There are other factors that influence the quality of the soil and that are no less important to know what species to plant and how to treat the land we have. This is the case of the color of the soil and its pH, two 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 mineral and nutrient content .
- A reddish or copper colored soil will indicate that it is rich in iron oxide and therefore it will be a good soil.
- If the color is light brown, it is probably not very rich.
- If we are faced with a grayish soil, it is most likely calcareous or poor in iron.
- Soils very dark, almost black , usually contain humus in abundance.
As a general rule we could say that the darker the soil, the more rich it has in minerals or organic matter, which will make it more fertile.
The importance of soil pH
It is very important to know the pH of the soil. Said pH depends, among other things, on the lime content .
- Acidic soils have a pH lower than 7, as they do not contain much lime.
- Basic or alkaline soils have a pH greater than 7 and have a lot of 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 some species or others . 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 indicate whether the soil is alkaline, acidic or neutral.
Obviously, we can also take the soil to an agronomic laboratory to analyze, where they will give us more information about its composition.