14 Garden Vegetables That Like Less Acidic Soil

Most veggies prefer slightly acidic stain , but these crops thrive in more alkaline gardens .

Kindra Clineff

produce plants that are well - suited to your territory pH makes gardening a whole lot easier . While flora like potato prosper in acidic gardens , most veggie prefer slightly acid to neutral soil , although some crop can tolerate alkaline atmospheric condition . If you have alkaline soil and do n’t want to mother withsoil acidifiers and complex amendments , here are 14 types of vegetables you may grow in less acidic soil for a small - maintenance harvest .

growing artichoke

Credit:Kindra Clineff

If you are uncertain of your garden ’s pH , test the grease . A pH of 7 is neutral . A pH below 7 is considered acid , while a pH above 7 is considered alkaline .

Asparagus (pH 6.5-8.0)

Marty Baldwin

Asparagus plantstolerate alkaline grime intimately than most other crops — but that ’s not the only reason to grow them in less acidulent garden . These plants usually formulate problems with fusarium fungi in acidic soils . However , these topic are less likely to occurwhen asparagus plant life are grown in neutral or somewhat alkaline dirt .

Okra (pH 6.5-7.5)

Bob Stefko

Okra plantsare staples in warm southerly gardens , but they maturate best when soil pH level are close to inert . Overly acidulent gardens can affect the growth of lady’s-finger flora and get them to give rise small cod .

Leeks (pH 6.0-8.0)

Better Homes & Gardens

Most allium plants prefer more or less acidulous soils , butleekstolerate higher pH level and can even grow in alkaline gardens . If your filth is too acidic for these plant , add compostor lime to bring your dirt pH levels closer to 7.0 .

Beans (pH 6.0-7.5)

Pole beans develop slightly well than bush beansin mildly alkaline garden , but both types of beans uprise best when filth pH values are close to neutral . When the garden stain is acidic , noodle plant ca n’t fix nitrogen as expeditiously into the land , and the plant can develop yellow leave and other subject .

Cabbage and Kale (pH 6.0-7.5)

Peter Krumhardt

Brassica plants mostly opt slightly acidic to impersonal soil , butcabbageandkaleare well adapted to alkaline ground than most other Brassica . Cabbage plant are less potential to be affected by guild rootwhen they grow in garden with a soil pH above 7.0 .

Peas (pH 6.0-7.5)

Acidic soil make it harder for plant life to assimilate the nutrients they need . Pea plantscommonly grow Ca deficiency in acidic garden , which show as distort or discolored leave and other problem . However , calcium lack can be avoided by maturate pea in neutral to slightly alkaline soils with plenty oforganic affair .

Parsnips (pH 5.5-7.5)

Like carrots , parsnips thrive in loose , well - draining filth . However , they tolerate a wider pH range than carrots , making them a good crop to grow if you want to keep root veggies in a slightly alkaline garden .

Beets (pH 6.0-7.5)

Beet cropsalso need rich and loose soil to farm well , and they can suffer if soil pH values fall below 6.0 . If you want to get a prolific crop of beets , impart plenty of compostto your garden before sowing beet seed and water the plants regularly to aid their roots fill out .

Garlic (pH 5.5-7.5)

Bob Modersohn

When soil pH is low , nutrients like manganese can build up in garden beds and do problem for plants . Garlic is peculiarly susceptible to manganese toxicity , which can cause garlic plant to become stunted and acquire weedy cloves and uncompleted electric light . As with nutritious deficiencies , these job can be corrected byraising soil pH levels with compost or garden lime hydrate , or by growing ail in kitty or raised bottom filled with a less acid potting mix .

Pumpkins and Squash (pH 5.5-7.5)

Pumpkins and most squeeze plantsthrive in soil pH around 6.5 , but they can also grow in mildly alkaline or more acidic garden as long as the soil is fertile enough to support their vigorous growth .

Spinach and Swiss Chard (pH 6.5-8.0)

Denny Schrock

AlthoughspinachandSwiss chardcan be cultivated in slightly acidulous ground , these leafy leafy vegetable grow better in more alkaline gardens . If soil pH levels get too low , these industrial plant can make grow yellowing folio with visible green nervure and other signs of nutritive insufficiency .

Mustard Greens (pH 6.0-7.5)

leaf mustard park are easygoing industrial plant that sprout chop-chop from seed and can grow in a range of conditions — include slenderly alkalic territory . Like other leafy green , mustard greens farm best in cool conditions , and they can besuccession plant with warm - weather crops , such as pumpkin and squelch , if you want to get more veggies out of your bed .

Ginger (pH 6.0-8.0)

Maksims Grigorjevs / Getty Images

Gingeris a compromising plant that turn as a perennial inUSDA Zone 8 and warmerin slightly acidic to slightly alkaline stain . In colder areas , it is usually cultivated as an yearly and harvested in the fall , but inhuman - weather gardener can grow it year - round by keeping it in pots and moving it indoors before temperatures dip in the declension .

Artichoke (pH 6.5-7.5)

Another tasty choice for less acidulent gardens , artichokes prefer achromatic stain , but they do just fine in slightly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions . If you have a taste for the strange , you may also desire to farm the closely relatedcardoon plant .

farm Asparagus at Home . Michigan State University Extension

Okra . Oregon State University

close up of asparagus growing