Sweet & Sour Soil

It's important to find out which type your soil is so that you can determine what plants (indoor and outdoor) can be grown in it.

Soil scientists have devised a simple scale to describe whether soil is alkaline (sweet) or acid (sour). The pH scale, as it is called, runs from 1 to 14. Anything above 7.0 is alkaline, anything below is acid. A soil which registers 7.0 is neutral, or equally balanced between acidity and alkalinity.

Nearly all plants, with a few exceptions, prefer a neutral (or just under) pH soil. Plants will not prosper in acid soil below 4.0 or in alkaline soil above 9.0.

You can "sweeten" up acid soil by adding agricultural lime and increase acidity by mixing in peat moss or leaf mould.

You can sweeten soil by adding line or fireplace ashes.

All-Purpose Mix

For nearly all foliage & flowering plants.

2 parts sterilized potting soil
1 part perlite or vermiculite
1 part leaf mould
1 cup horticultural charcoal chips per quart of mix
1 cup coarse horticultural grade sand per qt. of mix

Rooting Mix

For all Cuttings

1 part perlite or vermiculite
2 parts horticultural grade sand

As soil less mixes contain no nutrients to nurture seedlings you need to feed lightly each watering with 5-10-5 fertilizer diluted to one-quarter strength in tepid or warm water.

Seed-Starting Mix

1 part vermiculite or perlite
1 part milled (ground) sphagnum moss
1 part of sterilized potting soil

African Violet Mix

1 part sterilized potting soil
1 part ground peat moss
1 part perlite or vermiculite
1 cup course horticultural grade sand per quart of mix

Desert Cactus Mix

For all desert cactuses and many succulents-crown of thorns, jade, yucca.

1 part sterilized potting soil
2 parts course horticultural grade sand
1 cup horticultural charcoal chips per quart of mix
1 cup agricultural pumice per quart of mix
1 tablespoon bone meal per quart of mix

Terrarium Mix

Put a two inch deep layer of gravel and charcoal chips in the bottom of the container to create a dry well for drainage. Keep terrarium and bottle garden mixes on the "lean" side or the plants will grow too fast.

1 part sterilized soil
1 part leaf mould
1 part course horticultural grade sand
1 cup horticultural charcoal chips per quart of mix

Increase the value of your home by at least 20% easily.

It is extra work but well worth the effort to have the right pH for your lawn

Have the correct soil for perfect results!

Trash Can Labels for Easy ID