Raise the PH of soil?

tomato worm

tomato worm

Member
The run off water of my soil is scary low - 5.5ish PH.

Is there an easy way to raise it with a fluid or something?

Im using a mix of Kelloggs and MG organic potting soil. I know this isnt the best stuff but oh well live and learn.

Im currently 2 months in, using 5g buckets so AFAIC a re-pot isnt realistic.

Thanks for any ideas.
 
G

growone

Well-Known Member
if you have access to wood ashes, they are excellent
i'm growing with MG organic, and the combination worked well for me
 
Cr8z13

Cr8z13

Well-Known Member
You'll need a pH kit and some pH Down. You can get both at a pet store or possibly a pool supply, though I'm not sure they would carry ph Up.
 
tomato worm

tomato worm

Member
growone said:
if you access to wood ashes, they are excellent
i'm growing with MG organic, and the combination worked well for me
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply.

Is "wood ashes" just a generic term or something specific?

Is it something I can add while watering or do I have to dig up the soil?

Thanks.
 
tomato worm

tomato worm

Member
Cr8z13 said:
You'll need a pH kit and some pH Down. You can get both at a pet store or possibly a pool supply, though I'm not sure they would carry ph Up.
Click to expand...
I have a PH kit. Ive seen PH down but not up. If I used PH up in a watering, would it successfully raise the PH of the soil, and not just the water?
 
G

growone

Well-Known Member
tomato worm said:
Thanks for the reply.

Is "wood ashes" just a generic term or something specific?

Is it something I can add while watering or do I have to dig up the soil?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
wood ashes are ashes from burning firewood - guessing you don't have any - i heat with firewood so have plenty
there is a ph up, or so i've heard, think it's essentialy the same ingredient that wood ashes give you
 
tomato worm

tomato worm

Member
growone said:
wood ashes are ashes from burning firewood - guessing you don't have any - i heat with firewood so have plenty
there is a ph up, or so i've heard, think it's essentialy the same ingredient that wood ashes give you
Click to expand...
I know someone with a wood stove they use for heating in the winter, its likey still gobbed with ashes.

So can I just add it to water or do I have to somehow mix it in soil?

Thanks. +REPd.
 
G

growone

Well-Known Member
tomato worm said:
I know someone with a wood stove they use for heating in the winter, its likey still gobbed with ashes.

So can I just add it to water or do I have to somehow mix it in soil?

Thanks. +REPd.
Click to expand...
i added to water, then filtered with a bit of tissue paper, just neater i guess
be quite careful with the quantity - they are very effective in raising ph
i added 1 tbsp to 2 quarts of water - 2 gallon pot so that worked out
that raised ph just up to 6, suspect my ph was close to yours
 
mjr99

mjr99

Well-Known Member
tomato worm said:
I know someone with a wood stove they use for heating in the winter, its likey still gobbed with ashes.

So can I just add it to water or do I have to somehow mix it in soil?

Thanks. +REPd.
Click to expand...

get you some hydrated lime from your local garden center and mix one tbls per gallon. that should raise your shit.
 
G

growone

Well-Known Member
just a second thought - wood ash is pretty much potassium carbonate
excellent source of potassium for flowering
 
G

growone

Well-Known Member
Dirtyboy said:
Fuck the wood ash shit! Get some lime at your local garden center.
Click to expand...
he did say he was about 2 months in, flowering should happening soon
lime is slow, doesn't have the potassium the plant will crave soon
potassium carbonate is very fast, which is what wood ash provides
 
Sheepdog420

Sheepdog420

Well-Known Member
Flushing with properly PH'd water will raise your soil PH also. Add powdered Dolomite lime to your soil mix when mixing & it'll help balance the PH. 1-2 tbps/gallon of soil.
 
G

growone

Well-Known Member
Sheepdog420 said:
Flushing with properly PH'd water will raise your soil PH also. Add powdered Dolomite lime to your soil mix when mixing & it'll help balance the PH. 1-2 tbps/gallon of soil.
Click to expand...
highly agree with dolomite in the soil - buffers ph, adds calcium and magnesium
 
Dirtyboy

Dirtyboy

Well-Known Member
growone said:
he did say he was about 2 months in, flowering should happening soon
lime is slow, doesn't have the potassium the plant will crave soon
potassium carbonate is very fast, which is what wood ash provides
Click to expand...
Use ph buffered nutes until harvest. You dnt have to worry about ph.
 
tomato worm

tomato worm

Member
Well.. I do need to raise the PH of my soil. Some interesting feedback, I thank you all.

Still not sure on using "hydrated" lime vs wood ash. I believe that regardless, one of them should be used for a semi-high PH of water... (Im thinking 7.5ish to start?) to add to soil slowly and then measure run off. For a 5g bucket I usually use I dunno, about 1g of water unless I want to flush a little.

Plants still need a few days to dry up before next watering. I will post results.

Thanks again.
 
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