Soil pH parameter video transcript

pH refers to potential hydrogen and is a measure of how acid or alkaline a substance is. Soil acidity or alkalinity is important because it influences how easily plants can take up nutrients from the soil.

To measure the soil pH at Longneck Lagoon EEC, you will need the pH test container from the case. Within the container you will find a dimpled mixing tray, a pH colour chart a bottle of universal indicator and a bottle of barium sulphate. You will also need a trowel, a pair of gloves and the safety glasses.

As this is a chemical test, you are required to wear gloves and safety glasses.

Use your trowel to scrape away any leaf litter from your sampling spot. Dig a small hole and remove some of the soil. Remove any small stones, twigs or other material from your soil sample and place the soil in one of the dimples on your tray.

Place 3 drops of universal indicator on the soil sample and mix with a small twig until a pasty consistency is achieved.

Sprinkle a thin layer of barium sulphate over the soil sample but do not mix. Wait for the colour to appear and compare the colour of the barium sulphate with the pH colour chart.

To clean up after this test, you will need to wash the soil and chemicals off the mixing tray in the chemical waste container. Make sure you are still wearing gloves and glasses while you wash up.

Give the mixing tray a shake to dry off and repack the equipment into the pH container and return to the black case.