Best Soil Test Kit for Lawns
Find out where to obtain the best soil pH test kit for lawns from Jonathan Green and learn how to amend the soil to give your grass the best chance to grow
Who is Jonathan Green?
Jonathan Green has worked for more than 100 years to bring beautiful dark-green lawns to homeowners using only the highest quality traditional and organic products. Since 1881, we have experimented with turfgrass varietals to breed our genetically superior turf grasses, such as those found in our Black Beauty® grass seed mixtures.
About Soil pH
pH stands for potential hydrogen. It refers to the excessive amount of hydrogen ions that block exchange sites in the soil and prevent minerals and nutrients from being absorbed by the grass.
The pH level of the soil is vital to growing lush, green lawns. On a scale of 1 to 14, a pH of 1 is very acidic and a pH of 14 is very alkaline (or basic), while a pH reading of 7 is neutral. Lawns grow best in a soil that is slightly acidic to neutral (between 6.2 and a 7.0 on the pH scale).
Even small changes in pH reading can mean big changes for the lawn grass plant because the pH scale is logarithmic. This means that a pH reading of 5 is 1o times more acidic than a pH reading of 6 and 100 times more acidic than a pH reading of 7, and so on.
How to Test Soil pH
There are several ways you can go about testing the pH of your soil. The best way to get an accurate reading is to send a soil sample to your county cooperative extension where your soil will be tested in a lab. This will result in a more thorough analysis of your soil. You can also purchase soil test kits online.
Use the Jonathan Green Soil pH Test Kit for Lawns to determine the pH of your soil in just five minutes. The kit includes one test tube, one capsule of powder, and one pH range card to evaluate the results. It is important to use either distilled water or rainwater when performing this test in order to get accurate pH readings. Tap water is pH adjusted by the water company.
Integrate Soil Foods in Your Lawn Feeding Program
Using Jonathan Green’s natural soil amendments offers a variety of benefits, such as: improved disease and insect resistance, better heat tolerance, and, most importantly, a biologically active soil.
Jonathan Green Mag-I-Cal® Plus is a natural, humate-rich, three-in-one “soil food” that will loosen hard soil, stimulate soil microbes, and adjust soil pH. It breaks up compacted soil for better air, water, nutrient, and root penetration. It is available for Mag-I-Cal® Plus for Lawns in Acidic & Hard Soil or Mag-I-Cal® Plus for Lawns in Alkaline & Hard Soil. Plan to use it every season to keep your soil biology and chemistry balanced.
For very compacted soil, Jonathan Green Love Your Soil® will loosen and aerate it organically. It will also feed the soil microbes, making the soil more alive and porous, enhance root development, and contains about 25% more soil loosening power than MAG-I-CAL® Plus.
Mentioned Products
For more help with soil pH and the best test kit for lawns, visit Jonathan Green online or visit your nearest independent retail store for advice. Our goal is to help you grow a stronger, more vigorous lawn.