PH am I getting this?

[The70’s]

So, as i understand it, i PH the water to 6.5 to maintain a soil PH of 6.5, the soil PH is what we are really trying to keep at 6.5 I thought you water with 6.5 because the plant needs it, im PH’ing to maintain soul PH……correct ???

So, if my soil is above 6.5, lets say 71, i would lower the water PH to lower the soils PH….. correct ???

I think

Btw i have a blulabs soil tester its nice i got it used on the bay, i also use the PH test kit to calibtate it.

 

[bluter]

So, as i understand it, i PH the water to 6.5 to maintain a soil PH of 6.5, the soil PH is what we are really trying to keep at 6.5 I thought you water with 6.5 because the plant needs it, im PH’ing to maintain soul PH……correct ???

you ph for the nutes not the soil

So, if my soil is above 6.5, lets say 71, i would lower the water PH to lower the soils PH….. correct ???

no.

Btw i have a blulabs soil tester its nice i got it used on the bay,

brand name is good but the equipment is not necessary. you ph your inputs - water / nutes - not your media - soil/ peat / coco etc.

i also use the PH test kit to calibtate it.

i'm not sure what you are referring to. only liquid testers calibrate. soil probes work a little different.

you will need a liquid ph probe.

 

[SmokingWings]

im PH’ing to maintain soul PH……correct ???

Always do everything you are able to do to maintain your soul, whether your 'soul music' or the 'spirit of your soul'. Couldn't resist.

As "bluter" brings up it is the water input, with or without nutrients added, that is more important.

Yes, you could change the soil's pH over time to match the pH of the water. It happens all the time outdoors in nature but it is a slow process there. It should happen a bit faster in a captive environment like a container with several gallons of soil. Plus, if you want to do it there are faster ways using various chemicals, some very acceptable for organic or natural gardening methods. Best way is to use compost and organic materials.

Work with the water itself and the soil will take care of the rest of it for you without any extra work.

 

[The70’s]

So as long as i PH the water the soil PH tester is useless for growing ?

 

[SmokingWings]

So as long as i PH the water the soil PH tester is useless for growing ?

As far as most active growers seem to be concerned now-a-days. Some of them might get a laboratory conducted soil pH test to have as a reference but leave it be at that.

 

[Emilya Green]

The reason we only are concerned about the liquid inputs pH is because once you saturate the soil with it, whatever pH the liquid is, is what the pH of the column of saturated soil is, in your container. It has no choice, the water vastly outweighs the soil and the pH of the liquid overrides whatever pH the soil might happen to be when it is dry. Soil manufacturers set the base pH, (dry pH) of the soil to the high end of the 6.2-6.8 range, so that as the soil dries out, it drifts the pH of the medium up to that level. By coming in low with your liquids (6.3 pH) you allow your medium to drift all the way through the 6.2-6.8 range, picking up each nutrient as it becomes the most mobile.

There is a group out here that honestly feel the soil pH is the most important factor. In a farm field, this is correct, but in a closed container grow, things are different. We can manipulate the entire pH of the closed system with the pH of our water... and we have no need to actually try to change the soil pH to a lower number, and as a matter of fact, to do so is counterproductive..

 

[The70’s]

The reason we only are concerned about the liquid inputs pH is because once you saturate the soil with it, whatever pH the liquid is, is what the pH of the column of saturated soil is, in your container. It has no choice, the water vastly outweighs the soil and the pH of the liquid overrides whatever pH the soil might happen to be when it is dry. Soil manufacturers set the base pH, (dry pH) of the soil to the high end of the 6.2-6.8 range, so that as the soil dries out, it drifts the pH of the medium up to that level. By coming in low with your liquids (6.3 pH) you allow your medium to drift all the way through the 6.2-6.8 range, picking up each nutrient as it becomes the most mobile.

There is a group out here that honestly feel the soil pH is the most important factor. In a farm field, this is correct, but in a closed container grow, things are different. We can manipulate the entire pH of the closed system with the pH of our water... and we have no need to actually try to change the soil pH to a lower number, and as a matter of fact, to do so is counterproductive..

Great reply, so much info in a couple paragraphs, thank you

 

[Emilya Green]

Great reply, so much info in a couple paragraphs, thank you

You are welcome. I am glad that I was able to break through some of the bad information that had you concerned. It is easy to go astray because these rumors and old wive's tales come to us from almost everywhere on the internet. There are lots of perfectly nice people who are genuinely trying to help, but who have been mislead by bad information, and it just keeps getting passed on and on and on. It is really hard to tell what is true and what is not! My stance has always been to believe nothing that I see on the internet without first testing it myself or seeing that other people I can trust have done so before me.

 

[The70’s]

You are welcome. I am glad that I was able to break through some of the bad information that had you concerned. It is easy to go astray because these rumors and old wive's tales come to us from almost everywhere on the internet. There are lots of perfectly nice people who are genuinely trying to help, but who have been mislead by bad information, and it just keeps getting passed on and on and on. It is really hard to tell what is true and what is not! My stance has always been to believe nothing that I see on the internet without first testing it myself or seeing that other people I can trust have done so before me.

Just thought i woukd send out another Ty because, once again i was reading some misleading info.
My first grow went extremely well, my harvest was abundant and pretty strong. I never tested the soil once i read your post. For some reason the Ph issue with soil came up and i got sucked into it and remembered i posted a thread on soil testing and your comments