How to judge the acidity and alkalinity of soil?
First of all, look at the region:
Various red or yellow acidic soils are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas of China. The local temperature is high, the rainfall is heavy, and the annual rainfall is more than 1500mm. The characteristics of high temperature, rainy and wet heat in the same season make the weathering and pedogenesis of soil very strong and the circulation of biomass is very rapid. Alkali is highly unsaturated, and its pH value is generally 4.5-6.
Second, look at the soil source:
Humus soil collected from mountains, rivers and gullies is dark brown, loose, fertile and breathable, and is an ideal acidic humus soil. Such as pine needle humus, peat humus, etc.
Third, look at the color of the earth:
Acidic soil is generally dark in color, mostly dark brown, while alkaline soil is mostly white, yellow and other light colors. In some saline-alkali areas, there is often a layer of white powdery alkaline substance on the soil surface.
Fourth, look at the surface plants:
When digging flower soil in the field, you can observe the plants growing on the surface. Generally, wild azaleas, pine trees and fir trees grow in acidic soil. The soil in which Tamarix chinensis, millet and sorghum grow is mostly alkaline soil.
Fifth, look at the texture:
Acid soil has loose texture and strong air permeability; Alkaline soil is hard, easy to block and has poor ventilation and water permeability.
Six, manual:
Acidic soil has a "soft" feeling in your hands. After you let go, the soil will disperse easily and not agglomerate easily. Alkaline soil has a "hard" feeling in your hand, and it is easy to agglomerate and not spread after being released.
Seven, look at the situation after watering:
After the acidic soil is watered, it permeates faster, and the water surface is turbid without white bubbles. After the alkaline soil is watered, the infiltration is slow, the water surface is white and blistering, and sometimes there is a layer of white alkaline substance around the flowerpot.