Please PLEASE do not rely on a pH meter from Lowe's. They are notorious for giving ridiculous results. Do you really think that your soil has a pH equivalent to that of vinegar??

Contact your local extension office for information about how to collect a good soil sample and how to send it off for testing.

I have no idea what the equivalent would be honestly. What I do know is our soil is rock hard. When you pour water on it, it takes forever to absorb. Thanks for the suggestion. I was hesitant to buy the meter but for ten dollars I figured it wouldn't hurt to try

I think many people way over think soil. It makes gardening complex and frustrating.

Never assume you've guessed why a plant isn't doing well, especially when starting out. It will lead you down the wrong path too often. And there are tons of people out there ready to confirm every suspicion and help you fix more and more things that don't need fixing.

And I believe this is the 1000th time I've asked this question in this forum....so, where are you located?

I've heard few people in my life ever say they have great soil. Here in Phoenix our soil (some places) is used to make adobe bricks. Yes, when dried out it's not good for growing plants. That's true for all soils of every type. When dry plants don't grow. It ain't the soil. When moist our adobe it's super for growing plants here, no amendments needed. It's very rare for soil to be an actual problem.

Both Dorie (rhizo) and waterbug have given you good advice. And pretty much said the same thing I did in your earlier post :-)

Soil pH is important but is most often not a critical factor in being able to garden successfully. Much of the country has a soil pH that is desirable for proper plant growth (with a few exceptions). Focusing on pH can drive inexperienced gardeners nuts! Getting a professional soil test done is always a good idea but even that is not always necessary unless you are planning a major landscape renovation or starting a farm. As I stated in my response to your previous post, I have never had a soil test done but I know what constitutes a good gardening soil.

Tell us where you are located and the types of plants you see growing well in your surrounding area - in your neighbors' gardens or in any parks nearby. This is a big generalization but one based on a lot of gardening experience - just improve your growing conditions by improving/amending your soil - and we can help take you through that process - and your gardening success will follow automatically.

Don't overthink this :-)