Adjusting Soil pH

[Fuzzy Duck]

And that hits the nail on the head to use a famous saying.

We spend good money buying pre-mixed soils. Or, we spend good money on the ingredients and then spend our time mixing up our own batches of soil. If it is the wrong pH then why or how did those companies get the reputation for producing a soil that we should buy? Or why are there soil recipes that have been recommended year after year if the end result is a sub-par soil with the wrong pH?

Measure or check the pH of the water that will be used. Adjust the water pH if need. Be happy.

(Hydro is different. Measure the water in and out. Know the numbers. Life goes on.)

Quite a few questions in that one bud

First of all we are a multi national forum or to what I have experienced over the years.

I hate this word - REGULATIONS

Ye that may change a little depending on where you are in the world concerning products used for growing Medical Cannabis & what is on offer.

Also good grow conditions also play a major part as well.



Just a random thought.

Oh when it comes to growing medium whether soil or coco or by brand & may I ask why no one has ever written a review about ?

 

[ontheline]

Yes.

Growers, gardeners or whatever we want to call ourselves, who feel that avoiding basic research is a shortcut usually end up with basic level plants.

This was me in a nutshell on my 1st grow. FF soil and their 3 nutes with ro/di water and a cheap ph meter.

 

[Jaz]

am I correct in thinking that I have to use some sort of acid to lower the soil ph

Incorrect. You'll kill your plants instantly, doing that, especially adding battery acid!

It just doesn't work like that with soils. It happens gradually, correcting itself after you mix in ingredients, so you take measurements after enough time has passed for it to stabilise.

Natural methods are slower, e.g. bacterial activity in warmer weather has an acidifying effect on soil so adding manure can be one way to do it, tea and coffee grounds are another.

A quick way to do it is by adding sulphur and you'll have to go via the directions from wherever you bought. Have a talk with someone in your local nursery, etc. get some professional advice if you can.

Adding more than the recommendation will not make things happen quicker, just follow the instructions

Also, read up on it via google, youtube, etc. to give you a better understanding.

j

 

[ontheline]

The thought of adding acid didn't make sense to me and that's why I asked esp. after reading several articles recommending it's use. Turns out I didn't understand ph at all until the good people here offered their advice and guidance and I'm still a work in progress.

 

[Jaz]

The thought of adding acid didn't make sense to me and that's why I asked esp. after reading several articles recommending it's use.

There's never harm in asking, in fact not asking what you want to know is detrimental to growth.



Now you mentioned it, I looked it up and although it can be done, it's cost-prohibitive even when diluted and a very slow process, not recommended.

j

 

[Emilya Green]

There are soil acidifiers that you can buy, because there are some plants that love an acidic soil, orchids for example. Cannabis is not one of those however and that soil would likely kill our weeds. I know that it is possible to turn regular potting soil into orchid friendly soil, but never having a need I have not looked into it. I like my soil just shy of neutral... at 6.8 base pH or so.