Why is soil health important? Understanding your soil is an indication of how well your crops will produce and the susceptibility to disease and plant pathogens. Soil testing is suggested a minimum of every 3 to 5 years.

Spring and summer soil test – analyzing your crops early and throughout the growing season will provide fertilizer recommendations to increase productivity.
Fall soil test – conducted after harvest, late season analyses reflect how many macro- and micro-nutrients were processed by the crop in the past growing season. Fall soil tests determine which nutrients, if any, were lacking, and gives you time to plan nutrient applications or companion crops for the upcoming growing season.

Cascadia has a complimentary soil testing program for farms and home gardeners. Our staff provides soil health conservation practice recommendations and information about financial assistance programs to give you optimal yields. Eligible farms and gardens may receive one free soil test.

Soil pH influences how your garden grows.

Soil pH is the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. The pH scale ranges from 0 (extremely acidic) to 14 (extremely alkaline), with 7 being neutral. Most cultivated plants thrive when the soil pH is slightly acidic, a pH between 6.2 and 6.8, because it gives plants access to most nutrients. Some crops and flowers, like blueberries and rhododendrons, demand a higher acidic pH ranging from 4.5 to 5.5.

Soil pH is important because it can affect the availability of nutrients and the plant’s ability to uptake nutrients. It can also affect the micoorganisms, pathogens, and water within the soil. Ultimately, soils that are either too acidic or alkaline can stunt plant growth and increase disease. If the soil is too acidic, the common solution is to add lime, which is alkaline and made of calcium- and magnesium- rich materials.

Adjusting your soil pH can be attempted after testing for the current level. Generally, a lime application is mixed into the soil in the fall to raise a pH level. Lime is comprised of a mix of calcium carbonate and magnesium. Sulfur, peat moss, and compost can be applied to lower a pH level. Limestone and sulfur can be purchased in pelletized or powdered containers. Wood ash is a natural substitute for lime to raise soil pH, with a pH range of 10 to 12. It is advised to not spread wood ash on already alkaline soils or incorporate too much into neutral to slightly acidic soils as it may be detrimental to your plants.

It is important to know your soil texture too since soil parent material influences pH. Clay soils require more material to adjust pH due to the charged surfaces of clays making them less susceptible to change, whereas sand particles need less material to change the pH level. On commercial farms, soil pH levels are often monitored annually, even multiple times throughout the growing season, to constantly balance soil pH levels for optimal crop production.