8 Vegetables You Should Never Grow in Acidic Soil

Growing these industrial plant in overly acidic soil strike plant life health and crop takings .

Kindra Clineff

Some edible plant are more liberal of acidic territory than others , butmost vegetables grow bestin more or less acidic to neutral grunge with a pH between 6 and 7 . Tomatoes , peppers , and potatoes tolerate more acid conditions , while there are acid - sensitive veggies that do badly in grunge pH point below 6.0 . Here are eight crop that you should void grow in acidic soil .

Types of lettuce growing in garden

Credit:Kindra Clineff

If you are unsure if your garden soil is on the acid side , do a dirt testbefore plant any acid - sensitive vegetable craw . Retesting your stain at least once every three years is the best path to keep track of soil pH point and settle if you demand to rectify your land to lower its sourness .

Asparagus

Marty Baldwin

Asparagus plantsare moretolerant of alkaline soilsthan most other vegetables , but theydon’t like highly acidic grime . Although these plant life tolerate a compass of soil conditions , they grow well when soil pH grade are between 6.5 and 7.0 , with a target pH of 6.8 . If your filth is more acidulous than 6.2 , you may require to grow edible asparagus in consecrate raised beds with amended soil or add asoil alkalizer , such as calcium hydroxide , to your garden before plant .

Beets

Bob Stefko

Whilebeetsare slimly more patient of of acid dirt than Asparagus officinales , beet crop also struggle in highly acidulous soil . These plants are at their best in rich , loose dirt with a pH of around 6.5 , but they tolerate pH story range from 6.0 to 7.0 .

Onions

Jay Wilde

onion , whether it’sgreen onion , light bulb , or Allium porrum , do n’t tolerate dense or excessively wet soil and they also do poorly in very acidic soil . For best solution , rise them in land with a pH level of between 6.0 and 7.0 . better the beds with compost before establish for bigger electric light .

Peas

Peasare famed for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil , improving garden soils over time . But if they are grow in filth that is too acidulous , nitrogen regression is reduced and pea industrial plant wo n’t mature well . To keep pea plant harvest healthy , grow these plants in rich , well - draining soilswith a pH between 6.0 and 7.5 . deliberate inoculating pea seed before implant to increase nitrogen arrested development rates .

Brassicas

Dean Schoeppner

Some brassicas are a little more liberal of acidic dirt , butcauliflower , chou , and many other popular brassica crop grow best when soil pH horizontal surface are between 6.0 and 7.0 . too acidic soils interfere with the works ’s ability to steep nutrients , which ensue in scrawny increase , reduced harvest issue , and sickly plant . add anannual app of compostto brassica beds helps to neutralize acidic soil and secure your brassicas have plenty of nutrients to fire their growth .

Lettuce

Like brassicas , lettuce plantsgrow best in relatively electroneutral to more or less acidulous soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0 . maintain an optimal fertilizer layer ( lettuce needsnitrogento grow ) in compounding with an idealistic pH of 6.4 produces the biggest heads . If your dirt pH is below 6.0 , you could stillgrow lettuce , just plant it in passel , large containers , or raise beds fill with a timbre vegetable potting mix .

Radishes

In general , radishesare easy plant that grow quickly and tolerate a range of stain type . But these plants do n’t tolerate highly acid soil ; they are better suit for pH levels between 6.5 and 7.0 . If needed , garden lime , compost , orwood ashes from your fireplacecan all be used toraise soil pH levelsand make acidic soils more suitable for uprise radishes .

Spinach

Denny Schrock

Spinach plantsare also sensitive to extremely acidic land . humbled pH head to discolored leaves , distorted leaf increase , and other problems . To avoid them , farm spinach in copious soils with a pH of between 6.5 and 8.0 . blend compost or aged manure into your garden before found . If your grease is too acidulent for spinach , planting it in pots or lift bed is a good alternative .

Frequently Asked Questions

Irish potato , carrot , and watermelon are some of the crops that get better in acid soil . In acidic soil , potatoes are less potential to educate rat , a common white potato disease . Many types of beans can also tolerate lower ground pH levels .

The safe style to determine if your soil is acidic is to perform a grease test either with a home mental testing kit or with the help of your local Cooperative Extension office .

If your garden is too acidic , you’re able to adjust your soil pH by adding amendments such as lime , wood ash tree , compost , or of age manure . Or you may avoid growing in acidulous dirt all by planting your veggies in pots or raise beds ,

close up of asparagus growing