My soil is testing ow ph numbers. My soil meter is reading around ph 4.5. Unfortunately I wasn’t aware of this forum and I started my plants in 5 gallon plastic pots filled with Mirical Grow mixed with manure. All seven plants are pretty tall; 5 at 8 feet. They are beginning flower up good but how can I bring that soil ph number up where it needs to be. Should I be adding water that’s over ph 7 to raising this number? Obviously I’m dealing with sub par soil, but can I remedy this with higher ph water?
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What kind of meter are you using??? I use baking soda to bring my pH up but it doesn’t get down that low so I’m not sure how much is too much. pH Up and pH Down from any pool supply or Amazon is what a lot of people use on the forum as well.
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I have ph up and down. I’m wondering if I should do a watering at maybe ph 8 in an effort to bring the soil ph level up to ph 6.5.
Adding the nutrients drags the ph down. My tap water is reading ph 7.4 before adding nutrients. It’s a real chemistry project. The baking soda is a thought, but how much is safe? Three weeks into flowering I don’t want to screw up now!
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I’ve never used more than maybe 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. But my pH hasn’t gone below 5.3 or so. My tap is right at 8.0 as well. I don’t advise going up out of nominal range. Let me see if I can get you a little help…
@AfgVet @Audiofreak @Hellraiser @Underthestairs @TRF
Hate to bother any of y’all, but if you have a chance, could y’all throw some advice to a fellow grower??
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How are you arriving at the low numbers …have you tested runoff ?
Or are you using a probe meter ?
Hopefully not none of these?
You can see what my dumb ass thought was doing the job that’s why I’m asking
All that’s good for is light and moisture …
The ph thing I found to be truthful once or twice
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I don’t worry about soil pH, I test run off at feeding, and of course I pH for waterings and feedings, but as long as the in and out numbers are in a good range I only care if the soil is wet.
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Hey I still have one of those, but I did chunk the shaker with the tablets.
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I’m not positive myself if raising ph higher to compensate would be the solution …I’d wait for more advice too
@Bozzzzz
I also used MG ….but I used the performance organic for IN GROUND not pots …mixed in some vermiculite and pearlite ,and sphagnum peat moss…
Never fed the plant anything until it told me to
At that point started using the trio and it came right back rather nicely
I only recently started really trying to watch my PH and ppm …
Hoping I get away with it the end
If I do …I’m just going to keep using the same method
So far so good …
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Lol I never tried those …but I remember the test drops and little shaker for the pool …
Had to make sure the colors matched !!!
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I picked up a probe meter and freaked when I saw the reading so low. It’s been in the 90s the last few day and real humid. I watered them good this morning so I could do a run off test. I’ll try that tomorrow when I feed them.
It’s starting to smell real good on my patio with all these plants flowering. I want to keep them healthy. I really appreciate the help guys.
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I picked up a soil meter today and freaked when I saw the low ph reading. I will water them in the morning take a ph run off reading.
I really appreciate the feed back!!!
Probe style soil meters are all but useless. And I wouldn’t water out of pH. If the runoff is way out flush with 6.5 until it comes out at 6.5. then you’ll be reset.
That poor little lady is hungry.
Make sure you have a quality pH meter, and just as important calibrate it frequently.
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Thanks. Great advice!
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Welcome to the community of growing @Bozzzzz ! I recommend apera or bluelab would be a good choice pH meter. Around fifty bucks worth every penny.
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First, throw that soil probe in the trash. They are terribly inaccurate. At your next feed or water, do so to a point that you have run off water and test that. If your ph is still off, say it’s low, you’ll want to flush with slightly higher ph-ed water to raise the soil ph at run off. Then give the plant a good feed
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Oh my gosh I almost killed my plants after the first reading. Did a test just to check my tap water and the powdered you dump in your test water turned blood red. I starting mixing stuff up and putting stuff in to bring my pH up. That day I ordered the Apera aaaand I figured out lemon juice and baking soda a re good natural adjusters. I love using lemon juice. I’m not positive, but it would make sense to me that, though very small amounts after going in a gallon of water, the sugars would help any microbial life. I know it doesn’t hurt the plants!!!
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I’m assuming lemon juice “down” and baking soda “up”? It must take a lot of lemons to correct a 5 gallon bucket of water.
Yeah I would not do anything based on the soil probe meters, do a runoff or slurry test with a digital ph pen to see what’s really going on.
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. Can raise your soil ph with garden lime. Using baking soda will leave salt buildup in your soil. It works I’ve just read countless threads where people who use it, regret doing so.
Thanks! Good to know this tidbit of information!