Do I need to pH my soil? Do I need a pH pen?

[bobj]

I'm growing in dirt, using organic fertilizer that I mix into my top soil. Am I going to need to monitor and/or amend my soil pH?

 

[Mudballs]

It's good habit to do a slurry test once to get a ballpark reading if you're using local inputs...but generally no.

 

[HappyHazmat88]

Only if your really trying to dial things in and be all scientific about it lol but I'd say no not needed..reading a plant is just as easy as reading the meter.

I have one....used for a month...and haven't touched it since

 

[bobj]

It's good habit to do a slurry test once to get a ballpark reading if you're using local inputs...but generally no.

I've never grown before, I have no idea what this means. Local inputs?

I just bought a soil test kit, it has vials and pills of powder that I can use to test soil for NPK, plus pH. Is that what you mean?

 

[bobj]

Only if your really trying to dial things in and be all scientific about it lol but I'd say no not needed..reading a plant is just as easy as reading the meter.

I have one....used for a month...and haven't touched it since

are you just growing in the dirt too? why are dirt grows exempt from needing to check pH?

 

[Roy Growin]

are you just growing in the dirt too? why are dirt grows exempt from needing to check pH?

Hi - it's only hydro nutes that require the low pH (5.8) and organics are usually already slightly acidic
Most compost is buffered at the correct pH range, somewhere around 6.3 so you don't need to worry about it unless you start to see a problem

 

[Mudballs]

I've never grown before, I have no idea what this means. Local inputs?

I just bought a soil test kit, it has vials and pills of powder that I can use to test soil for NPK, plus pH. Is that what you mean?

Local inputs is gardener lingo for 'stuff in your yard'. Your topsoil may be very alkaline or very acidic or smack dead in the middle of perfect. If you use grass clippings as mulch, that's a local input, if you buy bagged mulch that isn't a local input.

 

[HappyHazmat88]

are you just growing in the dirt too? why are dirt grows exempt from needing to check pH?

Yea I'm growing in soil using top dress fertilizer.

And I can't say it's exempt, it's just not as necessary to keep testing soil as it is for hydro....so for that I just read the signs of the plant and adjust.... If I really have an issue and need to check pH for possible cause that's the only thing I've used a meter for.....other than that it was wasted buy for me....just being honest.