Does pH and extra nutrient really matter for soil growers ?

[tk86high]

I read on lots of sites tons of stuff about the following , so I was thinking to ask here maybe Id get a better understanding.

1. Does the pH really matter when u r growing in Soil . (yes I understand if u have bad tap water it does) But if my soil is 6.4-6.5 and my water is 7.0 neutral doesnt that equal the best pH level at 6.7-6.8 like that ?

2. does adding extra nutrients really help to the point of where i should be using it for all my plants , some people say once a week ?
By my understanding the Soil if new has all the nutrients a plant should need for the first few months of growth and I checked the soil i bought and its got tons of nutrients already so why add more liquid nutrients ?

Thanks

 

[RoadLizard]

For th soil, it depends on what kind of soil you use and what it has in it. Many of them contain slow release nutes or whatever so adding more nutes isn't so important. However, most people grow with neutral soil and add their own nutes. Usually, the plant leaves will tell you when they are lacking a certain nute and then you address it then.

PH in soil does matter but I'm wondering if it doesn't matter as much since weed grows in the wild with no problems and there isn't someone checking the PH every day and making adjustments. If it grows out there then why do we have to be so PH conscious when using soils? I'd like to know that too.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

I read on lots of sites tons of stuff about the following , so I was thinking to ask here maybe Id get a better understanding.

1. Does the pH really matter when u r growing in Soil . (yes I understand if u have bad tap water it does) But if my soil is 6.4-6.5 and my water is 7.0 neutral doesnt that equal the best pH level at 6.7-6.8 like that ?

Soil ph matters & is best around Ph value of 6.6 going above PH 7 'n' below Ph 6 may well cause nutrient lock lock outs ! personally i don't think Ph of water really matters a great deal but may depend on whether you use organic or synthetic based nutrients !

Organic based nutrients & soil Ph will naturally buffer to ambeint level over time several hours to 24 hours.

Synthetic/chemical based nutrients i'm unsure off as i don't use them... but a flush may be required once every couple of weeks to prevent salt chemical build ups which may cause toxicity/lock outs etc.

2. does adding extra nutrients really help to the point of where i should be using it for all my plants , some people say once a week ?

I normally feed once a week in veg & twice a week to maybe 3 times in flowering depending on whats going on, Mj is normally a nutrient hungry plant inless you are growing some nutrient sensitve strain !

By my understanding the Soil if new has all the nutrients a plant should need for the first few months of growth and I checked the soil i bought and its got tons of nutrients already so why add more liquid nutrients ?

In early veg off a few weeks it don't really matter a great deal even tho some may use 1/4 or 1/2 strength nutrients in the first month of using fresh preloaded nutrient compost to bolster/aid plant growth, nutrients will be required after the first month tho & for flowering.



The only time i would question the use of addittional nutrients is if compost is preloaded with slow release nutrient granules like osmecote/micarcle grow the little yellow/orange balls with in the compost these are pretty high NPK & addittional nutrients may well cause problems with the plants.

 

[soylent green]

PH in soil does matter but I'm wondering if it doesn't matter as much since weed grows in the wild with no problems and there isn't someone checking the PH every day and making adjustments. If it grows out there then why do we have to be so PH conscious when using soils? I'd like to know that too.

You have to remember that in the wild plants are not subjected to chemical's in water, man made nutes, and have a lot more soil to draw from then a bucket full of dirt. Things that might not be that important in the wild become a matter of life and death in a bucket where everything is compacted.

 

[HydroGrowTents]

Soil’s ph level really matters because if it’s not on its proper level, plants might lose the ability to absorb the essential elements required for healthy growth such as: Nitrogen (N) for leaf and stem growth, Potassium (K) - essential for disease-resistance growth, Phosphorus (P) - important in the germination and growth of seeds, flowers, fruits and roots., Calcium (Ca) - a vital component of cell walls of plants, Magnesium (Mg) - necessary for chlorophyll production,Sulfur (S) - necessary for chlorophyll formation

If the ph level of your soil is above 5.5, Nitrogen will be present while phosphorus will be present with if the ph level is between 6-7. All plants has its own ph level requirement in order to produce optimum growth.

For instance:
Soybean grows best in soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0, Peanuts grow best in soils that have a pH of 5.3 to 6.6

These are the reasons why it’s really important to determine the right ph level of soil.

Hope this would help

 

[Jimmycricket]

I was going to reply but saw the duck already posted. His stuff is spot on.

 

[Lyra]

I just want to ad that just because a species can survive in nature doesn't mean it's living in ideal conditions. An outside cat has a MUCH lower life expectancy than an inside cat. You have to realize that in nature the few plants that survive are only a few of hundreds. Think about how many seeds one cannabis plant produces. If outside conditions were ideal they would only have to produce a few seeds to make sure their species continued. The fact is, out of a hundred potential plants only one or two survives to produce more offspring. It's just the way of life.