How to Test your Soil pH

Soil pH determines a plant's ability to absorb nutrients. When the pH is off (too high or too low), the nutrients in the soil become locked up and unavailable. On the pH scale 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic and more than 7 is alkaline. The majority of plants prefer neutral soil therefore it is very important to determine the pH of your soil prior to planting. There are a variety of ways to test your soil.

How to test your soil pH balance:

• Smell and taste the soil: An acid soil will be sour.
• Place a soil sample in a jar of vinegar: If the vinegar bubbles, the soil is sweet and neutral and planting may commence.
• Purchase a soil pH test kit: Comes with detailed instructions and can be found at your local nursery.

How to Fix your Soil pH:

• Sweeten a sour or acid soul by raising the pH. Incorporate agricultural lime.
• Balance an alkaline soil by lowering the pH. Incorporate sulfur or cottonseed meal.

Vegetables and herbs that require sweet soil: asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lavender, leeks, nasturtiums, onions, rosemary, spinach, sweet peas and thyme.

Vegetables, fruit and herbs that require acid soil: apple, blueberries, brambleberries, carrots, eggplant, parsley, potato, pumpkin and tomato.

In addition to balancing your soil pH, you should also know that you should not plant the same vegetable or crop in the same location as the previous harvest. If you do plant something in the same place, you will need to add nutrients to the soil since the previous harvest will have removed or added other nutrients that could hinder the growth and development of the new crop.

How to get rid of Slugs

Slugs can be huge garden pests especially for those that grow lettuce, beans, peas and a large variety of other vegetables and flowers. There are many ways to get rid of slugs, some naturally and others chemically. The key is to getting rid of the slugs and snails before they cause too much damage to your garden. I have provided multiple methods for natural repellents for organic gardening and chemical methods.

Getting rid of Slugs Naturally and Organically:

• Apply pea gravel, broken egg shells or sand around the base of the plants (but not touching or packed up against the plants) that you want to protect, about 2" deep. Slugs do not like to climb over these things and sand will also discourage weed growth.
• Place a half-full beer can(s) near the area that you want to protect. The slugs will attract to the beer instead of your plants.
• Go out every evening, just when it starts to get dark or every morning, just when it starts to get light - these are when most slugs are out - and pick off all the slugs from your garden. In the daytime, slugs tend to sleep under garden containers and terra-cotta pots, if you have these, lift them up and you will probably find the slugs underneath.
• Apply copper plating to your raised garden beds. Slugs don't like it and gives them a mild shock from crawling on it.

Getting rid of Slugs Chemically:

• In a 1-quart spray bottle, mix 1 1/2 cups non-sudsing ammonia and 1 1/2 cups water. Spray in areas where slug damage is evident. This will dissolve baby slugs on contact while the ammonia will break down into the form of nitrogen and feed the plants.
• Or you can buy Corey's Slug Bait or Ortho Eco-Sense Slug and Snail Killer.

How to cut Fresh Flowers

Everyone enjoys fresh cut flowers from the garden, but how do you properly care for the flowers so the blooms last longer and plants stay healthier? There are a few simple things you can do to properly cut and keep your fresh flowers and have beautiful bouquets for much longer.

How to properly cut fresh flowers:

1. Fill your clean vase with cool water, adding 1 tablespoon of flower food or 1 teaspoon of bleach to every gallon of water to prevent bacterial growth (bacterial growth will shorten the flower's vase life).
2. Remove all foliage that might fall below the water line as well as damaged foliage and all thorns.
3. While holding the flower stem under cool, running water, cut at least two inches off the bottom of each stem at a sharp angle to maximize water uptake. Place cut flowers in vase immediately.
4. Split or mash woody plants stems with a hammer at least two inches above the cut to further encourage them to absorb water. Most woody stems will benefit from a warm water soak for the first hour following a fresh cut.
5. Maintain proper water levels at all times and avoid extreme conditions when placing your final bouquet.

Special Techniques and Quick Fixes:

• To straighten curled stems, most notably Tulips, carefully wrap the entire bunch of flowers in a damp newspaper forming a straight tube. Secure with a rubber band and submerge in water for an hour or two. Unwrap and the stems should have straightened.