[header] How to plant a cocktail garden [title] Establish a soil ph between 6 and 7. [step] Most herbs, fruits, and vegetables thrive in soil with a ph level between 6 and 7. Test your soil's ph level using a testing kit, which you can buy online or from a greenhouse. 
After getting a reading, adjust the soil as necessary. [substeps] To raise ph, mix limestone into your soil.