Soil Sample

Before Starting A Fall Vegetable Garden Or Modifying Your Landscape, Consider Your Soil's PH.

Gardeners need to know their soil's pH because it ultimately affects the growth and quality of their plants. Soil pH influences the chemical form of many elements in the soil and soil microbial processes.

In acidic soils, the availability of plant nutrients such as potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) is reduced, while the availability of potentially toxic elements such as aluminum (Al), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) are increased.

In alkaline soils, iron, manganese (Mn), zinc and boron (B) are commonly deficient.

To test your soil's pH, bring in a dry soil sample to the Citrus County Extension office for analysis. For a nominal fee, a Master Gardener Volunteer will analyze your sample.