Question

What is the ‘sweetening of soil’? Explain how it is carried out.

Answer 1

The sweetening of soil:

• When the pH of the soil is near 7, plants grow best.
• When the soil is highly acidic, it is not suitable for many crops and plants. Most vegetables, fruits, and grass need a pH between 6 to 7.
• A soil pH that is over 7 is called sweet.
• Hence, a farmer treats the soil of his fields with quicklime/slaked lime/chalk to make it neutral or slightly alkaline. This is called the sweetening of soil.