Organic soil questions

[MR.NICE.GUY.1990]

Hey everybody. I'm still new to the super soil method. I've made the transition and currently have 3, 15 gallon containers with 3 very healthy looking females in them, 2 weeks into flower.

The plants are growing healthy enough, but when I check the p.h of my soil, 1 pot reads at between 4 and 3, the other 2 containers are reading very alkaline at the high end of 7, almost 8.

Being new to organics, and to make a long story short, I failed to add any kind of humic acid or lime, and I assumed that the oyster shell, of which is an ingredient of the build a soil mineral mix I use, would have enough to get my soil right. (I use 5 cups per 15 gal container of the mineral mix.)

Should I run these plants out normally and just reamend with humic acid granules and dolomite lime before I put another plant in them?

Here's my mix, btw:

Base/
ewc • 3.75 gallons
Peat moss • 3 gallons
Crushed lava rock • 5.25 gallons
Pro mix mycorrhizae top soil • 1.5 gallons
Charged bio-char(soaked with all my amendments) • 2.25 gallons

Amendments/
[1 cup per 15 gallon pot] {mineral mix is 5 cups per pot}

Kelp meal
Alfalfa meal
Neem cake
Mineral mix(build a soil2.0)
Crustacean meal
Top dressed with comfrey leaf and worm castings

 

[MR.NICE.GUY.1990]

Build a soil mineral mix ingredients

 

[Richard Drysift]

How are you checking ph? If the ph is actually 4 your soil is basically battery acid. The plants would not be able to absorb everything and probably won't look too good. It's possible if you didn't not wait a full 30 days after amending the soil that some raw organic material is still decomposing and pulling the mix down a bit too acidic.
If the plants look ok I would probably just water as normal and ride it out. If you are sure the ph is that low you can try to add hydrated lime or epsom salt by bubbling it in water for an hour and pouring it on. Just lime the soil by hand when you amend it next time. Oyster shell is actually pretty good at regulating ph but it must be in the root zone to work. In other words the soil ph can fluctuate from one area of the container to another depending upon what materials are present there. So you may not even need to worry about this. If it's not broken don't try to fix it.

 

[youraveragehorticulturist]

I agree. If the plants are looking good, don't sweat it.

 

[MR.NICE.GUY.1990]

2 weeks in bloom

 

[MR.NICE.GUY.1990]

Ph tester

 

[youraveragehorticulturist]

I think we found your problem...

 

[Richard Drysift]

Ph tester

Lmfao....I bought one of those once. Don't even trip; your plants are fine.

 

[manfredo]

Testing soil ph can be a little tricky, for sure. I just checked my plants in super soil by making a slurry of 1/2 soil and 1/2 RO water, then tested that with a meter that I know is accurate...Mine came in a little low, around 5.8, and i added a little lime to help them out. In my case, the plants have been growing slowly and exhibited what I thought was a calcium magnesium deficiency, but when adding calmag didn't help, I checked the soil.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

Unless you are paying a lab or have an antique Sudsbury test kit, you'll never get a good reading from anything over the counter. Test your run off with a good PH pen The multiply that number by 1.2. That should be a very close actual Ph.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

Hello Mr. Drysift. Without intending offense to anyone... I bought one of those testers to get my 11 year old into Ph'ing our vegetable and flower garden feed. LOL. We all had one.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

Testing soil ph can be a little tricky, for sure. I just checked my plants in super soil by making a slurry of 1/2 soil and 1/2 RO water, then tested that with a meter that I know is accurate...Mine came in a little low, around 5.8, and i added a little lime to help them out. In my case, the plants have been growing slowly and exhibited what I thought was a calcium magnesium deficiency, but when adding calmag didn't help, I checked the soil.

You can add an epsoms salt foliar spray to deal with current deficiency. If you have 5.8 I'd flush with spring or dechlorinated tap at 6.4.. R/O and distilled will also create your issue.

 

[manfredo]

You can add an epsoms salt foliar spray to deal with current deficiency. If you have 5.8 I'd flush with spring or dechlorinated tap at 6.4.. R/O and distilled will also create your issue.

I'm also dealing with powdery mildew, which is a nightmare!

I had never heard of an epson salt foliar spray, but I just googled it. Interesting! I have been using Subpars SS recipe and honestly didn't know the reasoning behind the epson salts...Thank you!

I'm treating the pm with Regalia...I'll have to do more research, but it seems the epson salt foliar spray might even help with the pm too.

Thanks for the tip!!

 

[MICHI-CAN]

Thanks for the info. You are overdoing everything from the sounds of it. "Keep it simple stupid" is what I was taught. Fancy doesn't work without fancy steps. Mother nature knows best. Just need to give her what she needs.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

I need to read your posts again. I can help with a few things for sure.

 

[manfredo]

You can add an epsoms salt foliar spray to deal with current deficiency. If you have 5.8 I'd flush with spring or dechlorinated tap at 6.4.. R/O and distilled will also create your issue.

Am I safe to use the epson salt spray on plants in week 5 of flower? 1 tablespoon per gallon for foliar spray?

 

[MICHI-CAN]

I'd use no more than 1/4 teaspoon per gallon and them mist with 6.2-6.4 spring water. You've been starving your plants of minerals with the R/O water. And no more than two consecutive days when your lights first come on.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

The excess water and humidity is causing your powdery mildew. Citrinox will effectively kill it. Organic but too late in the flower cycle. Neem oil and organic soap are your only option. Get some air moving over these plants.

 

[manfredo]

The excess water and humidity is causing your powdery mildew. Citrinox will effectively kill it. Organic but too late in the flower cycle. Neem oil and organic soap are your only option. Get some air moving over these plants.

I have a ton of air circulation...2 large oscillating fans & a 20" box fan on 10 med size plants. I have fresh air intake, and my RO is between 40-45%.

Are you familiar with Regalia? It's new. Certified organic and safe to use in flower. Several members from here have recommended it.

Regalia® | Control Powdery Mildew | Pro Farm Group - Formerly Marrone Bio Innovations

Regalia® Bioungicide delivers improved crop yield and harvest quality by stimulating a plant’s ability to fight diseases. Effectively control Powdery mildew.

marronebio.com

But something else is going on I think...growth has been slow.

My lights are about to come on...I'm gonna go mix some epson salts and give them a spray!!

What is Citronox...I googled it but came up with a cleaner?

Thanks again!!

 

[MICHI-CAN]

I have a ton of air circulation...2 large oscillating fans & a 20" box fan on 10 med size plants. I have fresh air intake, and my RO is between 40-45%.

Are you familiar with Regalia? It's new. Certified organic and safe to use in flower. Several members from here have recommended it.

Regalia® | Control Powdery Mildew | Pro Farm Group - Formerly Marrone Bio Innovations

Regalia® Bioungicide delivers improved crop yield and harvest quality by stimulating a plant’s ability to fight diseases. Effectively control Powdery mildew.

marronebio.com

But something else is going on I think...growth has been slow.

My lights are about to come on...I'm gonna go mix some epson salts and give them a spray!!

What is Citronox...I googled it but came up with a cleaner?

Thanks again!!

First Citronox is a greenhouse disinfectant. 100% organic and safe to most plants. The mildew is a type of mite. You will have to remove the infected leaves. My solution and theirs end the same. I can only speak of my experiences. Neem oil is cheap, safe and proven over my years of gardening and working a commercial greenhouse. The R/O water is your problem with the plant other than the pests. Which are fatal if not removed.