Why is it important to know the pH of my soil?

Question – Why is it important to know the pH of my soil?

From Mary in Jugiong

A very high or very low pH can cause direct damage to plant roots. The pH of the soil will determine the availability of nutrients in the soil, the amounts of nutrients held in soils, soil toxicity and the level of microorganism activity. The effect of pH on nutrient availability is particularly important when the supply of nutrients in the soil is already poor. If you change the pH to a more ideal range (around 6.5) then more nutrients like iron, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous will be made available to plant roots. The pH level of your soil will help you determine what plants you should select for your garden.