Testing Your Soil pH
Do you have more crabgrass than regular grass or perhaps, your grass grows for a short while and then dies? If this is your lawn, you may want to have your soil pH tested.
I was told a long time ago when my wife was trying to get pregnant that many of the chemical balances in the human body have to be right in order to produce a pregnancy. It’s not quite as difficult for grass but it will only grow well if the soil pH falls into a narrow spectrum. Soil pH scales ranges from 0 to 14 but the pH spectrum must be between 6.6 to 7.4 in order to grow a healthy lawn.
Once your soil is tested, any knowledgeable garden center or landscaper will be able to tell you what to do. Less than 7 means that your soil is pointing to acidic and more than 7 means the soil is sweet (alkaline). As a rule of thumb, add lime if the soil is too acidic and add an acidic product if it’s too sweet.
There are many excellent facilities that will test your soil sample for less than $20. Some well equipped garden centers have soil testing equipment and will do it for free.
In the Northeast, Cornell University will perform the tests for around $15 plus shipping. Their number is (607) 255-4540.
Good luck and happy growing.
