Soil- Identification

Q: I have a question for you about the soil in my back yard. My Mom told me that the soil is too acidic. So she wants to know how to make it “sweet”.

A: When soil is too acidic, plants can’t grow as well. Old time farmers swore they could taste a bit of their soil and determine how good it was…but that’s not a technique I recommend. You make “sour” soil “sweet” by adding garden lime. The question though, is how much lime to apply. Different types of soil (clay, sandy, loamy, etc) absorb lime differently. The best way to determine the lime needed is to have a local Extension office (404-897-6261) test your soil. It costs less than $10 and you’ll get an individualized report that describes exactly how to make your soil delicious.

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