New grower- soil Ph

Just threw my medium in pot to get ready for a transfer.

I tested my soils ph and it read 7.6. If I’m going soil and water by hand, will the soil ph go down naturally Due to watering with 6.5-6.0 ph water?

Or do I need to add something to lower or just leave alone?

please and thank you

Have my doubts it would make much difference to be honest.

Explain your soil. Have you made it yourself, or is it straight from a bag?
Have you added any amendments? And if so, what are they?

still_smoked said:

Just threw my medium in pot to get ready for a transfer.

I tested my soils ph and it read 7.6. If I’m going soil and water by hand, will the soil ph go down naturally Due to watering with 6.5-6.0 ph water?

Or do I need to add something to lower or just leave alone?

please and thank you

Click to expand...

First off, how are you checking pH?

PadawanWarrior said:

First off, how are you checking pH?

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I was blessed enough to be able to get all the needed equipment to start growing.

If im going to do this I was going to do it right.
May I get an answer now please?

Aussieaceae said:

Have my doubts it would make much difference to be honest.

Explain your soil. Have you made it yourself, or is it straight from a bag?
Have you added any amendments? And if so, what are they?

Click to expand...

Biobizz light with Gaia green dry amends. But regardless of what I’m using, is a 7.6 a concern and do I need to lower it or leave it alone?

Google says how but do I need to I guess is what I am asking

thank you

still_smoked said:

Biobizz light with Gaia green dry amends. But regardless of what I’m using, is a 7.6 a concern and do I need to lower it or leave it alone?

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I don't use any of those probes. But if you're using a soil specific one, then i'd say yes, it's likely pretty accurate.

I'd cut it with some peat moss personally. I'd also soak it some, before adding it to your mix. So that your initial ph change after mixing through your mix, will be a better representation of how it'll be after watering.
Add a little perlite too if you think it'll need it. It probably will if that's what others generally recommend with it.

I'd cut it to around 7. I think 6.5 would be a little too acidic. The peat moss will leach a little too. So expect it to drop a little more as well.
Keep an eye on it the next week or two. If you still need to, you can always top dress a little later.

I'm at the burden of not using the same bagged product. But regardless, it'd be what I'd do myself, if my own bagged mix was 7.6 at transplant.

still_smoked said:

Biobizz light with Gaia green dry amends. But regardless of what I’m using, is a 7.6 a concern and do I need to lower it or leave it alone?

Click to expand...

Add more organic material like compost or EWC and let the microbes lower it. You can also add elemental sulfur.

Watering with acidic water will also help flush out the calcium carbonate that's causing your pH to rise a bit. It will also make it easier to deal with higher calcium levels in your soil. Here's a good read even though they're talking about reef aquariums.

still_smoked said:

Biobizz light with Gaia green dry amends. But regardless of what I’m using, is a 7.6 a concern

Click to expand...

These Gaia green amendments must be one hell of an alkaline mix, because BB Lightmix is pH 6.0-6.2, as it's just (2 types of) peat moss + perlite.
Why didn't you just buy Allmix, it's ready to go... Or use products from one company, not mix indiscriminately... BB Lightmix + 5% Premix + 10% worm castings = Allmix. Allmix pH would also be 6.2 to 6.5. You are using a peat based soil, these types should always be slightly acidic, but your target pH is 6.5.

I wonder how high you EC is after letting your mix cook for some days?

PadawanWarrior said:

Add more organic material like compost or EWC and let the microbes lower it. You can also add elemental sulfur.

Watering with acidic water will also help flush out the calcium carbonate that's causing your pH to rise a bit. It will also make it easier to deal with higher calcium levels in your soil. Here's a good read even though they're talking about reef aquariums.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

Click to expand...

Kassiopeija said:

These Gaia green amendments must be one hell of an alkaline mix, because BB Lightmix is pH 6.0-6.2, as it's just (2 types of) peat moss + perlite.
Why didn't you just buy Allmix, it's ready to go... Or use products from one company, not mix indiscriminately... BB Lightmix + 5% Premix + 10% worm castings = Allmix. Allmix pH would also be 6.2 to 6.5. You are using a peat based soil, these types should always be slightly acidic, but your target pH is 6.5.

I wonder how high you EC is after letting your mix cook for some days?

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Just to theorize,

If Gaia Green has already been mixed through and that's why the ph is high, I'm not sure any rich organic matter is really going to help, is it?
Sounds super hot already, if that's the case.

I'm going to make the suggestion, that if that's what they have on hand and have chosen to use it. Then they're probably better off buying more light mix to cut the current mix with.
That Gaia Green won't be going anywhere in a hurry, even after composting. If it's that 4-4-4 dry amendment, it'd be better as a top dressing too, in my honest opinion.

I don't personally think more rich organic matter will help here, if the EC is potentially already too high.

What are your own thoughts?

Aussieaceae said:

Just to theorize,

If Gaia Green has already been mixed through and that's why the ph is high, I'm not sure any rich organic matter is really going to help, is it?

I'm going to make the suggestion, that if that's what they have on hand and have chosen to use it. Then they're probably better off buying more light mix to cut the current mix with.
That Gaia Green won't be going anywhere in a hurry, even after composting. If it's that 4-4-4 dry amendment, it'd be better as a top dressing too, in my honest opinion.

I don't personally think more rich organic matter will help here, if the EC is potentially already too high.

What are your own thoughts?

Click to expand...

My thoughts are that the soil microbes will lower the pH with their natural process. It's not gonna happen immediately, nothing really does with organics. Also cut out the calcium carbonate if you wanna get the pH lower.

still_smoked said:

View attachment 4719642

I was blessed enough to be able to get all the needed equipment to start growing.

If im going to do this I was going to do it right.
May I get an answer now please?

Click to expand...

You have the right tools. What pH have you been feeding with? What's your water source? Is it hard and have lots of Ca?

Aussieaceae said:

Just to theorize,

If Gaia Green has already been mixed through and that's why the ph is high, I'm not sure any rich organic matter is really going to help, is it?
Sounds super hot already, if that's the case.

I'm going to make the suggestion, that if that's what they have on hand and have chosen to use it. Then they're probably better off buying more light mix to cut the current mix with.
That Gaia Green won't be going anywhere in a hurry, even after composting. If it's that 4-4-4 dry amendment, it'd be better as a top dressing too, in my honest opinion.

I don't personally think more rich organic matter will help here, if the EC is potentially already too high.

What are your own thoughts?

Click to expand...

Ah ok, yes, just wanted to show the ingredient relationship from the original line, when one wants to turn a Light-mix soil (EC ~1.0-1.2) to an Allmix (EC ~2.2) type of soil. Basically just +15% dry fert amends.

The EC is sort of the starting point. If its too high some peat+perlite further mixed in, may help. There's peat around with pH of 4-5, black peat etc... this would be suitable then.

If its still too sharp, more sitting time in the open with washing out by rain may help.

PadawanWarrior said:

My thoughts are that the soil microbes will lower the pH with their natural process. It's not gonna happen immediately, nothing really does with organics. Also cut out the calcium carbonate if you wanna get the pH lower.


You have the right tools. What pH have you been feeding with? What's your water source? Is it hard and have lots of Ca?

Click to expand...

I might be missing your point here, so apologies.

Am I assuming right from the first post @still_smoked made, that he hadn't planted yet. That it was the mix reading 7.6 before potting?

P.S. I think i see what you're saying now. That he wasn't measuring his new mix. Only the old / current soil.
That would make more sense.

Kassiopeija said:

Ah ok, yes, just wanted to show the ingredient relationship from the original line, when one wants to turn a Light-mix soil (EC ~1.0-1.2) to an Allmix (EC ~2.2) type of soil. Basically just +15% dry fert amends.

The EC is sort of the starting point. If its too high some peat+perlite further mixed in, may help. There's peat around with pH of 4-5, black peat etc... this would be suitable then.

If its still too sharp, more sitting time in the open with washing out by rain may help.

Click to expand...

100% with you now, sorry, gotcha.

So...I'm leaning towards just some plain light mix, no Gaia Green. And the current mix should fix itself in the new pot of unadulterated light mix.
Gaia Green as a top dressing and only when it needs it.

@Kassiopeija @PadawanWarrior

What do you fellas think?

Aussieaceae said:

What do you fellas think

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BB Lightmix is ok for seedlings, clones etc... high on N, low in P & K though... so needs K sup after 2 weeks (depending on pot size of course). No clue whats inside that Gaia line, but multiple uppots, starting small, should give swiftly some info if it works or not...

worst is starting in a huge pot with too sharp soil...

Get some peat moss to lower the ph of the soil.

Haha, the same old question

PH in soil and how to chase numbers.

I'm a soil grower and have been for decades, nor do I own a PH meter but always more than happy. I do own some paper PH strips though which are about 2 decades old and nearly a full pack!

Leave it would be my advice except add some Ecothrive Charge to get the microherd going and water as normal by hand.

I use 60/40 soil/coco and the medium is brimming with life, springtails and all.

If PH in soil is so out it is obvious and you don't need to be chasing numbers at all. You'll just fuck it up. Slight PH unbalanced can generally be easily tolerated but major one need attention and generally it don't happen in soil naturally. It's the added shit which there is no need for in the first place.

Kassiopeija said:

BB Lightmix is ok for seedlings, clones etc... high on N, low in P & K though... so needs K sup after 2 weeks (depending on pot size of course). No clue whats inside that Gaia line, but multiple uppots, starting small, should give swiftly some info if it works or not...

worst is starting in a huge pot with too sharp soil...

Click to expand...

Any suggestions for autos?

I heard the less touching the better so planting seed directly in medium is best.

but I went with setting them in pods on a heat meat and done.

KK26 said:

Haha, the same old question

PH in soil and how to chase numbers.

I'm a soil grower and have been for decades, nor do I own a PH meter but always more than happy. I do own some paper PH strips though which are about 2 decades old and nearly a full pack!

Leave it would be my advice except add some Ecothrive Charge to get the microherd going and water as normal by hand.

I use 60/40 soil/coco and the medium is brimming with life, springtails and all.

If PH in soil is so out it is obvious and you don't need to be chasing numbers at all. You'll just fuck it up. Slight PH unbalanced can generally be easily tolerated but major one need attention and generally it don't happen in soil naturally. It's the added shit which there is no need for in the first place.

Click to expand...

Is ecothrive charge same as recharge? I do have some of that I can add with water when watering. Or add to medium?

so 7.6 is not to extreme and you think the plant may not thrive but survive?

this is where I’m inexperience plays in and I am not sure what is acceptable and not

Aussieaceae said:

So...I'm leaning towards just some plain light mix, no Gaia Green. And the current mix should fix itself in the new pot of unadulterated light mix.
Gaia Green as a top dressing and only when it needs it.

@Kassiopeija @PadawanWarrior

What do you fellas think?

Click to expand...

I guess that makes sense! I haven’t tested the soil straight from the bag. So if it’s lower then what I currently have then it makes sense to add more soil from bag. If not, then repot with no amendments and top dress when needed?