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Soil pH

6.2 pHCa

Topsoil acidity measured in calcium chloride, tracked over time against the target. pH is the master variable of the root zone: it governs nutrient availability, aluminium and manganese toxicity, and the health of a long-lived perennial root system.

Worked example · Topsoil pH(CaCl₂) · 4-year trend
Target pHCa 6.0 5.9 6.0 6.1 6.2 2023 2024 2025 2026
Topsoil pH(CaCl₂) · 4-year trend
The benchmark

Most tree-fruit crops favour a topsoil pH above about 6.0 in calcium chloride; as pH falls, nutrient availability and root function decline, so the trend after any liming program is watched closely.

Agriculture Victoria — Soil ↗
What it signals

Acidity develops slowly and invisibly, then constrains everything — a rising trend after liming shows the investment is working, while a stalled or falling one warns that acidification is outrunning the lime program before fruit size or vigour ever flag it.

Data required to calculate
Topsoil pH(CaCl₂)pHSubsurface pHpHLime appliedt/ha

Silo pulls each of these from the sources the operation already uses, and keeps the figure current automatically.

How to improve it
01

Apply lime to budget, matched to buffering capacity and target pH.

02

Monitor pH by block and at depth, not just the surface.

03

Correct acidity before replanting while the ground is open.

Questions & answers

What is soil ph?

Topsoil acidity measured in calcium chloride, tracked over time against the target. pH is the master variable of the root zone: it governs nutrient availability, aluminium and manganese toxicity, and the health of a long-lived perennial root system.

What data do you need to calculate soil ph?

You need: Topsoil pH(CaCl₂) (pH), Subsurface pH (pH), Lime applied (t/ha). Silo pulls each of these from the sources the operation already uses and keeps the figure current automatically.

What is a good soil ph benchmark?

Most tree-fruit crops favour a topsoil pH above about 6.0 in calcium chloride; as pH falls, nutrient availability and root function decline, so the trend after any liming program is watched closely.

How do you improve soil ph?

Apply lime to budget, matched to buffering capacity and target pH. Monitor pH by block and at depth, not just the surface. Correct acidity before replanting while the ground is open.

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