Soil pH Scale
Soil pH is the amount of hydrogen ions in soil. If there are alot of them, it's an acid soil, or a sour soil. If there aren't many of them, it's an alkaline soil, or a sweet soil. Plants usually prefer a pH near 7; however there are exceptions to that. Know the soil requirements of what you're planting, before you plant. Soil pH can be determined using a soil test, available at your county Extension Office and most department stores. Soil pH can be adjusted using either lime to raise the pH for more alkaline soil, or sulfur to lower the pH for a more acid soil. The scale chart below defines soil pH and gives some examples.
