What Is Best Soil pH?

When the soil drops PH below 5.5, this usually means the calmag-reservoir is used up, next recyle I add some dolomite.... it buffers up to 7.... so adding up until 5.9-6.0...

Thats why i use BB Calmag with every RO-watering, so that the reservoir in the pots doesnt uses up in the middle of the grow unnoticed and the pH stays stable. Usually with tap-water this is not a problem, but instead the PH steadily increasing because of the high extra calcium tap-water contains.

Low PH turn out over time with RO-water and without Calmag when you recycle. You must add the minerals again, and slow down the depletion at best!

Edit: I dont mean of measuring the drain....but propperly probing the soil when preparing the soil for the next cycle. This is when i recalibrate it to 5.9 with coffee ground and organic acidic-watering and microbes.... in the grow raising with the water controlled from 6.1 veg to 6.3 end of flowering. I never measure drain.

Nutty sKunK said:

Depends on the alkalinity of his water tho… my water is pH 8 / 32ppm so little alkalinity. Meaning it doesn’t take much at all to lower the pH

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That's true, however in the case of that other poster he had a lot more ppms @ ph 8.5 than your 32ppm water, so a much higher buffering capacity.

Sweet spot doesn have to b exact so imo from research it's 6.3 to 6.9
That works for me unless ur organic

Tangerine_ said:

I think the low pH you're seeing in those bagged soils is because the liming agents haven't been activated yet. It always comes back up to the 6.5 range for me after a few waterings.

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I haven't much experience with the Fox Farm soils so I'm just trying to understand them. One one hand, I would like to use my soil, but I am having problems getting the pH where I want it. By blending my neutral soil with Ocean or Happy, I can get it to where I want.

I have several batches of soil and recently started measuring and recording the pH each day to see how long it takes for the soil to attain a stable pH. I have Happy Frog, Ocean Forest, Happy Frog + Ocean Forest mixed together, and some of my soil which has a neutral pH.

If the pH reading is stable for 3 days, I can let it sit and check it a final time when preparing for the next grow.

The3rdMan said:

but I am having problems getting the pH where I want it

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PJ Diaz said:

so a much higher buffering capacity.

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because the liming agents

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organic Cal/Mag

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See that you can never adjust the soil pH by just adding acid or base ions for H+ or OH- without a lime buffer... that lime is the organic cal/mag.

You should add something like dolomite until the soil reaches the desired PH, not base..... and when your soil got to much lime accumulating from too much calmag... it doesn't help to add more and more acid. It's noit the same without recognizing the meaning of the buffeering capacity of the PH with the diluten minerals.... lime buffers to 7... zeoliths buffer higher, so use them wisely in a right dose....

You cant tweak a soil down so easily that you locked in +7 buffer capacity.

Try adding lime when recycling the right amount for whatever 5.9, 6.1., 6.3 you desire... i dont wanna have an argue about the exact optimum... its a "range". Usually the formulas with wormcastand others to recycle soils contain enough lime-buffer. If you feed youpots with the right amount of lime that the plants feed, PH stays stable.... if you feed more PH rises, so if you see PH rising, try LESS calmag, not adding acid... it works!

For example, its important to not only think in PH points and acids and base.... the buffer is what counts.... 5.5 in the pots means empty calmag, it doesnt bring you fuirther to add PH+, but to add lime.... because the buffers gone and so the minerals, the soil in the pot is a buffer, you hardly change it with force, but with wise decisions to keep it, the lime buffer, in the right range, so the plants can feed from it, without even measuring drain all the day and get driven MAD. You need to enter the topic from another perspective to get around the corner.

Why do people use cal mag? It’s an oxymoron if you look at the science behind how plants handle the two. Both calcium and magnesium ions compete for plant uptake, but only one has beneficial results. Magnesium actually increase rot in fruits. What you are actually looking for is to add calcium to a depleted soil not magnesium.

Because living cells need both, you dont build a cell with only calcium but without magnesium. It dont work! Plants need magnesium and the demand rises from about week 3 of flowering. Thats when people usually add epsom salt, because the plants take use of that. The plant needs to take up both in ok ratio, about 1:2-1:3 cal/mag. This applies same to your human body, the kidney flushes too much of each out. When you only eat calcium you run low on magnesium, exactly because they compete and mineral retention capacity of your kidneys have limits, or you experience muscle cramps... see you need BOTH to function! So you must eat magnesium... especially when you run sports and are heavily sweating, because you lose the magnesium.

Plants need magnesiumfor similar reasons, it's important for their physiology

Dolomite is bond tight complex at about 1:2 and ideal liming agent..... it releases slowly! Epson salt instead release the magnesium instantly.

You use epson salt to make more magnesium available when the plants need for, but you add dolomite to buffer the PH of your soil up towards 7 when recycling.

CheGueVapo said:

Because living cells need both, you dont build a cell with only calcium but without magnesium. It dont work! Plants need magnesium and the demand rises from about week 3 of flowering. Thats when people usually add epsom salt, because the plants take use of that. The plant needs to take up both in ok ratio, about 1:2-1:3 cal/mag. This applies same to your human body, the kidney flushes too much of each out. When you only eat calcium you run low on magnesium, exactly because they compete and mineral retention capacity of your kidneys have limits, or you experience muscle cramps... see you need BOTH to function! So you must eat magnesium... especially when you run sports and are heavily sweating, because you lose the magnesium.

Plants need magnesiumfor similar reasons, it's important for their physiology

Dolomite is bond tight complex at about 1:2 and ideal liming agent..... it releases slowly! Epson salt instead release the magnesium instantly.

You use epson salt to make more magnesium available when the plants need for, but you add dolomite to buffer the PH of your soil up towards 7 when recycling.

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You got that backwards. The most recommended ratio is 2:1. Twice as much Ca as Mg.

Sure, sry!

Here is a case study on azomite which is volcanic ash. Azomite is a complete multivitamin essentially for your soil. Includes all macro and micro nutrients as well as trace elements required for healthy plants. And mycelium is nature’s way of breaking down the elements to make them bioavailble for the plant. Mycelium and plants have a symbiotic relationship. Your pH is never going to be constant. It’s always in flux. The part that scared Einstein In his quest to understand quantum mechanics was that he realized everything is in a flux state “Spooky action from a distance”.

I challenge you to do a comparison grow without azomite and mycelium and with it. I realize this isn’t specifically an “organic soil” thread by if you are growing in soil why would you want to introduce chemical compounds that are extremely acidic or alkaline? Do you want trace amounts of hydrochloric acid in your soil? Probably not, but that’s what is used to break down many of the elements found in bottle nutrients. So why not amend depleted soils the same exact way that nature does.

AZOMITE is an acronym for the "A to Z of minerals including trace elements". An estimated 30 million years ago, a volcanic eruption filled a nearby seabed. The unique combination of seawater, fed by rivers rich in minerals and rare earth elements present in the volcanic ash created the composition known as the AZOMITE mineral deposit.

Nutty sKunK said:

Good points. Amazingly after adding nutes to my water it’s always around the 6-7 mark depending on how strong it is.

I always check my soil pH before growing with a professional pH probe.

Everytine my soil pH is low around mid flower it goes to shit.

Perhaps it’s a case of nutrients antagonising one another due to the pH being out of range. certain nutrients are easier than others to absorb so there will be excess of particular elements building up over time which further drops the pH of the soil (excess P/K for example)

My practice now is to feed at the first signs of hunger rather than trying to cram it down their throats

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In organics the idea is to preload the soil before they get hungry. As organic materials take time to break down to sustainable/usable nutrients, how do you control the pH from going whack in that kind of environment?

PJ Diaz said:

Except that if you pour super acidic stuff in your soil you may kill off half of your micro herd. Besides, don't you think your microbes have better things to do than spend their energy adjusting ph for you? It might sound like a joke, but seriously, microbes don't like big ph swings either. Best to keep your input in range.

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Except that very thing your using to adjust the pH is the super acidic stuff that's killing off your microbes..let the microbes do the work.

PJ Diaz said:

Except that if you pour super acidic stuff in your soil you may kill off half of your micro herd. Besides, don't you think your microbes have better things to do than spend their energy adjusting ph for you? It might sound like a joke, but seriously, microbes don't like big ph swings either. Best to keep your input in range.

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Why would you be pouring super acidic stuff in your organic soil of course that would mess stuff up and your correct they don’t like ph swing that’s why you watch and maintain what you feed your soil and keep it regular don’t get all crazy fancy do what works it’s 2021 not 1989

Week4@inCharge said:

In organics the idea is to preload the soil before they get hungry. As organic materials take time to break down to sustainable/usable nutrients, how do you control the pH from going whack in that kind of environment?

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You continuously feed and pay attention to your plant it’s not hard you can use organic fish fertilizers and dolomite lime to adjust I use silica and recharge in my watering routine that with a healthy proven top dressing when needed will maintain a perfect environment for your plant without ever worrying about ph swing

Hiphophippo said:

You continuously feed and pay attention to your plant it’s not hard you can use organic fish fertilizers and dolomite lime to adjust I use silica and recharge in my watering routine that with a healthy proven top dressing when needed will maintain a perfect environment for your plant without ever worrying about ph swing

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Following as one of my ladies is going through a "thing" and I really can't get to the bottom of it till I get an actual pH reading of the soil. I have an "industrial" pH soil pen coming in this week. Every time I ask for advice one of the first questions is always.. "what's the pH of your soil dude..." Seems like it's necessary (having some sort of pH instrument) if your a serious organic grower here.

Week4@inCharge said:

Following as one of my ladies is going through a "thing" and I really can't get to the bottom of it till I get an actual pH reading of the soil. I have an "industrial" pH soil pen coming in this week. Every time I ask for advice one of the first questions is always.. "what's the pH of your soil dude..." Seems like it's necessary (having some sort of pH instrument) if your a serious organic grower here.

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It is I guess. I have one but man truthfully I used it like three times and haven’t since. I’ve learned more from looking at the plant and reading the crap out of everything I find related to said issue. then thru basic elimination of bs info I try what sounds best and has reliable info regarding those problems.

Hiphophippo said:

It is I guess. I have one but man truthfully I used it like three times and haven’t since. I’ve learned more from looking at the plant and reading the crap out of everything I find related to said issue. then thru basic elimination of bs info I try what sounds best and has reliable info regarding those problems.

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I know what ya mean, it's training wheels for the newbies like me, once you get it, you don't need them anymore. And knowing why this works like this and that works like that..at what pH... has to be worth something. Get some sleep at night too.

Week4@inCharge said:

In organics the idea is to preload the soil before they get hungry. As organic materials take time to break down to sustainable/usable nutrients, how do you control the pH from going whack in that kind of environment?

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It’s a combination. Most mixes include peat which is acidic then organic matter which is typically alkaline. Then it is buffered with dol lime/oyster shell/ anything with high calcium.

I kinda cheat and use organic amendments then liquid organics when they tire out. With the occasional top dress

Week4@inCharge said:

I know what ya mean, it's training wheels for the newbies like me, once you get it, you don't need them anymore. And knowing why this works like this and that works like that..at what pH... has to be worth something. Get some sleep at night too.

How to Adjust pH When Growing Organic Cannabis | Grow Weed Easy

Learn the best ways to adjust soil pH using purely organic methods.

www.growweedeasy.com

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I agree sir it’s all a learning experience the key to it is to not let it stress you out and enjoy what you’re doing. you’ll get a lot better results doing it that way. happy growing sir I hope all works out for you

I check my water occasionally 6.8, I’m pretty sure roots soils where it’s supposed to be my dry amendments are premixed blends too(dr earth) if I were mixing my own from scratch or planning an outdoor garden it’d be something to check.

if you’re new to this keep it simple I like roots original soil + 1.5tbsp/gal soil dr earth tomato food + 1tbsp/gal kelp meal for veg then same ratio bud and bloom mix + kelp meal when transplanting before flower. Water as needed recharge once a week. Easy low maintenance grows fuckin dank