So I’m growing two gold leaf photos in five gallon fabric pots for soil I made a blend of bat guano blood meal bone meal worm compost and used some happy frog also perlite I gave my girls a nice full watering today with runoff when I tested the runoff ppm was like 3400 ph was 5.8 I’m nervous now even though they look good also I’m using rain water to water them. Should I be flushing with sledgehammer to get that ppm down or what and if so do I wait til the next dry cycle to do so or just right away
I had a similar issue early on my first grow with HF and OF, both hot soils. I asked about the same thing and my plants looked nowhere near as good as yours. I was told I was defeating the purpose for the nice soil if I washed off the nutes, and as long as they looked fine, leave them alone and just use water with no nutes until the numbers came down. Your PH seems a bit low for soil. I am tagging more informed help for you @Covertgrower @Nicky @dbrn32
5 Likes
They look ok, maybe a touch too much nitrogen, but nothing screaming help.
Jet lag is correct. Don’t flush. Ffof will can have runoff in the 3500ppm zone when you first plant in it.
The pH is certainly too low, and you will most likely have issues if it’s not brought up. If you have, or can buy dolomite lime, (powdered) I’d add 2tbs to each of the large pots and gently work it into the top of the soil. It’s $5 for a 25# bag at my local gardening shop.
Take runoff measurements at the next 2 waterings and make note of changes. It should come up a bit.
4 Likes
Jet lag covered. Even if he’s lagging. Haha.
4 Likes
Not surprised by the ppm at all. Did you follow a recipe? Blood meal is high N. Not sure where the low ph would be coming from. It is pretty low for not being in coco. A little limestone can be used to buffer & raise ph.
I am preparing 5 gallon pots to receive transplants now. I filled them with my soil mix and watered lightly. Will water again to moisten and settle the soil.
I have lime I did put a tbsp in each maybe I’ll need one more the lime I have is more granular though not a powder should I be crushing it @Drinkslinger
I did follow a recipe off online somewhere and even went a little lighter than what was recommended I wish I still had that screenshot cause now I can’t find it
1 Like
Should I be watering it again right now to try and get the ph up or this one watering not gonna hurt it
The Pelletized lime is much slower to act than the powdered.
If the plants are ready to be watered, go for it.
I just watered today I didn’t know if I should be flushing through more phd water though normally I wouldn’t water again right now no. I just wasn’t sure if the ph being off this one watering would effect the plant in the long and should I maybe crush the lime up a little make it more fine
You can try crushing it. It won’t hurt.
It will take time to buffer the pH.
Don’t use too much, and be sure to gently work it in to the soil. Otherwise it can harden on top and form a crust.
I did order some of the powdered the one I ordered said it adds magnesium and calcium so do I not need the calmag anymore using the new stuff