PH in organic soil

[Mutt]

Go ahead and flush it if your having probs. won't mater if its wet now. just it will droop for a day or two after the flush then perk right back up

 

[yumyumbubblegum]

Thanx Mutt off to get some lime - one last thing what is the ratio to a gallon? and my tap is pretty neutral so I am guessing flushing with 7.0 would be fine?

 

[blancolighter]

It's one tablespoon of dolomite lime to one gallon of water. You don't need to adjust the PH of this solution, when you feed it, just mix the lime and water and flush it through.

I like to think of PHing in aveages. For example, you were watering the other day with 6.5, but your runoff was 5.8. Now your runoff ph is like an average of two things, the water's PH and the soils ph. So, this means if you were watering with 6.5, you soil must be low, like at 5.4 or so, to make the water come out at 5.8. Hopefully this help ya get the phing problem solving process a bit better.

Flsuhing your medium with dolomite lime should stabilize it at 6.5-7.0, so after that, just continue feeding and watering your plants at what you want their PH to be, for me thats a 6.5.

Also, about using tap water... I use tap, and I PH most every gallon I pull out of the sink cause every now and then, tap waters ph like to change on ya. Gotta be on your toes for it!

 

[yumyumbubblegum]

You don't need to adjust the PH of this solution, when you feed it, just mix the lime and water and flush it through.

Thanx! I did not even think before I typed :rofl: - my excuse is like always "I smoke weed"

 

[yumyumbubblegum]

Are soils inherantly low ph wise?

 

[yumyumbubblegum]

Everything I needed was right here :hubba: I use Happy Frog that would explain my low ph runoff...

Alright, I had problems understanding alot of what you're asking, so I'll just try laying out alot of what I know and hopefully it will help.

First of all, I wouldn't ask for advice from your hydro guys again if they are telling you stuff like your soils PH doesn't matter. Thats silly, your soils ph, organic or not, is probably the most important thing you can keep track of in your gardening. It sounds like you've looked at the ph charts, soyou know that you really need to keep your ph in a sweet spot to properly absorb all the nutrients it needs. If you don't pay attention to your ph, you might as well not even feed your plants.

Ok first off, let me ask about this:



Now did you put that PH down directly into the soil, or did you mix it with water to bring the waters ph down? If you put it directly into the soil, you should start flushing now, because straight PH Down like a 3 or less on the PH scale and would definately keep most every nute from reaching your plant. If you mixed it with water first and got your proper ph in the water, then watered the plant, then all is good.

Also to answer your question in the quotes, no it wouldn't add to its acidity. Watering with a PH of 6.9 over as long period of time will not build up to be 6.7 or anything, it will stay at 6.9. However, you should be aware that your soils ph can and will flucuate, so you always gotta keep track. For example, when peat moss breaks down, it becomes very acidic, so a few months into a potting mix, your ph could start dropping from that.

Alright, let me explain PH practices a bit now. Now alot of premade soils have dolomite lime in them as a PH buffer. At about a tablespoon of lime per gallon of soil, you soil should stay in that 6.5 range. Now alot of premixed soilds have lime in them, but often its not enough. Fox Farms Happy frog soil for example has lime in it, but its ph is 5.5 out of the bag, unacceptable for weed growing. Another reason you always gotta check.

Ok, so its good to have something in your soil to help control the ph, but thats only half the battle. If your soils PH is 6.5, your work isn't done. Watering 6.5 soil with 7.5 water will eventually bring the soils PH up past 7, so you gotta put into your soil what you want your soil to be. This means whenever you water that 6.5 soil, make sure you're watering with water PHed at 6.5, this way your PH shouldn't stray on you. Also, when adding nutrients to your water for feeding, PH the nutrient solution when it is all mixed together ready to give to your plants, then adjust the ph accordingly.

Now I know you keep stressing organic and are worried what PH up and down do to organics. First off, PH up and Down, is safe and fine to use and not a worry that its not ortganic. This being said though, General Hydroponics makes actual organic PH up and down solution, as well as a few other companies. Also, homemade remidies like lemon juice and vinegar are some good organic alternatives.

Also, I mention testing the soils ph alot. Someone already mentioned in the thread how soil probes don't work, and thats generally correct, so heres what I do instead. First, I get a few gallons of water, all spot on the PH of 6.5. Next, I satuate the soil with the water, so its just drenched, then I let it sit for about 20 minutes. When I come back I carefully add a little more water to the soil untill water starts flowing out the bottom of the container. I collect that runoff water and PH it. I personally use a 6 dollar liquid PH drop test kit and it works great. So the PH of this runoff water is your soilds PH. If the soils PH is too high or low, I use those other gallons of PHed water to flush through my soil untill my runoff reads 6.5. Once my runoff reads 6.5, I wait 20 minutes again and do a final PH test and repeat steps if necessary.

Hope this helps.

 

[yumyumbubblegum]

OK - last question on this - I feed everyother watering this next watering is just that (a watering) can I just flush at that time, 2 more days. My Lime will not be here till tomorrow anyway

 

[yumyumbubblegum]

I got my dolmite lime today and it is real granuarly and does not break down in water did I get the wrong stuff? can I just add some to the top of my soil?

 

[blancolighter]

Its alright, put it in the water anyways and keep shaking it up as you water. Alot of the big sediments of the lime will get left in the bottom of your watering container, but there'll still be plenty of lime in the water that goes into your soil. You really should flush it through as opposed to put it on top, cause you gotta fix that Happy Frog PH of your whole container, and flushing with lime will be the best way to change that PH.