Companion Planting: A basic Know-how

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Judul : Companion Planting: A basic Know-how
link : Companion Planting: A basic Know-how

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What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is a process where two or more different kind of plants are planted in close proximity to provide some benefits such as pest control and pollination to the plants. The best part of companion planting is that it is organic or natures way of controlling pests and improve pollination. 

We all aware of the benefits of going organic. I have written an article on this also. If you are interested to know more about the benefits of being an organic gardener you can check this post.

There are various mixes of plants which apart from making the garden more eye catchy, provide a healthy benefit to the plants. From ancient times and before the introduction of mass scale pesticides and fertilizer, people used the concepts of companion planting. They believed certain combination of plants have mysterious power to help each other. Now science also proved that some combination in deed help to grow the plants very well.

Benefits Of using Companion Plants:

There are basically 4 type of benefits you get by opting for companion plantation:

1. It helps both the plants to grow. Tall plants provide shade to the sun sensitive shorter plants.
2. You can use your space more productively. It also increases the chances of getting a good yield, even if one crop fails.
3. This provides pest control in an organic way. Some companion plants help in preventing pest insects and pathogenic fungi. It can also divert pests from the other plant.
4. It attracts pollination by attracting beneficial insects. Companion plants some time produce more nectar than the main plant and thus attract more beneficial insects.

 

Best Companion Plants For Tomatoes:

Examples Of Companion Gardening:

Below are some of the example of companion gardening:

Planting beans and corns together can be beneficial for both of them. The beans fix nitrogen to the soil which also benefits the corn. Whereas the cornstalk can be used as a trellis by the bean plant to climb up.

Growing dill and cabbage can be another example of companion planting. Dill can attract many beneficial wasp which can control cabbage worms and other cabbage pests.

Planting basil along with tomatoes (click here for tomato growing tips) can improve the flavor and growth of tomatoes. It also repels mosquitoes.

Planting garlic near tomato or cabbage plant can help to control beetle and aphids from infecting tomatoes.

Cucumber and radish also work together pretty well. Radishes help to deter cucumber beetles. But make sure cucumber is not planted near potatoes as it can encourage the late blight in potatoes.

There are so many such combinations available. You can find many of them through internet.

I hope you get an idea about the companion gardening concept through this blog. It is definitely an option you can try out in case you are thinking of going organic. Check my blog the meaning of organic for more information about going organic.

Read Best companion plants for Tomatoes

Thanks for reading the article. Enjoy Gardening.

What Is Companion Planting?

Companion planting is a process where two or more different kind of plants are planted in close proximity to provide some benefits such as pest control and pollination to the plants. The best part of companion planting is that it is organic or natures way of controlling pests and improve pollination. 

We all aware of the benefits of going organic. I have written an article on this also. If you are interested to know more about the benefits of being an organic gardener you can check this post.

There are various mixes of plants which apart from making the garden more eye catchy, provide a healthy benefit to the plants. From ancient times and before the introduction of mass scale pesticides and fertilizer, people used the concepts of companion planting. They believed certain combination of plants have mysterious power to help each other. Now science also proved that some combination in deed help to grow the plants very well.

Benefits Of using Companion Plants:

There are basically 4 type of benefits you get by opting for companion plantation:

1. It helps both the plants to grow. Tall plants provide shade to the sun sensitive shorter plants.
2. You can use your space more productively. It also increases the chances of getting a good yield, even if one crop fails.
3. This provides pest control in an organic way. Some companion plants help in preventing pest insects and pathogenic fungi. It can also divert pests from the other plant.
4. It attracts pollination by attracting beneficial insects. Companion plants some time produce more nectar than the main plant and thus attract more beneficial insects.

 

Best Companion Plants For Tomatoes:

Examples Of Companion Gardening:

Below are some of the example of companion gardening:

Planting beans and corns together can be beneficial for both of them. The beans fix nitrogen to the soil which also benefits the corn. Whereas the cornstalk can be used as a trellis by the bean plant to climb up.

Growing dill and cabbage can be another example of companion planting. Dill can attract many beneficial wasp which can control cabbage worms and other cabbage pests.

Planting basil along with tomatoes (click here for tomato growing tips) can improve the flavor and growth of tomatoes. It also repels mosquitoes.

Planting garlic near tomato or cabbage plant can help to control beetle and aphids from infecting tomatoes.

Cucumber and radish also work together pretty well. Radishes help to deter cucumber beetles. But make sure cucumber is not planted near potatoes as it can encourage the late blight in potatoes.

There are so many such combinations available. You can find many of them through internet.

I hope you get an idea about the companion gardening concept through this blog. It is definitely an option you can try out in case you are thinking of going organic. Check my blog the meaning of organic for more information about going organic.

Read Best companion plants for Tomatoes

Thanks for reading the article. Enjoy Gardening.

Solarization: Know the Basics

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Judul : Solarization: Know the Basics
link : Solarization: Know the Basics

jargons

Today we will discuss a very interesting but simple way for controlling weed problems in your garden. It is called Solarization process. We have used the term in our earlier article Weed controlling in organic ways. Here we will give some details so that you can try out in your garden.

In a very simple terms, solarization means using the heat from the sun to kill the weed in your garden. In this method the gardening area is covered with clear polythene then it is exposed to the full hot sun so that the light and heat can reach to the ground and cook the weed seeds which remained hidden inside the soil.
 

Why do I need soil Solarization?

Most people are unaware of this method and normally prefer other techniques in weed controlling. But there are some definite benefits which you get once you have decided to go for solarization.

There are so many weed seeds that are beneath the soil surface and are very hard to find. Though people put a thick layer of mulch to kill them, if the weed seeds are very vigorous, they can come on top of the mulch back to the light. Some time landscape fabrics are spread over the garden and then in some places holes are punched to plant new plants. This process in not full proof and can be infected by weeds. Though there is little bit hard work involved, it is by far the best way to kill the entire weeds in a given area. And once completed, your garden will be the best place for your new plants to live.

This method is entirely organic. There is no herbicide or other pesticides involved. You are using nature’s energy to a better use.

Although it is primarily meant to kill weeds, it will also reduce the nematodes, soil insects and many other soil borne diseases.

How to do Solarization:

The best time for practicing this is when the sun is at its full power i.e. in the summers. First choose the area which you want to solarize. Try to choose the area where there is very little shade available, the main purpose of the solarization will be hampered if the sun is blocked. Now once the area is fixed remove the existing weeds by tilling the land with a tiller. Till up to 6 inches depth. Please remove any sharp object which can poke holes in the polythene from this tilled area.

Next thing you need to do is to put some water in that area and make the soil moist. Don’t add too much water so that the soil becomes waterlogged. Water is a very important element in this process. It helps in heat conduction. Avoiding water in solarization, may not give you your desired result.

Cover the area with a clear polythene sheet. Don’t use any colored sheet as it will stop the sunlight to reach the soil. Stretch the polythene tightly and seal it completely. Sealing will help the heat to remain within the desired area and cook the weed seeds, insects, nematodes that can harm your plants. Keep the land in this way for at least 2 months.

After that, remove the polythene. Now the area has been solarized and the weeds, pests, nematodes all have been killed. This will remain weed free for 3 to 4 months. You can plant your desired plant now and enjoy it weed free. Don’t plant before removing the entire polythene because the heat can kill the plant.




If you like the article, share it with your friends:

Today we will discuss a very interesting but simple way for controlling weed problems in your garden. It is called Solarization process. We have used the term in our earlier article Weed controlling in organic ways. Here we will give some details so that you can try out in your garden.

In a very simple terms, solarization means using the heat from the sun to kill the weed in your garden. In this method the gardening area is covered with clear polythene then it is exposed to the full hot sun so that the light and heat can reach to the ground and cook the weed seeds which remained hidden inside the soil.
 

Why do I need soil Solarization?

Most people are unaware of this method and normally prefer other techniques in weed controlling. But there are some definite benefits which you get once you have decided to go for solarization.

There are so many weed seeds that are beneath the soil surface and are very hard to find. Though people put a thick layer of mulch to kill them, if the weed seeds are very vigorous, they can come on top of the mulch back to the light. Some time landscape fabrics are spread over the garden and then in some places holes are punched to plant new plants. This process in not full proof and can be infected by weeds. Though there is little bit hard work involved, it is by far the best way to kill the entire weeds in a given area. And once completed, your garden will be the best place for your new plants to live.

This method is entirely organic. There is no herbicide or other pesticides involved. You are using nature’s energy to a better use.

Although it is primarily meant to kill weeds, it will also reduce the nematodes, soil insects and many other soil borne diseases.

How to do Solarization:

The best time for practicing this is when the sun is at its full power i.e. in the summers. First choose the area which you want to solarize. Try to choose the area where there is very little shade available, the main purpose of the solarization will be hampered if the sun is blocked. Now once the area is fixed remove the existing weeds by tilling the land with a tiller. Till up to 6 inches depth. Please remove any sharp object which can poke holes in the polythene from this tilled area.

Next thing you need to do is to put some water in that area and make the soil moist. Don’t add too much water so that the soil becomes waterlogged. Water is a very important element in this process. It helps in heat conduction. Avoiding water in solarization, may not give you your desired result.

Cover the area with a clear polythene sheet. Don’t use any colored sheet as it will stop the sunlight to reach the soil. Stretch the polythene tightly and seal it completely. Sealing will help the heat to remain within the desired area and cook the weed seeds, insects, nematodes that can harm your plants. Keep the land in this way for at least 2 months.

After that, remove the polythene. Now the area has been solarized and the weeds, pests, nematodes all have been killed. This will remain weed free for 3 to 4 months. You can plant your desired plant now and enjoy it weed free. Don’t plant before removing the entire polythene because the heat can kill the plant.




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Pruning Tomato plants | How to prune tomato plants for maximum yield

jargons - Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about jargons, i was write this article for sharing Article current trends in gardening, Article jargons, Article pruning, Article Tomato, Article vegetables, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Pruning Tomato plants | How to prune tomato plants for maximum yield
link : Pruning Tomato plants | How to prune tomato plants for maximum yield

jargons

Pruning tomato plants is one of the most important decisions you need to make if you want to grow tomatoes. And in this article we will give you an idea about pruning. If you are new to tomato gardening I suggest you read our earlier articles on tomato growing before reading further.

You can find the earlier article here.

Read Basic Tomato Growing Tips 

Now lets start with the basics. Pruning tomatoes can be a very simple process. Sometimes the process is also called "trimming tomato plants". You just need to find the suckers and snap them off with your two fingers (thumb and index finger).

Tomato suckers are easy to find. They grow in between the main stem and the branches. Though we call these “SUCKERS”, these are actually the branches of the plant in initial stage. If you leave them to grow they will soon become fully grown branches and grow fruits on them.

So you might be thinking if those are the branches and also give fruit why are we talking about removing them? The fact is the branches of the plant though will grow fruits; the number is far less compared to the main stem and main branches. Most of the energy which the suckers or these branches receive will go into making foliage and more branches. It will ultimately make the plant outgrow its space in the garden.

Why you should think about Pruning tomato plants :

The pruning is done so that the plant directs its energy towards producing larger fruit than to develop foliage. Though the foliage will also develop fruit also, but the overall size of the fruit through out the plant will be much smaller. Lesser foliage also reduces the pest problem and is easier to take care.

Pruning also helps the plant in receiving much more sunlight and better air circulation though out their body. Better sunlight and airflow also means more energy and lesser diseases for the plant.

Having said that, Though tomato pruning is an essential step in tomato plants care, it is not compulsory that you need to prune each tomato plant. Let us understand why:

There are basically two types of tomato plants: Determinate type and Indeterminate type. The first type will grow to a certain height and produce fruit at one go. So in that case if you remove the suckers, the fruit bearing capacity of the plant is greatly reduced. As it will not grow vertically the total fruit yield will be pretty low. In case your plant is of indeterminate type, pruning will actually help increasing the fruit quality. It will also help the plant not to get out of control and the supporting nets will be able to hold the plant.

It is best to pluck the suckers when they are very young. The younger they are, easier it is to prune. In case they got a little thicker and it becomes harder to prune with the fingers, you can use a sharp knife to cut them off. Sometimes the suckers grow so thick that it can be detrimental for the plant to remove those; in this condition it is wise to leave them as it is.

Please bear in mind that pruning tomato plants is NOT absolutely necessary. You can definitely choose not to prune and still enjoy an acceptable amount of yield. Pruning is a method of enhancing the production, resulting bigger and tastier tomatoes. it also increases the number of fruits.

What do you think about the article? Share it with your friends using the following sharing tools: 

Read more about tomatoes: 
Tomato Growing Tips
Top 8 pests of Tomatoes
Simple steps to save tomato seeds

Pruning tomato plants is one of the most important decisions you need to make if you want to grow tomatoes. And in this article we will give you an idea about pruning. If you are new to tomato gardening I suggest you read our earlier articles on tomato growing before reading further.

You can find the earlier article here.

Read Basic Tomato Growing Tips 

Now lets start with the basics. Pruning tomatoes can be a very simple process. Sometimes the process is also called "trimming tomato plants". You just need to find the suckers and snap them off with your two fingers (thumb and index finger).

Tomato suckers are easy to find. They grow in between the main stem and the branches. Though we call these “SUCKERS”, these are actually the branches of the plant in initial stage. If you leave them to grow they will soon become fully grown branches and grow fruits on them.

So you might be thinking if those are the branches and also give fruit why are we talking about removing them? The fact is the branches of the plant though will grow fruits; the number is far less compared to the main stem and main branches. Most of the energy which the suckers or these branches receive will go into making foliage and more branches. It will ultimately make the plant outgrow its space in the garden.

Why you should think about Pruning tomato plants :

The pruning is done so that the plant directs its energy towards producing larger fruit than to develop foliage. Though the foliage will also develop fruit also, but the overall size of the fruit through out the plant will be much smaller. Lesser foliage also reduces the pest problem and is easier to take care.

Pruning also helps the plant in receiving much more sunlight and better air circulation though out their body. Better sunlight and airflow also means more energy and lesser diseases for the plant.

Having said that, Though tomato pruning is an essential step in tomato plants care, it is not compulsory that you need to prune each tomato plant. Let us understand why:

There are basically two types of tomato plants: Determinate type and Indeterminate type. The first type will grow to a certain height and produce fruit at one go. So in that case if you remove the suckers, the fruit bearing capacity of the plant is greatly reduced. As it will not grow vertically the total fruit yield will be pretty low. In case your plant is of indeterminate type, pruning will actually help increasing the fruit quality. It will also help the plant not to get out of control and the supporting nets will be able to hold the plant.

It is best to pluck the suckers when they are very young. The younger they are, easier it is to prune. In case they got a little thicker and it becomes harder to prune with the fingers, you can use a sharp knife to cut them off. Sometimes the suckers grow so thick that it can be detrimental for the plant to remove those; in this condition it is wise to leave them as it is.

Please bear in mind that pruning tomato plants is NOT absolutely necessary. You can definitely choose not to prune and still enjoy an acceptable amount of yield. Pruning is a method of enhancing the production, resulting bigger and tastier tomatoes. it also increases the number of fruits.

What do you think about the article? Share it with your friends using the following sharing tools: 

Read more about tomatoes: 
Tomato Growing Tips
Top 8 pests of Tomatoes
Simple steps to save tomato seeds

Aquaponics System: Know the basics of Aquaponics Design

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Judul : Aquaponics System: Know the basics of Aquaponics Design
link : Aquaponics System: Know the basics of Aquaponics Design

jargons

In this edition of Gardening ABC we will discuss one new concept in gardening. We have already discussed the basics of vertical gardening and container gardening and their benefits In our earlier articles. Today we will discuss Aquaponics system.

Most of us have heard about hydroponics, it is a system where plants are grown without using soil and cultured in water only. Here they generally use chemical fertilizers for the nutrition of the plants. Aquaponics system goes one step further. It uses fishes in the water to provide the nutrition to the plants. Thus it makes the total system organic. Like hydroponics, it also does not uses soil. Roots of plants are generally kept directly in the water. In some cases roots are supported by some rocks inside the water.

The Aquaponics System:

 

The three main parts of this system are:

Fish tank

Grow bed

Pump to move the water from the fish tank to grow bed.

The water from the Aquaponics fish tank goes to the grow bed. There it provides the much needed nutrition to the plant. The plants in the system act as the cleanser. It clears the water and then drains the water back into the fish tank. The secret of success in this system is maintaining proper balance.

In this culture choices of fish and plant is very important. It is better to use fresh water fishes which we generally found in landlocked lakes or rivers. On the contrary if you choose sea water fish you will limit the option of plants severely.

Try to avoid ornamental fishes such as Goldfish if you have any plans for eating fishes.They are commonly treated with chemicals and some times can cause cancer in human. The best options which we can use are common fishes like cat fish, Tilapia, trout, etc. You have to adjust the size and temperature of the water inside, once you decide on the type of fish. For example fish like catfish grow long so you need enough space for them.

Also concentrate on your gardening goals, like if your plan is to grow cool weather plans like spinachor peas avoid fishes which loves warm water.

If you are really serious about starting an Aquaponic system for your own I will suggest you check out this amazing source of information.

Benefits of following Aquaponics system:

Aquaponics system works most of the time independently. The fish and plants work together and the water gets recycled. You just need to replace the water which has be evaporated from the system. Once you created the system you don’t need to add fertilizers regularly or weed it.

It gives you the chance to reduce carbon footprint as you don’t need to travel to get your food.

It reduces the water consumption in gardening.

What do you think about the article. Do you have some other information on Aquaponics Gardening? Share it with us here.

Related articles about Aquaponics:

Top Five Aquaponics Fish for The Fish Tank

Advantages of Aquaponics System
Aquaponics System: 5 Steps To Success

In this edition of Gardening ABC we will discuss one new concept in gardening. We have already discussed the basics of vertical gardening and container gardening and their benefits In our earlier articles. Today we will discuss Aquaponics system.

Most of us have heard about hydroponics, it is a system where plants are grown without using soil and cultured in water only. Here they generally use chemical fertilizers for the nutrition of the plants. Aquaponics system goes one step further. It uses fishes in the water to provide the nutrition to the plants. Thus it makes the total system organic. Like hydroponics, it also does not uses soil. Roots of plants are generally kept directly in the water. In some cases roots are supported by some rocks inside the water.

The Aquaponics System:

 

The three main parts of this system are:

Fish tank

Grow bed

Pump to move the water from the fish tank to grow bed.

The water from the Aquaponics fish tank goes to the grow bed. There it provides the much needed nutrition to the plant. The plants in the system act as the cleanser. It clears the water and then drains the water back into the fish tank. The secret of success in this system is maintaining proper balance.

In this culture choices of fish and plant is very important. It is better to use fresh water fishes which we generally found in landlocked lakes or rivers. On the contrary if you choose sea water fish you will limit the option of plants severely.

Try to avoid ornamental fishes such as Goldfish if you have any plans for eating fishes.They are commonly treated with chemicals and some times can cause cancer in human. The best options which we can use are common fishes like cat fish, Tilapia, trout, etc. You have to adjust the size and temperature of the water inside, once you decide on the type of fish. For example fish like catfish grow long so you need enough space for them.

Also concentrate on your gardening goals, like if your plan is to grow cool weather plans like spinachor peas avoid fishes which loves warm water.

If you are really serious about starting an Aquaponic system for your own I will suggest you check out this amazing source of information.

Benefits of following Aquaponics system:

Aquaponics system works most of the time independently. The fish and plants work together and the water gets recycled. You just need to replace the water which has be evaporated from the system. Once you created the system you don’t need to add fertilizers regularly or weed it.

It gives you the chance to reduce carbon footprint as you don’t need to travel to get your food.

It reduces the water consumption in gardening.

What do you think about the article. Do you have some other information on Aquaponics Gardening? Share it with us here.

Related articles about Aquaponics:

Top Five Aquaponics Fish for The Fish Tank

Advantages of Aquaponics System
Aquaponics System: 5 Steps To Success

Self-watering Containers: Know the Basics

jargons - Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about jargons, i was write this article for sharing Article container gardening, Article jargons, Article water, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Self-watering Containers: Know the Basics
link : Self-watering Containers: Know the Basics

jargons

I have discussed about the watering techniques in the past. Today’s topic will be an extension to that. It is called “Self Watering Containers”. This topic has been requested by one on our reader. I hope this will clear some doubt in this topic.

Self watering containers are great for gardeners especially in the warmer climate. As the name suggests the pot is made in such a way that you don’t need to keep an eye on the watering of the plant. Rather it takes the water by itself when required.

Self watering containers are little bit different from your regular container pots. They are generally consists of two containers. One is the container where the plant is planted the other one is the water reservoir. The planting container has minimum two holes, one for the overflowing of water and the other one is for placing a wick. The wick connects the planting container with the water reservoir, so it keeps the soil moist.

Once your pot has been prepared, put the soil into the planting pot and water it. The excess water will go out from the pot through the hole. If you want to know more about watering techniques, check out our earlier article on watering techniques.  After planting your seed or transplant in the pot, you add water to the reservoir. Now when the soil of the container will be dry, the water will go from the reservoir to the planting container. It is much more natural way for the plants to soak up the water from the soil rather than to receive it from the top.

You can easily cultivate many perennials, and annual plants in this method. Though many gardeners cannot think about growing vegetables in self watering containers, it can be very easy and beneficial to the crop. Plant such as tomato, cabbage, garlic, carrots, cilantro and other leafy vegetables can be grown easily by this method.

This will enable you to make sure that you don’t need to test the soil for dryness you just need to make sure your reservoir is never goes dry.nects with the water reservoir, so it keeps the soil moist.uots with the water reservoir.

The best plants that thrive in this are those which grow well in moist soil. So it is not a good idea to try this method on plants which are happier to grow in dryer soil.

I am very happy to realize that many of you people have liked my articles and are sending me valuable inputs. I hope this blog will continue to delight you in the future also. If you have any topics which you want to know more about, mentioned them in the comment box below.

I have discussed about the watering techniques in the past. Today’s topic will be an extension to that. It is called “Self Watering Containers”. This topic has been requested by one on our reader. I hope this will clear some doubt in this topic.

Self watering containers are great for gardeners especially in the warmer climate. As the name suggests the pot is made in such a way that you don’t need to keep an eye on the watering of the plant. Rather it takes the water by itself when required.

Self watering containers are little bit different from your regular container pots. They are generally consists of two containers. One is the container where the plant is planted the other one is the water reservoir. The planting container has minimum two holes, one for the overflowing of water and the other one is for placing a wick. The wick connects the planting container with the water reservoir, so it keeps the soil moist.

Once your pot has been prepared, put the soil into the planting pot and water it. The excess water will go out from the pot through the hole. If you want to know more about watering techniques, check out our earlier article on watering techniques.  After planting your seed or transplant in the pot, you add water to the reservoir. Now when the soil of the container will be dry, the water will go from the reservoir to the planting container. It is much more natural way for the plants to soak up the water from the soil rather than to receive it from the top.

You can easily cultivate many perennials, and annual plants in this method. Though many gardeners cannot think about growing vegetables in self watering containers, it can be very easy and beneficial to the crop. Plant such as tomato, cabbage, garlic, carrots, cilantro and other leafy vegetables can be grown easily by this method.

This will enable you to make sure that you don’t need to test the soil for dryness you just need to make sure your reservoir is never goes dry.nects with the water reservoir, so it keeps the soil moist.uots with the water reservoir.

The best plants that thrive in this are those which grow well in moist soil. So it is not a good idea to try this method on plants which are happier to grow in dryer soil.

I am very happy to realize that many of you people have liked my articles and are sending me valuable inputs. I hope this blog will continue to delight you in the future also. If you have any topics which you want to know more about, mentioned them in the comment box below.

Soil pH: A basic Idea

jargons - Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about jargons, i was write this article for sharing Article factors of gardening, Article jargons, Article pH, Article soil, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Soil pH: A basic Idea
link : Soil pH: A basic Idea

jargons

In some of my earlier articles I have mentioned about pH and the ideal pH for a particular plant. But many starters are not aware of this technicality. So I decided to demystify the jargon in this article.

Soil pH is the measure of how acidic or how alkaline your soil is. It is actually to measure the concentration Hydrogen ions in the solution. It is measured in a scale of 0 to 14. Where 0 being the most acidic and 14 is the most alkaline and 7 stands for neutral. To give you an example lemon juice can be of the range of 2 to 3 signifies very acidic where as baking soda can be of a pH of 8 to 9 which means it is very alkaline. The fresh clean drinking water is of pH 7.

This pH is calculated on the logarithm scale so a difference between one point is equal to 10 times acidity. i.e, the pH of 6 is 10 times more acidic than pH 7 and 10 times less acidic than pH 5.

Now you must be wandering about why pH is so important to your plant? Lets see why. The pH of the soil has a very big role in plant growth and its survival. Though it is not a nutrient, it controls the availability of the nutrients to the plant. So it does not matter how much nutrient you put into the soil, if it can not get absorbed by the plant it is of no use. For example a soil pH of 6 or more can inhibit the absorption of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium etc. where as a soil pH of 7.5 or more can reduce the amount of Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese. A soil pH of less than 4 can be full of toxic amount of Aluminum or Manganese.

Now the good news. The soil pH is not fixed. You can change it to your plant’s liking. The soil pH is dependent on your local climate. You can get the idea by looking at the plants in your locality. Generally it is found that in high rainfall areas the soil pH is acidic. Plant like blueberries flourish in these areas. Where as typically low rain fall areas in the world is generally contains alkaline soil. Plants like olive or pomegranate do well in those areas.

It is best to test your soil pH before you start planting. You can get the required instruments in your local garden shops. You can also contact any professional to do it for you.

If your soil is too acidic and you want to reduce the acidity and increase the pH, agricultural lime or dolomite can be a good option to be added with the soil. Generally agricultural lime is cheaper than dolomite. In case your soil is deprived of magnesium then add dolomite otherwise lime would be fine.

In case your soil is far more alkaline and you want to decrease the pH, add peat moss or compost. Adding these organic material can definitely beneficial than adding ammonium sulfate or other inorganic sulfates.

I hope this clears the doubts surrounding the pH and its effect. Do post your comments.

In some of my earlier articles I have mentioned about pH and the ideal pH for a particular plant. But many starters are not aware of this technicality. So I decided to demystify the jargon in this article.

Soil pH is the measure of how acidic or how alkaline your soil is. It is actually to measure the concentration Hydrogen ions in the solution. It is measured in a scale of 0 to 14. Where 0 being the most acidic and 14 is the most alkaline and 7 stands for neutral. To give you an example lemon juice can be of the range of 2 to 3 signifies very acidic where as baking soda can be of a pH of 8 to 9 which means it is very alkaline. The fresh clean drinking water is of pH 7.

This pH is calculated on the logarithm scale so a difference between one point is equal to 10 times acidity. i.e, the pH of 6 is 10 times more acidic than pH 7 and 10 times less acidic than pH 5.

Now you must be wandering about why pH is so important to your plant? Lets see why. The pH of the soil has a very big role in plant growth and its survival. Though it is not a nutrient, it controls the availability of the nutrients to the plant. So it does not matter how much nutrient you put into the soil, if it can not get absorbed by the plant it is of no use. For example a soil pH of 6 or more can inhibit the absorption of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium etc. where as a soil pH of 7.5 or more can reduce the amount of Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese. A soil pH of less than 4 can be full of toxic amount of Aluminum or Manganese.

Now the good news. The soil pH is not fixed. You can change it to your plant’s liking. The soil pH is dependent on your local climate. You can get the idea by looking at the plants in your locality. Generally it is found that in high rainfall areas the soil pH is acidic. Plant like blueberries flourish in these areas. Where as typically low rain fall areas in the world is generally contains alkaline soil. Plants like olive or pomegranate do well in those areas.

It is best to test your soil pH before you start planting. You can get the required instruments in your local garden shops. You can also contact any professional to do it for you.

If your soil is too acidic and you want to reduce the acidity and increase the pH, agricultural lime or dolomite can be a good option to be added with the soil. Generally agricultural lime is cheaper than dolomite. In case your soil is deprived of magnesium then add dolomite otherwise lime would be fine.

In case your soil is far more alkaline and you want to decrease the pH, add peat moss or compost. Adding these organic material can definitely beneficial than adding ammonium sulfate or other inorganic sulfates.

I hope this clears the doubts surrounding the pH and its effect. Do post your comments.