Soil Ph fluctuation ...

H

HashBucket

Well-Known Member
I have started monitoring my soil ph. I never did it before .. I just ph nutes to 5.7 to 6.1 every feeding.
The plants are showing no signs of distress.
They are at 30 days of flower.
I feed with Jacks A & B at 47% ratio, at 800 to 900 ppm in coco canna.

The soil ph has been at 7.0 for the last week, and the last couple of days I been hitting them at 5.5 or so.
Why?
Should I hit them at 4.5?
Should I ignore it, and keep doing what I been doing for the last ten years.
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
When I check my pH after a feed, I find the pH drops over time between then and the next watering. So I feed it high so it drops through the Goldilocks zone.

If my pH is way off it takes a few feeds to get it adjusted. If my target is 6.5 and it's at 5.5 I feed at 7.5 and check before the next feed, it might be at say 6.2 then so I feed at 6.8. Sometimes you are fighting something like lime in the soil and the adjustment feeds are required constantly at varying pH.

Note checking the soil in different spots will often yield different numbers and you should get at least 3 readings per pot and average them. Also treat all pots individually.
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
Also, what are you using to check the soil pH? Slurry tests, run off tests are meaningless IMO. The cheap analog pH/moisture meters with the long metal probe/s suck ass and are so wrong that they do more harm than good. I have seen them read alkaline when it's actually acidic lol.
 
H

HashBucket

Well-Known Member
Renfro said:
Also, what are you using to check the soil pH? Slurry tests, run off tests are meaningless IMO. The cheap analog pH/moisture meters with the long metal probe/s suck ass and are so wrong that they do more harm than good. I have seen them read alkaline when it's actually acidic lol.
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Yea, see .. I think you nailed it right there.
I am using a "cheap analog pH/moisture meters with the long metal probe/s suck ass and are so wrong that they do more harm than good" meter. In fact, I think that is the brand name. Yea, it is.
I will throw the damn thing in the garbage and spend a couple of real bux on a good one. You've recommended the Blue Lab version before.
 
ebcrew

ebcrew

Well-Known Member
Renfro said:
Also, what are you using to check the soil pH? Slurry tests, run off tests are meaningless IMO. The cheap analog pH/moisture meters with the long metal probe/s suck ass and are so wrong that they do more harm than good. I have seen them read alkaline when it's actually acidic lol.
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What should someone do instead of slurry/run off test. I have the Oakton ph1 meter. What would u suggest

Sorry for hijacking thread im curious myself
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
HashBucket said:
The plants are showing no signs of distress.
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I would definitely say the meter is wrong. If the plant is fine just keep feeding as you have been. When you get a proper pH meter you may find the soil is right where you want it. If it's not right where you want it then record that number because it's working, at least for this strain, medium and stage of growth.
 
N

nmibud

Well-Known Member
I have never tested soil ph and I never will,you are only causing problems that may not exist.And creating new ones in the process.
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
nmibud said:
I have never tested soil ph and I never will,you are only causing problems that may not exist.And creating new ones in the process.
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If the plant is healthy I would agree. If the plant is not then I disagree. I have saved crops by checking soil pH and I have guided others to do so saving their crop.
 
ebcrew

ebcrew

Well-Known Member
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