Soil pH affects plants in a variety of ways, but it isn’t always easy to identify why pH may be too low or too high. Signs of low and high pH often are similar and the plants aren’t growing as they should. A soil test will show its pH level so you know what’s missing, but why does pH even affect plant growth?
What is pH?
pH is simply the measure of how acidic something is. All living things and their basic functions depend on having a balanced pH. The pH scale runs from 0 to 14; the lower the number, the more acidic it is. At a pH of 7.0, it is considered a neutral state and is neither acidic nor basic. A pH of 7.0 is ideal for plant growth.
What to do if pH is too low
Soil pH will naturally decrease over time if you don’t have the proper tools and resources to take care of it. For instance, weeds will naturally grow in low pH soil. So, if you are seeing a lot of weeds, you need to increase pH.
Fortunately, there are a lot of tools and resources you can use that will help you raise soil pH. For example, AgriTec’s liquid calcium is designed to raise pH and goes to work instantly. Where ag lime takes 9-12 months to breakdown, liquid calcium only takes about 90 days.
If you are unsure where to even begin in the process of raising your soil pH, it can be helpful to contact someone to create a specialized crop nutrition plan for you. Fortunately, AgriTec International also offers this service. If you are interested in getting in touch with a soil expert, you can call us at (833) 247-4832.
How does pH affect plants?
If your soil pH is too high or too low, your plants will lose the ability to absorb nutrients. Those nutrients are being blocked from the plant. So even though your fertilizer may contain a plethora of nutrients, the plant isn’t able to receive it. When the soil pH is at a balanced state of 7.0, the nutrients are more readily available for the plant. Raising pH is the first and most important step to creating a high yielding, sustainable crop.
For more information on our liquid calcium fertilizers and soil experts, call (833) 247-4832.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ideal soil pH for crop growth?
Most row crops perform best at pH 6.0 to 6.5. Below 5.8, nutrient availability begins to drop measurably; below 5.5, fertilizer efficiency falls by roughly a third. The 6.0 to 6.5 range maximizes the chemical availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and most micronutrients simultaneously.
How does low pH reduce yield?
Acidic soil ties up phosphorus, releases aluminum that damages roots, suppresses soil biology, weakens soil structure, and wastes applied fertilizer. Research consistently shows 10 to 30 percent yield loss on acidic versus optimal-pH soils.
How much fertilizer is wasted at low pH?
According to USDA NRCS data, at pH 4.5, 71 percent of applied fertilizer is chemically unavailable. At 5.0, 54 percent. At 5.5, 33 percent. At 6.0, 20 percent. At 6.5, the figure approaches zero. The cheapest way to lift fertilizer ROI is often to correct pH first.
How quickly can I raise my soil pH?
With Pro-Cal or Advanced-Cal, lab-measurable pH movement is typical within weeks. Across AgriTec’s 14 paired before/after soil tests in 8 states, the average pH lift was 0.71 points; the strongest single result moved a Tennessee field from pH 4.8 to 6.6.
Does soil pH change over the season?
Yes. Soil pH fluctuates with rainfall, crop removal, fertilizer applications, and biological activity. A re-test 9 to 12 months after any correction program is recommended to track movement, plus consistent re-testing on a 1 to 2 year cycle to manage the long-term trend.