|
“What exactly is soil pH, and why is it such
a big deal?” That’s one of the most common
questions our customers ask the Whitetail
Institute. It’s also one of the most
important. Thankfully, the answer is
relatively simple if the person giving the
explanation does not unnecessarily
overcomplicate it. I have seen other experts
asked the same question at outdoor shows we
attend, and while some field it well, others
seem more concerned with their egos than
with educating others. The latter reveal
themselves rather quickly with scenarios
like the following:
A group of hunting buddies approaches a
booth at an outdoor show, and one in the
group asks the resident “expert,” “By the
way, everyone keeps saying that soil pH is
so important. What exactly IS soil pH?” In
response, the “expert” puffs himself up and
says, “Well, pH is a measure of soil
acidity!” The hunter exhibits the reaction
most common to such answers – a glassy-eyed
stare. Sensing an opportunity to demonstrate
his expertise, the “expert” continues,
“Well, let me try to put it in terms you can
understand. pH is a measurement scale from
1-14, with the lower numbers being more
acidic and the higher more alkaline.”
Now, we deer hunters are loathe to show
weakness in front of our buddies; and so
rather than look even dumber in front of his
fellow hunters, the inquirer nods, says no
more, and leaves not knowing any more than
he did before the encounter. The scenario
didn’t have to end that way. The “expert”
could have done the inquirer a great service
and probably locked in a customer to boot,
had he been less concerned with his own
image and more with educating others.
So, what the heck IS soil pH? Or better yet,
what does pH mean to us regular folk who are
planning on planting a food plot for deer?
 |
For our purposes, soil pH is
nothing more than an indicator
of how well a plant can get
nutrients out of the soil in
which it is growing. That’s it.
It’s nothing more complicated
than that. Plants are like any
other living thing in that they
thrive in a limited range of
environmental conditions.
Different plants have different
soil-pH ranges in which they are
best able to get nutrients out
of the soil. Some plants, for
example some garden ornamentals,
do best in relatively acidic
soil, say a pH of 4-5. Not so
with most deer-plot plants. The
numbers vary a bit depending on
who you talk to, but generally
most deer-plot plants are best
able to get nutrients out of the
soil when the pH is around
6.5-7, which some refer to as
“neutral pH.”
|
Here’s an analogy I came up with that I
think defines soil pH well. Let’s say that
you and I are seated at a table piled high
with nutritious food, but our jaws are wired
shut. It wouldn’t matter how much food is on
the table or how nutritious it is; we’ll
still starve because we can’t get the food
into our bodies. Same thing with soil pH –
you and I are the plants, and the food on
the table is fertilizer. Soil pH is the wire
in the plants’ jaws, and the lower the soil
pH the tighter the wire.
So, if you had to pick which is more
important, pH or fertilizer, it could be
argued that pH is more important, since with
neutral pH, the plant can at least get
whatever nutrients are already in the soil.
Make sense? Of course, the point is not to
say that one should lime but not fertilize.
Both soil pH and soil nutrient content are
important and should be addressed for best
plot results.
So, what if the pH of the soil in which we
are planting a plot is too low? The most
common method for raising low soil pH is the
incorporation of granular or pelletized lime
into the soil many months in advance of
planting to give the lime time to raise soil
pH.
But how do we know for SURE what our pH is,
and therefore, how much lime we have, or
don’t have, to add? Simple – do a soil test.
Yes, I know, soil testing is a big pain in
the rear, right? Extra money you don’t need
to spend, right? And, even if pH is too low,
one can compensate by adding excess
fertilizer, right? WRONG!
Listen carefully: Get a soil test – not a
slurry kit or a probe, but the kind that
requires you to dig up some dirt and send it
off to a lab, and get one for each plot you
are planning on planting. Test kits
generally cost around $10, including the lab
analysis fee. Chances are you will more than
make that back in lime and fertilizer
savings compared to what you’ll have to
apply to be sure you cover the bases without
the test. Also, adding excess fertilizer
won’t make up for inadequate pH. Remember
our earlier analogy – if soil pH is too low,
it doesn’t matter how much food is on the
table (fertilizer is in the ground) because
we (the plants) can’t get it into our bodies
if our jaws are wired shut (soil pH is too
low).
The most important things the soil test will
tell you are the pH of, and the phosphorous
and potassium levels in, your soil. With
just that information, you can tailor the
lime and fertilizer blend to reach adequate
soil conditions. If you have trouble reading
your soil test results, call the company
that made the plot mix. The company should
have a consultant readily available to help
you understand the recommendations in the
report. If you can’t get them on the phone,
or if they can’t help explain your soil test
results to you, then next time buy from
someone who takes customer service
seriously.
Soil test kits are available directly from
The Whitetail Institute, ag universities,
your local soil conservation service and
most farm supply stores. Again, be sure the
kit you use requires that soil be sent to a
lab for testing and is not a probe or
slurry-type kit. To order a high-quality
soil test kit,
click on
"Order" below.
|
