface, this indicates increased acidity of the soil.

Important! Since acidity is affected by various external factors that can change it, it is worth checking it every season and, if necessary, taking measures to bring it to the required indicators.

Also a sign sour earth is the presence of whitish layers at shallow depths.

By the weeds

You can determine the pH level by looking at what grows on the soil. Plantain, spikelet, Ivan-da-Marya, etc. feel good on acidic soil.

Slightly acidic soil allows the following weeds to develop well: knotweed, burdock,.

On alkaline soil grows well and .

Acid meter

You can also determine the pH level using a device. You can buy it in special stores.

Depending on the acidity level, the arrow will show certain data. Features of using the device are presented in the instructions.