Yep Im for sure a newbie! Ph is a nightmare. Or is my soil Meter broke?

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
vinegar is used as a DIY herbicide.

Are you actually having PH related problems with your plants? There are alternative ways of buffering your ph in soil, like using lime for example.
No. I was just being really new and doing research. Then taking the most common strands of research to put into practice. Balancing Ph kept on coming up.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Did you calibrate the pH meter? You should do that anytime you use a pH meter because even slight taps against a meter can effect it. I mean, I have a older hanna, that really never needs calibrating, but I still check it before I use it. I also have a few of those cheap pH meters that I have to loan out to people and they even work well, but again, they need to be calibrated before use! And if you don't have any calibration liquid, you can use things like Coke pH 2.5, or Pepsi pH 2.6 for your calibration liquid!
Calibrate?

As you can see....... No. No I didn't. But I dont know this one can be calibrated.
 

Hydrowannabe

Well-Known Member
Just saw the above comment, but maybe this will give you food for thought (I meant to send this yesterday but got saved as draft).....I still dont get why we are trying to change the ph of bagged, preformulated, premixed, potting soil. I'm truly asking and not just being a dick. Isn't the point of using bagged potting soil to have everything "ready-to-grow." Wouldnt the best option be to just water with non ph'd water.....or switch to a medium that is designed to be micro managed. Again, not trying to get flamed. I switched to coco a couple years ago after growing for 2 years in bagged soil. when I grew in soil, I dont remember the plant being that greatly affected, one way or the other, if I ph'd the water or if I didn't. I was better off focusing on proper watering
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Just saw the above comment, but maybe this will give you food for thought (I meant to send this yesterday but got saved as draft).....I still dont get why we are trying to change the ph of bagged, preformulated, premixed, potting soil. I'm truly asking and not just being a dick. Isn't the point of using bagged potting soil to have everything "ready-to-grow." Wouldnt the best option be to just water with non ph'd water.....or switch to a medium that is designed to be micro managed. Again, not trying to get flamed. I switched to coco a couple years ago after growing for 2 years in bagged soil. when I grew in soil, I dont remember the plant being that greatly affected, one way or the other, if I ph'd the water or if I didn't. I was better off focusing on proper watering
From what I'm gathering from the previous comment you seem to be correct. The reason I was so concerned about that is through research the most common things I found were

Proper PH
Newbies overwater
Check each plant for pests and deficiencies daily.

As a new person to all gardening I was just trying to do all the right things. :)
 

Hydrowannabe

Well-Known Member
What do you mean "let it burp"? I dont know what that means. But I want to!
Apparently his plants have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Just kidding, but plants dont burp.
From what I'm gathering from the previous comment you seem to be correct. The reason I was so concerned about that is through research the most common things I found were

Proper PH
Newbies overwater
Check each plant for pests and deficiencies daily.

As a new person to all gardening I was just trying to do all the right things. :)
Yea, ph becomes really important when growing in coco or other hydroponic mediums....not so much with bagged potting as it is designed to be in a "good enough" ph range allowing you to focus on other growing aspects. Ph maintenance can be a bitch sometimes in other mediums.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Apparently his plants have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Just kidding, but plants dont burp.

Yea, ph becomes really important when growing in coco or other hydroponic mediums....not so much with bagged potting as it is designed to be in a "good enough" ph range allowing you to focus on other growing aspects. Ph maintenance can be a bitch sometimes in other mediums.
Thank you for the clarity.

I am also growing tomatoes. Everything I read stated they need to be between 6 and 6.8.

But I would assume the same will go for them?

If in soil just water with a hose?
 

Hydrowannabe

Well-Known Member
Thank you for the clarity.

I am also growing tomatoes. Everything I read stated they need to be between 6 and 6.8.

But I would assume the same will go for them?

If in soil just water with a hose?
If it's in any quality bagged potting soil, then yea tap water from your hose should work just fine. And about the tomatoe question, dont ph the water for them either. Cannabis and tomatoes grow very similarly in many ways. Some actually start with tomatoes for practice
 

Kalebaiden

Well-Known Member
Also, future good soil mix for you.

  1. Soil (absolutely anything from a garden center)
  2. Peat Moss
  3. Worm Castings
  4. Bloodmeal
  5. Fish Meal
  6. Kelp
  7. Cow or Sheep Manure
  8. Bonemeal
  9. Bird Guano
  10. Bat Guano
  11. Perlite
  12. Vermiculite
  13. Agricultural Lime
I think I covered every ingredient there.

Pretty much a bit of this and a dash of that with soil and peat being the greatest component. Let sit for a month or longer.

To take a proper soil pH, you mix soil into a slurry with distilled or Reverse Osmosis water, shake the shit out of the slurry. Let sit for 5 minutes or until the particulate settles. Then test the pH of the water oin the mixture.


*Edit*

I done got really stoned earlier and some of this is a stoned ramble.

I might fix it later.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Also, future good soil mix for you.

  1. Soil (absolutely anything from a garden center)
  2. Peat Moss
  3. Worm Castings
  4. Bloodmeal
  5. Fish Meal
  6. Kelp
  7. Cow or Sheep Manure
  8. Bonemeal
  9. Bird Guano
  10. Bat Guano
  11. Perlite
  12. Vermiculite
  13. Agricultural Lime
I think I covered every ingredient there.

Pretty much a bit of this and a dash of that with soil and peat being the greatest component. Let sit for a month or longer.

To take a proper soil pH, you mix soil into a slurry with distilled or Reverse Osmosis water, shake the shit out of the slurry. Let sit for 5 minutes or until the particulate settles. Then test the pH of the water oin the mixture.


*Edit*

I done got really stoned earlier and some of this is a stoned ramble.

I might fix it later.
Il have to look later but im pretty sure every ingredient you listed is the soil I bought.
 

Kalebaiden

Well-Known Member
Il have to look later but im pretty sure every ingredient you listed is the soil I bought.
You made a super soil. If the pH of the slurry test is within 6.0 to 6.5 you're golden. Above 6.5, add a thin topcoat of powdered lime. To low, add a thick top layer of peat.
 
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