I'm going to pick up some blueberry plants in the morning, but am not planting them until Saturday. I read where the soil should have a ph of 4.5 to 5 for blueberries. Before I add any admendments, we have acidic soil naturally around here, I was wanting to check the ph. Has anyone bought a cheap, reliable tester for the ph of your soil? And where could I pick one up? Any gardening center, possibly Lowe's? Thanks!

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), April 09, 2002

Answers

Lowes or any garden center will have them or a litmus strip kit from a teaching suppy store will work. The electronic testers are fairly inexpensive also.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 09, 2002.

those "cheap" testers are just that,, cheap,, wont give you a very good reading, and can vary by a few points,, which when comes to plants MATTERS alot. Get a soil test, which will give youa ph, then dont worry about it for a few years, then get another, you can admend around the plant, but that wont change the overall ph of your soil

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), April 09, 2002.

This won't help you by Sat. but we just send a soil test in, we live in Indiana, the sample goest to Ohio. Anyway, it's costing $14.95 plus around $2 to send the dirt-a cup). I don't think that's too bad, considering, It's supposed to be tested for lots of stuff.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), April 11, 2002.