Adjusting, keeping steady & stable - pH in soil

[morphRx]

So I have these questions about the very important..... pH, and wanted to see how other growers would approach this on a soil grow.

Is it the pH of the feed solution (nutes or water) that is most important? Or is it the pH of the soil? So what I'm really asking is would the run off be the most important right?

So would this be correct; regardless of what the feed solution is it doesn't matter as long as the run off pH is in the right range of what the soil pH would be?

What I want to know is if I needed to raise the pH of the soil/runoff- I would raise the pH of the feed solution right? So instead of having the solution at or around 6.3 where the run off is around 5.5, the grower should raise the solution to to around 7.0 so the soil/run-off is around the 6.3 range? Or is this the wrong way of doing it?


Thanks


(Anyone recommend any good guide here on the forum or out there on the net about pH for soil? Adjusting, keeping stable and steady, etc.)

 

[GigaGrew]

in soil you need everything (in a perfect world) to be 6.3

you measure your soil and add things like dolomite lime until it attains 6.3 then when you make your nutes and water make it around 6.0 as it will rise a little over time naturally as the plant eats.

if you can read your soil and your run off as close to 6.3 your golden =)

 

[GigaGrew]

I would raise the pH of the feed solution right? So instead of having the solution at or around 6.3 where the run off is around 5.5, the grower should raise the solution to to around 7.0 so the soil/run-off is around the 6.3 range? Or is this the wrong way of doing it?

you got the idea. the key is 6.3. if your soil is 6.1 you water with 6.4 if your soil is 5.8 you can water with 6.7 if your soil is 3.4 your plant is probably already dead so dont worry about is

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

PH of soil is more important any where between PH 6 to 7 should be fine & that soil has a natural PH buffering action.


You might want have read of this also - Adjusting your pH when growing in soil damaging your plants!

 

[GigaGrew]

=)

 

[silverrocksta]

Testing runoff can be misleading. I was taught to test the soil itself. A buddy of mine taught me to takes a small amount of soils it a cup and add distilled water until its a slushy mixture and then test that with your Ph meter. This is a more accurate measuring of your soils Ph. When you test runoff the nutes and salts lower the Ph of the water pouring through the dirt and so you will get a lower reading than what soil actually is.

 

[GigaGrew]

as you can see there are many options availible and as many answers, i think between all contributers you have a fairly good idea now how to take control of the situation and make it your own here on out =)

 

[Moonshine17]

Nice thread, & great question! I’m having the same issues I think. If any of you experts are still active, please if you don’t mind dropping by and taking a peak at the second link in my sig, I’d appreciate ya! Peace and prosperity!