exactly how 2 check ph of soil

[jerome garcia]

just wandering if any1 could exsplain how 2
the ph of soil
any info wou
ld be great
thanx

 

[Guest]

The traditional way is to get a soil sample, put it in distilled water that you know has a pH of 7.0, drain off the water and measure the pH of the water.

Frankly, I challenge the real value of the pH one gets doing that. The soil sample may not accurately represent the soil being tested. The distilled water may not be 7.0....are a couple of reasons.

The thing that bugs me though is I really don't know what you can do to effectively change the pH of a pot full of soil, especially if it has a plant in it. If I thought I had pH problems with a potted plant:

I'd just transplant into soil that:

I KNEW WAS MADE UP CORRECTLY AND THAT I THEREFORE KNEW I WASN'T GOING TO HAVE pH ISSUES WITH.

""Runoff pH" may tell you that your soil is acidic or alkaline. BUT....runoff pH won't tell you WHY the soil is acidic or alkaline.....

So just exactly what are you going to do about your soil pH if it is say, 5.0 or 8.0...based on a "runoff" pH value?

The way to avoid pH problems in your soil is to make it correctly in the first place...and I am NOT lecturing you(jerome garcia) but just stating my opinion.

If one makes up one's soil correctly, pH will NEVER be an issue. How does one do that?

Well looking in the Organic section you'll fine several very easy soil recipes.

I'll just say this: Most commercially available soils are going to be somewhat acidic...and most soils that folks make up themselves will be acidic because most are compost and/or sphagnum peat and/or peat variations....plus perlite and wetting agents, etc. SOME commercially available potting mix soils are buffered with dolomite lime...and some are NOT. You need to KNOW what your're buying. Anyway, commercial soil mixes that are buffered properly with dolomite lime just will not have pH problems IF IF IF IF IF the grower doesn't put something weird or off the wall in the soil during the grow. PROPERLY buffered commercially available soils will NOT develop problems with pH if you CORRECTLY use the commonly available fertilizers, nutrients, and other amendments.

Now if people screw up their soils by overdoing fertilzers or putting "stuff" in their soil because some guy said it would do something good for their grow....well, what can I say.

So bottom line is: make up a good soil mix and treat it right and you'll never have pH problems..


That's my story and I'm sticking to it...This thinking has served me well. I don't worry about pH because I KNOW exactly what is in my soil.

pedro


I'm sure I'll hear about this post

 

[-ShutterBug-]

What pedro said...I'm blind lazy and stoned and didn't fully read pedro's post. Sorry dude.

​

 

[jerome garcia]

thanks pedro the reason i ask is
im starting 2 reuse my soil

 

[Guest]

Hey Jerome!

Sorry for the long repsonse. I don't reuse my soil indoors, but save it for outdoors. So I'm not the best person for advising how to deal reusing soil.

I'd ask over on the Organic soil forum.

pedro

 

[Tactical Farmer]

Are you wanting to know how to check runoff PH or the PH of your soil mix before using ?

 

[jerome garcia]

thanks pedro ur ifo was great
tactical just wanted 2 know the ph of my soil
no problems just curious 2 kno

 

[Tactical Farmer]

your soil with a growing plant or soil mix awaiting a plant ?

 

[Guest]

Buy the ph strips. Cheap. Easy to use.

 

[jerome garcia]

i keep in bags

 

[jerome garcia]

thnx old fool ill try 2 find them