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Contractors can buy soil-testing kits online for around $15; however, testing the soil is an involved process, so contractors may wish to seek professional help. (Search Landscapneonline.com for a list of certified soil testers). If the test comes back showing the soil?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s PH is too high or too low, there are steps that can be taken to bring the soil back to the right PH.
Myers says if the soil has a low PH, add lime, but if it?EUR??,,????'?????<???EUR?s high, add elemental sulfur. Most turfgrasses, flowers, ornamental shrubs, vegetables and fruits grow best in slightly acid soils with a pH of 6.1 to 6.9. Plants such as rhododendron, azalea, pieris, mountain laurel and blueberries require a more acidic soil to grow well. A soil test is the only precise way to determine whether the soil is acidic, neutral, or alkaline.
Most soil nutrients are readily available when soil pH is at 6.5. When pH rises above this value, nutrient elements such as phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper and zinc will become less available. When soil pH drops below 6.5, manganese can reach a toxic level for some sensitive plants.
The soil test takes the guesswork out of fertilization and is extremely cost effective. It not only eliminates the waste of money spent on unnecessary fertilizers, but also eliminates over-usage of fertilizers, hence helping to protect the environment.
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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