What PH meter do you use?

[vonforne]

I will stand corrected on the coco part. Good research. But as far as the others I will stand on my one good foot.

Good post A, K+ to you on that one.

V

and I did try and take up for P.

 

[theFLINTSTONERS]

using a textbook definition of soil . . . once a rock dust (like lime) is added to a carbon based (organic in the chemical sense not the agricultural sense) medium . . . like peat or coco coir . . . and a bit of decompostion starts . . .

you've got soil . . .

in our minds sand is a form of a soil too . . .

it all depends on the specific definition folks use . . .

one individual's soil . . . is another's soiless medium . . .

in the end does it really matter what we call it . . . as long as plants grown in the medium are healthy and thrive?

 

[Guest]

My dad was an organic vegetable gardener back in the early 70's. From that my definition of the optimal 'soil' is like 1/3 broken down organic matter, 1/3 clay and 1/3 sand. He'd bury buckets of fresh caught fish in the garden in the Fall, spread fresh manure early Spring and till it in weeks before planting, and he also had a large compost pile going and till that in just before planting...that's soil in my book. I'm telling you...the cherry tomatoes that naturally grew in that compost pile are the best I ever had.

 

[Pimp Aurora]

Heres mine, It's by trans instruments, it's part of their horti care range.
http://www.transinstruments.com/Products/horti/ph.htm
US$88.00 online
UK£39.00 grow shop

Only had it a while but it works fine.

 

[vonforne]

My dad was an organic vegetable gardener back in the early 70's. From that my definition of the optimal 'soil' is like 1/3 broken down organic matter, 1/3 clay and 1/3 sand. He'd bury buckets of fresh caught fish in the garden in the Fall, spread fresh manure early Spring and till it in weeks before planting, and he also had a large compost pile going and till that in just before planting...that's soil in my book. I'm telling you...the cherry tomatoes that naturally grew in that compost pile are the best I ever had.

My grandfather did the same thing. But he grew Romas. To this day I cannot eat any tomatos except Romas grown in fish and manure.

Also that is where my begining in organics started. I have grown in hydro but very limited. I always go back to the "old ways".

They are the best anyway.

V

 

[wickedpete66]

I find for soil my ec meter to be more valuable than my ph meter although one without the other and your still growing blind

 

[GDB]

I find for soil my ec meter to be more valuable than my ph meter although one without the other and your still growing blind

Do you measure your runoff or just what goes in?

 

[wickedpete66]

Do you measure your runoff or just what goes in?

only what goes in, I will also take an ec reading of the soil about every 3 weeks as well.

 

[Guest]

My grandfather did the same thing. But he grew Romas. To this day I cannot eat any tomatos except Romas grown in fish and manure.

Also that is where my begining in organics started. I have grown in hydro but very limited. I always go back to the "old ways".

They are the best anyway.

V

LOL...for me it was Beefsteak tomatoes...I mean like grab one out of the garden on a hot day with a dash of salt.... I'm in Cali now and when people talk about tomatoes I laugh...Cali cannabis yes but tomatoes?

 

[sirharrynuggz]

I have a Bluelab Truncheon and a Oakton Tester2. Both work very well, but I really like the simplicity of the Bluelab. It's a bit pricey, but very well worth it. Also, I've always grown in soil using organics, and since I've been adjusting my pH my plants are way better than they ever were before I pH'd them. Maybe there is something there?

 

[mig]

vonforne, i believe you are mistaken. "Soil" is meant to be understood as anything with a mineral content. soil is not peat moss, or coconut husk. soil is sand, silt, clay. peat moss is a plant, coco husk comes from coconut shells. These are soilless growing mediums. also, pH is probably the most important aspect in growing. you could have the best fert regime there is, but if your pH is like 10, it dont matter. pH affects the availability of the uptake of nutrients in the medium. So if your pH is messed up, your plant cant take in any food, and it starts to die.

also, i been lookin for a good digital elctric pH meter, but i am confused with which ones i can use for soil and which ones are strickly for hydro. Can they all be used for soil and hydro? any help would be great. im goin to look up the few that were mentioned here, but if anyone else can mention some good ones i would be much obliged

 

[Pimp Aurora]

If you want to test your medium's pH you can spoon out a couple of tablespoons of the compost or whatever from the middle of the pot, put it in a little glass, half fill it with distilled water, mix into a mud, let it settle then test the liquid's pH.

That's what I do anyway..

 

[mig]

ya, thats a good call, i was thinking how nice it would be to have a probe with a digital readout thats i just stick in the soil...i saw a couple on ebay...i think i might do it up..it was only 23 bucks...

 

[vonforne]

v

onforne, i believe you are mistaken.

Go back to the last thread you tried that in and do some reading before you state some one is mistaken. the next time you do that try and back it up with some reasearch and quotes.

V