It turns out that in a process such as determining soil acidity, beets can successfully replace standard litmus papers.
Belnovosti online publication expert, agronomist and landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh told how experienced gardeners use beets as an indicator.
So, if the beetroot fruits grow large and have a sweet taste, the soil acidity is normal.
However, you can find out the pH values even without tasting the root vegetable.
Instead, pay attention to the appearance of the young plant.
If the beet leaves are green and have red petioles, this means that the acidity is neutral.
If red veins are visible on the green leaves and the petioles are also colored this shade, the soil is slightly acidic.
Finally, as you might have guessed, red leaves indicate that the acidity in the area is high.
These conditions are not suitable for growing many crops, including tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, carrots, celery and pumpkin. If you want to improve the situation, apply lime using humus, chalk or slaked lime.
Important: the procedure should be carried out at least a year before you start sowing the listed crops in the beds.
