Daily gardening tip · Northern hemisphere · Sunday 6 September 2026 · early autumn
Check Your Soil pH This Autumn
Testing your soil's acidity level now gives you plenty of time to balance it before winter weather arrives.
15 minuteseasysoil
Clear away any mulch or dry leaves from a small patch of bare garden soil.
Dig down about three inches and scoop up a small sample of the soil.
Mix the soil sample with water and use a simple home test kit or pH paper strip.
Read the color results to find out if your soil is acidic, neutral, or alkaline.
Write down the number so you can plan to add lime to acidic soil or sulfur to alkaline soil before the winter rains.
Why it works
Soil amendments like lime and sulfur take several months to fully break down and react with the earth. Testing and treating your soil in the autumn allows the winter moisture to slowly dissolve these minerals, meaning your soil will be perfectly balanced by the time you plant in spring.
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