Does anyone know about Litmus paper?

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Bunslip, Jan 19, 2008.

  1. Bunslip

    Bunslip Gardener

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    Does anyone know how to test soil PH with litmus paper? Would seem to be cheaper way than buying lots of tester kits from garden centres..Just stick it in the soil? Or mix soil with water?? Thanx, BS
     
  2. terrier

    terrier Gardener

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  3. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    Bunslip, a testkit for the PH level should only cost about �£1 from your local garden centre.
     
  4. PeterS

    PeterS Total Gardener

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    Burnslip. Its a long time since my school days, and things may have changed since. But Litmus paper was either red for acid ie low pH (you would need to add a little water to the soil) or blue for alkali high pH. But it wasn't graded, ie you couldn't easily read the pH, it was either one or the other and it changed at pH7. More useful was Universal indicator paper which was a mixure of several differant indicators, including Litmus, and gave a graduated colour according to the pH - so you could more easily read a number from it. However these days they may mix other things to Litmus and still call it Litmus.

    I would agree with David, and use a special test kit designed for the garden. Though I have never used a kit myself as I have a meter.

    Do remember to test it in several places. If you just tested one spot, which was abnormally high or low for whatever reason - you could mislead yourself.
     
  5. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    With a test kit, Peter, you take samples from 5 areas of the garden, ie, the four corners and the centre. You mix this soil together and test it. You then have the average PH of the garden.
     
  6. PeterS

    PeterS Total Gardener

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    It is my understanding that although pH7 is neutral in a chemical sense. Neutral in gardens is pH6.5. pH7 would be a wee bit alkaline.

    Thanks David. I have passed by the soil test kits, but never looked at them, as when I started gardening I was given a pH meter (which also measures nutrient level as well) as a Christmas present. But I must admit that having tested the garden, bags of compost and anything else I could think of initially, I have never used it since.
     
  7. Daisies

    Daisies Total Gardener

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    (Let's see if I can murder this thread!!)

    The only thing I remember about litmus paper was using it as a student nurse to test urines!
     
  8. daisybelle

    daisybelle Gardener

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    You'd have to mix the soil with water, though as others have said, UI paper would be more useful. I work in the science dept. of a school, so have put together my own kit with UI liquid and test tubes [​IMG]
     
  9. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    Peter I used to have a meter, but I found that it gave different readings depending on the moisture content.
     
  10. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    So did I, never use it now, infact as far as growing most plants all you really need is an indication, not an exact reading, I think. [​IMG]
     
  11. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    Yes, and a cheap PH testkit will give you that.
     
  12. PeterS

    PeterS Total Gardener

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    That's interesting David - I am not surprised. I have no idea how it works - and I never fully trust things if I don't know how they work.

    Mine needs a battery, and switches between pH and soil fertility. But I suspect the fertility bit just measures resistance. When I short the twin probes with a piece of wire it tells me the wire is extreemly fertile and doesn't need feeding for weeks. :D
     
  13. youngdaisydee

    youngdaisydee Gardener

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  14. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    I bet that came as a bit of a "shock", Peter. :D
     
  15. Bunslip

    Bunslip Gardener

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    Thanks guys, lots of good feedback. I think Ill check out the UI paper- sounds exciting, Ill check out the price comparison too and let you all know.
     
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