Why you should ph test your soil.

As a home gardener, it's important to test your soil pH.

Certain plants can only access the soil's nutrients if the pH is within a certain range. Not even the addition of generous plant food or fertilizer will help if your soil lies outside of a plant's preferred range.

Technically speaking, a soil pH (potential hydrogen) test measures how many hydrogen ions are in the soil. A pH less than 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and anything higher than 7 is alkaline. Acidic or alkaline soil isn't necessarily bad; it all depends on what you're growing.1

Most plants can adapt to soil pH that ranges from 6 to 7.5, but some plants have distinct preferences. For instance, blueberries prefer acidic soil while asparagus tends to do best in alkaline.

Testing your soil's pH should be a fall garden checklist item. That way, you can amend the soil before winter or first thing in the spring before you plant. Plus, this is a good time to note any weeds that have grown throughout the summer, which can also give you clues about your soil pH. For instance, dandelions , wild strawberries, and plantain proliferate in acidic soil while chickweed, Queen Anne's lace, and chicory favor alkaline soil.