Hi Gardeners,

We share what we know.  We’re not scientists, remember, we sure don’t claim to know everything.  But let’s talk about Homemade Soil Tests, one for composition of your soil, and one for pH value.

An ideal soil texture consists of equal parts of sand, silt, and clay; this type of soil is referred to as “loam” or “loamy.”  So here’s how to tell what your soil is with stuff you already have in your kitchen.  Once you decide, you’ll know how to amend your soil for the most productive garden you can have.

Homemade Soil Test

1. Get some soil.  Not a lot.  Using a mesh sieve or old colander, sift the soil to remove any debris, rocks, and large organic matter (leaves, sticks, roots, etc.).

2. Fill the jar ⅓ full of the soil to be tested

3. Fill the remainder of the jar with clean water, but leave some space at the top.

4. Add 1 tablespoon of powdered dishwashing detergent

5. Cap the jar and shake vigorously until the soil turns into a uniform slurry.

6. Set on a level surface and time for one minute.  This will show the sand. When you see the demarcation,  the sand that has settled on the bottom, place a mark the outside of the jar.  

7. Leave the jar in a level spot for 2 hours.

8. Mark the top of the next settled layer with the permanent marker. This is the silt layer.

9. Leave the jar on a level spot for 48 hours.

10. Mark the top of the next settled layer with the permanent marker. This is the clay layer that has settled on top of the silt layer.

11. Using a ruler, measure and record the height of each layer, and the total height of all three layers. Use the soil texture analysis worksheet below to record results.

And now, to determine if it’s acidic or alkaline:

The Pantry pH Test for Soil Acidity or Alkalinity

Place 2 tablespoons of soil in a bowl and add ½ cup vinegar. If the mixture fizzes, you have alkaline soil.

Place 2 tablespoons of soil in a bowl and moisten it with distilled water. Add ½ cup baking soda. If the mixture fizzes, you have acidic soil.

If it does not react to either test, the soil has a neutral pH. A neutral value is a 7;  microbial activity is greatest and plant roots absorb/access nutrients best when the pH is in the 5.5 to 7 range.