Organics and Ph.

swampdank · Apr 19, 2008

greetings fanatics.

just curious how Ph come into play with your garden. i know Ph isnt AS important as with mineral ferts, so how does it affect an organic garden? how many folks in the organicforum wrestle with Ph? i think the role is somewhat smaller but important still. whatcha think. do i need to bite the bullet and get a meter just for safe keeping? i have never used one before but i wonder if regulating Ph somehow would benefit my ladies.

tell me what you think, it is a highly debated subject.

i would love to hear your story.

BurnOne · Apr 19, 2008

I never had a problem until I bought a pH meter.
My problems disappeared when I threw that damn thing away.
Burn1

Canabudz · Apr 19, 2008

organic or not there are still propper pH levels for nutrient uptake in the cannabis plant.. i don't think using organics changes this at all.

i think it'd be your best bet to get one, just incase you ever do have problems. sure you can examine and determine a problem just by looks but you couldnt say for sure without knowing the pH. knowing the pH would help you determine what nutrient was being locked out if any, and allow to correct it for proper absorption etc. then again maybe there are some people are good enough they don't need a meter to correct their ph's but yeaaaaahh..

correct me if i's wrong pweez

yeknomssa · Apr 19, 2008

While i never monitor pH constantly, i do check my water every time i fill up a jug (i use local spring water). other than that, i don't worry too much about it.

Guest · Apr 19, 2008

I'm too stoopid to use one!

I've never had a problem since I got my soil right...years ago...
See "LC soil mix #1" (& #2) in BurnOne's "Organics for beginners" thread.
(I remember when LC posted them on OG, but that's another thread...)

pH is VITAL
pH balanced soil "self-regulates"...

Save your $ and keep buying those Dank Genes!

Dignan · Apr 19, 2008

I figured out where my tap water is in terms of pH and ppm when I first started growing in this house. I use rainwater 50% of the time, but I know where my tap is when I do use it. If I had any doubt or my water source was variable seasonally (as tap water is in many locales), I might test it.

But I don't mess with it. I know that anytime I fill a 3-gallon jug up from the tap, I can either use it as is (pH 7.0-7.3) or, if I have a couple extra minutes, I'll add 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar to bring it down to about 6.5

Once you get a run or two under your belt-- and you don't keep changing things all the time-- there's no need to bother with pH adjustment of anything.

Buffer your soils properly. Test your water source initially. You're set.

moonymonkey · Apr 19, 2008

volume plays a very important role in ph,and it speaks volume....also wat works best is,has alot to do with wat u feed it,same goes with foliar feed and ph....moon/

moonymonkey · Apr 19, 2008

volume speaks of drainage///

DR HERBAL · Apr 19, 2008

I check my ph every feed to be safe it only takes 5min i have been using hydro ph up/down but this grow the ph has been quite stable but when needed iam using lemon juice seems to do the trick you do have to use quite abit if the ph is way out

BurnOne · Apr 19, 2008

mooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnymonkey!!! What's up man????

rckymtnthuglife · Apr 19, 2008

LC's soilless mix....good water....don't pH my teas...my soil does that for me.

BurnOne · Apr 19, 2008

Organic pH issues

I hear a lot of people asking or talking about the pH of their organic soil mix or organic nute solution and how they might correct or adjust it. pH in organics is not an issue like it is in synthetic growing.
The best place to settle the pH issues in organics is within the grow medium. A medium rich in humates (humus) is the place to start. Humates work to "buffer" the pH of organic mediums and the nutes you pour (or mix) into it.
Humates come from compost, worm castings and bottled humus. If you use a peat based medum, use dolomite lime to raise the pH of the acidic peat. Dolomite should be used in any soil or soiless medium to provide magnesium and calcium. But since we are talking about pH here, I'll mention dolomite lime's pH correction benefits.
A medium of coir has a pH near neutral (or 7.0). But humates are still neded to allow uptake of organic nutrients that are outside a near neutral pH range.
With an active medium rich in humates you can pour in nutes like Pure Blend Pro, Earth Juice and guano teas with pH anywhere from 4 to 9 without worry. The humus will allow the nutes to be taken up through the roots, even at such an extreme pH reading.
So throw those pH meters away folks and enjoy the ease and safety of organic gardening.

Burn1

BurnOne · Apr 19, 2008

DR. HERBAL-
Hydroponic pH up and down will kill the hell out of the much needed bacteria (microherd) in organic growing.
Burn1

Smurf · Apr 19, 2008

Hi swampdank,
both Dignan & BurnOne are right on the money,,, I like to have a pH meter on hand if only to check my water or any other time I make a change to anything. I only add fulvic, apple cider or lemon juice in small increments to my tea or water, then check it to reassure myself. I also like to check a batch of soil before using it. (I mix my own soil up from scratch, not the pre-packed stuff ) Much better to be safe than sorry. But once you have things down to a regular system its all good. Either way it doesn't hurt to have one on hand.

Even tho the pH of my teas are reasonably consistent, I like to change the diet every now and then, which is why I like to check them.

swampdank · Apr 19, 2008

ya know. i myself have not ever used a ph pen or anything like that. i love the organic pot that i grow but sometime i naturally wonder if i increase the quality if make certain changes.

thanks for your thoughts guys. just wondering if everybody was doing something that i need to do.

moonymonkey · Apr 20, 2008

hey burn 1, see your stil teaching us,thnx man,always apperciate nice people....somtimes it just the way you talk to people...alotof respect toyou my friend....theres not much eft in the world today!...peace an be safe mooon/

DR HERBAL · Apr 20, 2008

I have always used ph up/down never killed my plants once i learned to water with 20% run off never had any lockout and were talking one drop for 5 liter of solution i have two friend and there adderment that ph should never be used but then they phone me asking for help when they get nutrient lock out the way i see it your plant loves a ph of 6/6.8 so why not give her.The soil will buffer the ph but aventually the soil WILL become toxic then you have to flush her with loads of ph stable water which takes an age to dry and dosent do you roots any good.this is only my opinion

BurnOne · Apr 20, 2008

Never has in my garden.

DR HERBAL · Apr 20, 2008

I guess your lucky me and all my friends use bio bizz allmix iam the only one who corrects the ph every time(if needed) and i have the least amount of problems it said on the bio bizz bag ph 6.2/6.6 i asked my hydro shop wether i should stick to this or would it be alrite at any ph they said for a short term plant ie newly rooted cutting going straght in 12/12 it would be ok but if you plan keeping them in veg over a month then stick to the correct ph so that what i do

Suby · Apr 20, 2008

Bottled organics can need to be correected if the soil hasn't been enriched or the soil mix is too poor to pull it all together.

Mix a living soil and use some compost teas and you'll see healthier plants than any bottle can grow even with a ph meter.

Just because there is an OPTIMAL ph average for plants doesn't mean the plant requires us to adjust it in an organic medium, the living soil takes care of that.

:2cents:

S

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