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To have a beautiful garden landscape, the pH levels in your soil are key to the success or failure of your garden project. You dont want to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on garden landscape materials, only to fail because the shrubs you planted cant get the proper nutrients. To know where your gardens pH levels need to be, you first have to know where the pH levels currently are. The ideal pH range is between 6.5 to 7.0. When changing the pH of your garden soil, the first thing you need to do is test your soil. You can test the pH of your garden soil at home using a do-it-yourself pH kit or with a portable soil probe/pH meter. Both of these can be bought at your local garden shop. You can also send a pH sample to a lab for a more in-depth analysis. Sending your pH sample to a private lab will give you the most comprehensive analysis of the pH levels, although its more expensive than sending it to your local extension service.

The pH in your garden soil can be balanced fairly quickly if they are not too far out of the ideal pH range of 6.5 to 7.0. Make adjustments by applying soil amendments such as dolomite limestone or gypsum. The best way to adjust pH levels in your garden project is to incorporate compost and mulch. There are dozens of materials that you can compost, and compost can be bought fairly inexpensively at your local landscaping supply. A ton of compost is usually less than $30.00. Adding organic matter to the soil tends to make both acid and alkaline pH levels more neutral, while applying chemical fertilizers makes the pH level of your soil more acidic.

If the pH in your soil is too acidic, you need to add alkaline material which means you must raise the current pH level. to raise the pH level of your soil you must add lime. The most common "liming" material is ground limestone. Ground limestone breaks down slowly, but it does not burn plants like "quick lime" does. Apply it to the garden and lawn in the fall to allow time for it to act on soil pH before the next growing season. A rule of thumb for slightly acid soils is to apply 5 pounds of lime per 100 square feet to raise the pH by one point.

Applying a thin layer of wood ash will also raise soil pH in your garden project. Wood ash contains up to 70 percent calcium carbonate, as well as potassium, phosphorus, and many trace elements. Only a thin layer is needed to raise the pH, because it is powdery, wood ash is a fast-acting liming material. Be careful, a little goes a long way. Limit your application to 2 pounds per 100 square feet and only apply it every other year in a particular area.

If your pH level is to high, you need to add a source of acid. Options include pine needles, shredded leaves, sulfur, sawdust and peat moss. Pine needles are a good source of acid and mulch. Peat moss with a pH of 3.0 is often recommended as a soil additive. Before you use it though, consider the other options, because peat moss is nutrient-poor, expensive, and its a nonrenewable resource.

The Good Earth Garden Center, Landscape Design, Yard Maintenance