I also think that assumptions are often made in this debate that essentially castrate the discussion. We tend to read through and think that everyone posting is either from the pH Team or the Non-pH Team, which is a gross oversimplification. We have people on here who are growing hydro, people growing soilless, people growing in peat-based soil or coco-based soil... we have people using nothing but dry ferts premixed into their soil, then others like Cannabis Composer who are working with bottled ferts or strong nutrient teas.
In my opinion, comparing many of these things to each other is like comparing apples and oranges. I rarely add liquid ferts/teas, for instance. I am of the opinion that my soil, once blended and then after it "cooks" for a while and is then populated by a plant's roots, has a sort of homeostasis or equillibrium that it reaches... it becomes a big pH buffering mass of magic. So that's context I'm speaking in when I chime in here, just for instance. I'm adding nothing but water and compost teas. I'm not "nuking" my soil all of a sudden with ANYTHING that could possibly, remotely be anywhere outside of a pH range of... oh, say 5.5-7.5.
I know B1's experience is that a pH range way outside of that will be buffered by the soil, but I haven't tried that. When I say, "Make it easy on yourself and don't bother measuring pH," I am always assuming I'm speaking to people who have enough sense to NOT be mixing up things that end up at a pH of 4.5 or 9. This may be judgmental on my part, but shit... anyone who is adding anything to their soil that is on the extreme ends of that pH range needs to go to the library and pick up a book about Gardening 101. What are you adding, Vinegar and Baking Soda Tea?
I'm speaking to the reasonable growers who have at some point assessed their soil, its constituents and their ratios... maybe measure pH runoff at some point (though from what I've seen over the years, measuring pH runoff is unreliable at best, misleading at its worst)... and most importantly that the person is working from a water source they have measured both the pH and ppm of and have verified isn't variable over the course of a year.
Once a gardener has established those very simple things, there is no need to measure pH.... Unless you are trying really, really hard to grow the best cannabis the world has ever seen.
Which is what many like Crazy Composer and TomHill are doing... and while I think doing that is commendable and is a killer hobby that benefits all types of growers, we all need to realize that not everyone is growing with that end result in mind.
In fact, I bet 90% of the people who learn to grow are perfectly happy with growing great organic buds that stand head and shoulders above the commercial they would otherwise have to buy off the black market. Most of us are trying to grow excellent buds that require a minimal investment of our $$$. We're not trying to be cutting-edge trailblazers in the cannabis cultivation world.
MoHo
*I like to go back and edit my posts before hitting send usually, to modify my choice of words to best convey where I'm coming from (i.e. to not offend anyone unintentionally) but I have to rush to work so I can't do it this time. I'll assume everyone knows where I'm coming from. You all rock and I appreciate the discussions!
In my opinion, comparing many of these things to each other is like comparing apples and oranges. I rarely add liquid ferts/teas, for instance. I am of the opinion that my soil, once blended and then after it "cooks" for a while and is then populated by a plant's roots, has a sort of homeostasis or equillibrium that it reaches... it becomes a big pH buffering mass of magic. So that's context I'm speaking in when I chime in here, just for instance. I'm adding nothing but water and compost teas. I'm not "nuking" my soil all of a sudden with ANYTHING that could possibly, remotely be anywhere outside of a pH range of... oh, say 5.5-7.5.
I know B1's experience is that a pH range way outside of that will be buffered by the soil, but I haven't tried that. When I say, "Make it easy on yourself and don't bother measuring pH," I am always assuming I'm speaking to people who have enough sense to NOT be mixing up things that end up at a pH of 4.5 or 9. This may be judgmental on my part, but shit... anyone who is adding anything to their soil that is on the extreme ends of that pH range needs to go to the library and pick up a book about Gardening 101. What are you adding, Vinegar and Baking Soda Tea?
I'm speaking to the reasonable growers who have at some point assessed their soil, its constituents and their ratios... maybe measure pH runoff at some point (though from what I've seen over the years, measuring pH runoff is unreliable at best, misleading at its worst)... and most importantly that the person is working from a water source they have measured both the pH and ppm of and have verified isn't variable over the course of a year.
Once a gardener has established those very simple things, there is no need to measure pH.... Unless you are trying really, really hard to grow the best cannabis the world has ever seen.
Which is what many like Crazy Composer and TomHill are doing... and while I think doing that is commendable and is a killer hobby that benefits all types of growers, we all need to realize that not everyone is growing with that end result in mind.
In fact, I bet 90% of the people who learn to grow are perfectly happy with growing great organic buds that stand head and shoulders above the commercial they would otherwise have to buy off the black market. Most of us are trying to grow excellent buds that require a minimal investment of our $$$. We're not trying to be cutting-edge trailblazers in the cannabis cultivation world.
MoHo
*I like to go back and edit my posts before hitting send usually, to modify my choice of words to best convey where I'm coming from (i.e. to not offend anyone unintentionally) but I have to rush to work so I can't do it this time. I'll assume everyone knows where I'm coming from. You all rock and I appreciate the discussions!
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