Slurry testing question

[Cwmoore577]

I attempted to do a slurry test and wanted to see if I did it correctly and if my result indicates an issue/what to do about it.

I took roughly 15 grams of soil from each plant's 5 gal bucket and bought a distilled water jug from the grocery store. Mixed it in a small container as close to 1:1 ratio as I could eyeball and stirred it up. Let it sit for about 15-20 minutes and tested it with my pH meter.

The distilled water pH was 5.7 going in and dropped to 5.3 after mixing it with the soil.
From what I've read that should be a problem correct?

I usually use pH UP to get the distilled/RO water I'm using to 6.5-6.8 pH before I use it to water the plants. Should I have pH'd it to what I would use before doing the slurry test or did I do it correctly with unchanged distilled water?

 

[Chip Green]

You did a proper slurry test.
Do a few more, the same way, see if the results are repetitive. You likely will see a bit of range in the results.
You likely have soil running in the low pH side of the spectrum.

 

[Cwmoore577]

You did a proper slurry test.
Do a few more, the same way, see if the results are repetitive. You likely will see a bit of range in the results.
You likely have soil running in the low pH side of the spectrum.

Is that something I should try to fix urgently? I've done a couple and all in low 5's.. got a pretty high end ph meter as well. The plants are in week 3 of flowering.

 

[xtsho]

What do the plants look like? Do they look good? If they do then don't go looking for a problem that doesn't exist.

 

[Lucky Luke]

A good way to get into problems is chasing a fix for a problem that isn't there.
The PH in the root zone of soil can and is adjusted by the plants themselves. They have been growing in less than ideal conditions for hundreds of thousands of years.

 

[Cwmoore577]

What do the plants look like? Do they look good? If they do then don't go looking for a problem that doesn't exist.

A good way to get into problems is chasing a fix for a problem that isn't there.
The PH in the root zone of soil can and is adjusted by the plants themselves. They have been growing in less than ideal conditions for hundreds of thousands of years.

Having brown spots, yellowing and dying leaves. Trying to see if this is the issue.

 

[Lucky Luke]

Having brown spots, yellowing and dying leaves. Trying to see if this is the issue.

if ur watering at 6.5 to 6.8 PH in soil then the PH isn't an issue and thats without trying to work in the large buffer soil has. Id say ur problem lies in something more common.

To give u piece of mind u could always add a little Dolomite to the soil. Personally I wouldn't bother.

Dolomite pH
Dolomite has a neutral pH of 7, and can never raise the pH above 7. It stabilizes the pH safely. Compensate for acidic soil by mixing dolomite with soil before planting. Dolomite is a compound of Mg (Magnesium) and Ca (Calcium

 

[Lucky Luke]

I just looked at some pics in ur Molasses Q.
Plants look fine. Little burnt on the tips from over feeding earlier but otherwise fine. You will often get a leaf here or there that is not quiet right. a couple leaves does not a problem make especially in older growth.
Often after stretch they have used up allot of energy and need a nice rounded feed going into flower.

 

[Cwmoore577]

I just looked at some pics in ur Molasses Q.
Plants look fine. Little burnt on the tips from over feeding earlier but otherwise fine. You will often get a leaf here or there that is not quiet right. a couple leaves does not a problem make especially in older growth.
Often after stretch they have used up allot of energy and need a nice rounded feed going into flower.

Ok thanks Luke. And I was just looking over them for the day and found these.. do you recognize them ?

I found 3 so far and they’re on the buds.

 

[xtsho]

Hard to tell from that picture but that looks like a Japanese Beetle.

 

[Cwmoore577]

Hard to tell from that picture but that looks like a Japanese Beetle.

They’re gray and black. Small and I’m finding them on the buds.

 

[xtsho]

Then not a Japanese Beetle.

There are literally thousands of different beetles many of them gray and black. I would go over the plants real good and get rid of them. They might not eat the cannabis but they might use it for a nesting spot to lay eggs.

 

[Cwmoore577]

Then not a Japanese Beetle.

There are literally thousands of different beetles many of them gray and black. I would go over the plants real good and get rid of them. They might not eat the cannabis but they might use it for a nesting spot to lay eggs.

Trying to get all of them.. I’ve got about 10 so far... this is gonna be tedious as hell

 

[Lucky Luke]

Spray with white oil at lights off.

 

[Cwmoore577]

Spray with white oil at lights off.

Ok. White oil is vegetable oil and dawn soap right? Not sure how to make it. Should I avoid spraying buds? This is where bud formation is currently..

 

[Lucky Luke]

There is a few ways to make it, I just buy mine in spray can form in the gardening section of the local hardware store. Nope, spray everywhere.

 

[Cwmoore577]

There is a few ways to make it, I just buy mine in spray can form in the gardening section of the local hardware store. Nope, spray everywhere.

I just found thrips as well...

 

[manfredo]

if ur watering at 6.5 to 6.8 PH in soil then the PH isn't an issue and thats without trying to work in the large buffer soil has. Id say ur problem lies in something more common.

To give u piece of mind u could always add a little Dolomite to the soil. Personally I wouldn't bother.

Dolomite pH
Dolomite has a neutral pH of 7, and can never raise the pH above 7. It stabilizes the pH safely. Compensate for acidic soil by mixing dolomite with soil before planting. Dolomite is a compound of Mg (Magnesium) and Ca (Calcium

Contrary to popular belief, the pH of the water does not influence the pH of the growing medium. Actually, it is the bicarbonate and carbonate levels in the water, known collectively as alkalinity, the potential acidity or basicity of the fertilizer and the plant itself:

How to Maintain the Proper pH of a Growing Medium | PT Growers and Consumers

Maintaining pH 5.6-6.2 in growing medium requires more than water pH adjustment. Find out what other factors need to be taken into account.

www.pthorticulture.com