Organics and Ph.

[Suby]

Good post BC, I use 30% perlite myself, 20% if I'm using coco in my mix.

I water lightly once then hit them a second time with a decent watering, sometime for the larger ones I'll fill the runoff tray with plain water so it soaks up everything.

S

 

[swampdank]

i think you guys nailed it.

i think you guys nailed it.

since this has never hsppened to me before. i thought about what i did different. my recent bout with fungus gnats led me to try only bottom feeding/watering. i bet this is where things went south. it only makes sense.

AH HA!

thanks fellas.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

BC

You're right, of course, that getting air down to the root zone of a plant is crucial for its health and growth. Doing a complete watering of container grown plants from the top to the point where you're getting at least 50% run-off will help to insure that you're pulling plenty of air from the soil surface down into the air gaps created (hopefully) by natural or added aeration aggregates, i.e. sticks, stones, perlite, vermiculite, rice hulls, et al.

CC

 

[swampdank]

i had a thought this morning and figured i could get a good answer quickly here.

do the materials added to the compost heap directly affect the ph of the end product?
if i put alot of coffe grounds and citrus peels into a batch, will the ph drop, or will the bacteria balance it out?

just wondering, how i should be adding ingredients to my composter.

oh, i also built a really easy composter. after seeing the little composters at walmart for like 50 bucks, i figured i could build one really easy. i took two 30 gallon pots, cut the bottom off of the first one and fliped it upside down. then i cut the other one in half and used the bottm to make a lid. its a nifty little composter that is functional, cheap, and way too easy to build. i amgoing to make two more. i figuered i would share that with ya'll.

 

[Suby]

Yesterday to put my money where my mouth is I watered a few clones in 1/2gallon pots a tea that I accidentally poured a littled too much cider vinegar in.
I add OCV occasionally for potassium, etc. and it got away from me, the tea measured 4.5 on my Hannah.
So I used it and the plants are fine, today I water them with plain water and decided to test the runoff, the water had been bubbled and had an initial of 6.8, I watered with minimal runoff and got a ph of 6.6.
I'm seing it diffirently lately, I'm feeling Clackmass has it right when he says the water doesn't affect soil ph as much as content/soil makeup, to boot this seedling mix was a coco blend

I dunno what to make of it and it's hardly scientific but I'll continue to measure once in awhile and draw my own conclusions.

Suby

 

[texsativa]

Yesterday to put my money where my mouth is I watered a few clones in 1/2gallon pots a tea that I accidentally poured a littled too much cider vinegar in.
I add OCV occasionally for potassium, etc. and it got away from me, the tea measured 4.5 on my Hannah.
So I used it and the plants are fine, today I water them with plain water and decided to test the runoff, the water had been bubbled and had an initial of 6.8, I watered with minimal runoff and got a ph of 6.6.
I'm seing it diffirently lately, I'm feeling Clackmass has it right when he says the water doesn't affect soil ph as much as content/soil makeup, to boot this seedling mix was a coco blend

I dunno what to make of it and it's hardly scientific but I'll continue to measure once in awhile and draw my own conclusions.

Suby

The dolomite lime in the soil will buffer the water added. The bacteria will make soil more acidic, they produce lactic acid as a byproduct of their metabolism. That is why lactic acidosis can result from sepsis.

 

[C21H30O2]

4 those of you who do pH your bubbled teas how do you do it and with what?

 

[Suby]

The dolomite lime in the soil will buffer the water added. The bacteria will make soil more acidic, they produce lactic acid as a byproduct of their metabolism. That is why lactic acidosis can result from sepsis.

These where clones, there is no dolomite in that mix except for what comes added to the Promix HP I use as a base along with 30% perlite, 10-20% coco choir and 10% worm castings, I save dolomite for the 2gallon veg pots and then finally for the 4-5 gallon flowering pots.

I mentioned the coco because I find coco is easily fluctuated ph wise one way or another.

To adjust teas ACV is great for ph down..apparently lol.

S

 

[Clackamas Coot]

PH Meter Carrying Cases

PH Meter Carrying Cases

I'm continuing to work on the 'PH Meter Carrying Case' concept and I think that I've found a great marketing campaign kernel that really captures the demographics of a typical 'PH Meter' user/owner.

PH Meters Can Make You Kewl!

A few runs on VH1 and I could be sitting in the cat bird's seat, eh?

CC

 

[jaykush]

just wondering, how i should be adding ingredients to my composter.

oh, i also built a really easy composter. after seeing the little composters at walmart for like 50 bucks, i figured i could build one really easy. i took two 30 gallon pots, cut the bottom off of the first one and fliped it upside down. then i cut the other one in half and used the bottm to make a lid. its a nifty little composter that is functional, cheap, and way too easy to build. i amgoing to make two more. i figuered i would share that with ya'll.

in a composter like that do it in batches. you dont want to be adding things after its going and composting. start another one if thats the case. adding things halfway through will slow down the process and add problems. so pretty much fill it, set it and forget it, then start another and repeat.

 

[swampdank]

in a composter like that do it in batches. you dont want to be adding things after its going and composting. start another one if thats the case. adding things halfway through will slow down the process and add problems. so pretty much fill it, set it and forget it, then start another and repeat.

good idea, i will build another one. i need to do something with those pots anyway.

 

[texsativa]

These where clones, there is no dolomite in that mix except for what comes added to the Promix HP I use as a base along with 30% perlite, 10-20% coco choir and 10% worm castings, I save dolomite for the 2gallon veg pots and then finally for the 4-5 gallon flowering pots.

I mentioned the coco because I find coco is easily fluctuated ph wise one way or another.

To adjust teas ACV is great for ph down..apparently lol.

S

I'll have to read this thread in its entirity when I get a chance.

 

[Vetus Fossor]

CC, maybe we can joint venture. You with the ph pen carrying case and me with my mistletoe belt buckles. Maybe a "buy one now and get the other absolutely free except for a small S&H fee." What do you think?
Thank you for watching the CC/VF informerical. Now back to your regularly scheduled thread "Organics and PH" volume 99 page 109408128.

 

[ixnay007]

These where clones, there is no dolomite in that mix except for what comes added to the Promix HP I use as a base along with 30% perlite, 10-20% coco choir and 10% worm castings, I save dolomite for the 2gallon veg pots and then finally for the 4-5 gallon flowering pots.

I mentioned the coco because I find coco is easily fluctuated ph wise one way or another.

To adjust teas ACV is great for ph down..apparently lol.

S

I don't want to teach my gran to suck eggs, but I was reading the GH article on bioponics, and they state not to ever use acetic acid (vinegar) as a PH adjuster as it's pretty toxic for plants.

That is of course, more towards hydro than soil probably, but it is something to be aware of.

 

[Helgie]

Certain crops have specific PH requirements, blueberries only do well in a pretty acidic mix ( i think about 4- 5.2) My question is what is the best way to adjust ph in already established plants. I think if your soil mix in right in the beginning you shouldnt have to mess with ph.

 

[Suby]

Ixnay I use it regularly but I use the ACV, not the run of the mill shit, the organic stuff with the "mother" still in it.

Something to look into though

Helgie that's my feeling anyway, make a proper mix and the rest works itself out.
It seems in my pots thus far whatever runoff I get falls between 6 and 6.5.
With organic soil you have to get the mix right or hop your way through it adjusting ph.

S

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Certain crops have specific PH requirements, blueberries only do well in a pretty acidic mix ( i think about 4- 5.2) My question is what is the best way to adjust ph in already established plants. I think if your soil mix in right in the beginning you shouldnt have to mess with ph.

Blueberries are definitely a challenge to grow commercially. The soil has to be prepared with amendments which may include wettable sulfur (90% sulfur) or aluminum sulfate. Both of which can have their own set of problems. Growing areas have to be isolated to the extent possible.

Michigan & Oregon are the 2 major producing states of blueberries. It's pretty expensive to set up a large operation. Once the soils have been prepared and tested over several months, starts are planted in rows and it's a couple of years before you have anything approaching a commercial yield. It's not an easy plant to grow and maintain to produce enough fruit to harvest each year. Some years you just let the fruit drop and let it mulch into the soil. Animals will eat much of it but that's fine because they leave large amounts of urine & feces in and around where they eat as a way to mark territories. Just keep the f*(&)(N deer away from anything you hold near to your heart.

Lots of home gardeners around here have blueberry plants growing in containers because that's the easiest way to get the soil right. Out in the regular garden the surrounding soil corrects the problems that the human (blueberry gardener) caused by radically changing the soil PH.

There are definitely easier berries to grow for the typical home gardener.

HTH

CC

 

[Helgie]

Yep, my blueberries are in containers and I am using a soil mix made for Azaleas and Camellias. I am new to growing blueberries but they are so good right off the plant.
I think I need to try to raise PH on a couple of grape ape clones that arent impressing me too much. Im pretty sure I used too much peet moss in the mix. My other plants in a different mix of black gold, perlite, bat guano and seaweed are doing great. I am about three weeks from harvest, is it even worth trying to correct ph at this point? I was going to do it mostly to see if that is the issue, would be nice to see them green up.

Suby, what is Ixnay? Where would I get apple cider vinegar with the "mother" still in it? Thanks
Oh yeah, CC I used to live in Clackamas, good fishing on the upper clackamas river.

 

[Suby]

Ixnay is the user I was responding to lol


Don`t adjust with 3 weeks to go, not worth it IMO.
Use dolomite next time to raise ph, it`s VERY easy to brew an acidic organic tea, it`s much more a chalenge to raise ph after the fact.
The idea is to provide dolomite for a steady source of calcium and magnesium as well as slowly raising the ph which gets dipped down with ferts.


Organic Apple Cider Vinegar you can purchase at any health food or even grocery store, people with digestion or acid reflux problems can use it to help and it`s a great salad dressing to boot lol.

S

 

[Helgie]

Ha, cool. Thanks Suby, ill post up some pics when they are about done.