There are other factors that influence the soil quality and that they are no less important to know what species to plant and how to treat the land we have. This is the case of soil color and pHtwo elements that are also important to take into account and value in order to grow in it.
The importance of soil color
The color of the soil can give us clues about its content in minerals and nutrients.
- a colored floor reddish or coppery It will indicate that it is rich in iron oxide and therefore it will be a good soil.
- If the color is light brown probably not very rich.
- If we find ourselves before a grayish ground, it is most likely to be calcareous or poor in iron.
- The soils very dark, almost blackThey usually contain humus in abundance.
As a general rule, we could say that the darker the soil, the richer it is in minerals or organic matter, making it more fertile.
The importance of soil pH
It is very important to know the pH of the soil. This pH depends, among other things, on the lime content.
- Acid soils have a pH below 7, as they do not contain much lime.
- Basic or alkaline soils have a pH greater than 7 and are high in lime.
- Neutral soils are preferred by most plants; its pH is between 6.5 and 7.
Depending on the pH of the soil we can cultivate one species or another. In addition, the pH affects the availability of the minerals that the soil contains.
How to know the pH of the soil
There are many methods to find out the pH of the soil. The easiest is to pour a handful of earth into a glass of distilled water; stir well, let it settle for a while and insert a pH indicator test strip (sold in pharmacies) which, depending on the color it adopts, will tell us if the soil is alkaline, acid or neutral.
Obviously, we can also take to analyze the earth to a agronomist laboratorywhere they will give us more information about its composition.
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