soil ph

[trichrome101]

i am growing white widow and i am hoping that someone can tell me about soil pH.
i am useing fox farm ocean forest with 1/4 cup hydrated lime mixed with 4 gal of soil,Ive noticed that in the later stages of flower my plants are beginning to show signs of toxicity or nuet deficiencies.I tested my soil and the pH is at 6.2.I have been feeding and watering them at a pH of 6.2.
Do I need to raise my pH in my feed and water?And if so what should I raise it to?
Any help or advice in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RubeGoldberg]

How do you mean testing the soil? Never trust soil probes.

Ocean forest has enough of a dolomite amendment to last you for a couple months.
You want to be feeding and watering around 6.2-6.5

However ocean forest because it has almost a month supply of food in it from the get go can cause lockouts/toxicity pretty easily if you don't let your plants use that up before you begin feeding.

Your best way to see if you have a lockout is to measure the runoff out the bottom of your pots with a properly calibrated digital PH meter. If its much more acidic than the water going in, chances are you have a salt buildup causing a lockout.

It may come out much higher though because of the hydrated lime you're throwing in there. Which you don't really need if you're using the Ocean Forest

 

[intotheunknown]

from what i have read about fox farms soils (if just using water) is that you shouldnt need to worry about ph. only the ph of the nutrient solution being added and its runoff. thats if using bottled nutes. but hell, i could be wrong. i dont use that stuff.

however, the one problem i see there is that you added hydrated lime. not DOLOMITE LIME.

 

[RubeGoldberg]

yeah, isn't hydrated lime the same white stuff I add to my cement mixer when im making mortar?

 

[trichrome101]

i used horticultural hydrated lime instead of dolomite lime dolomite lime takes quit a while to bio degrade in the soil and i wanted to have an immediate effect that would last for at least 10 weeks..I tested my soil by putting pHed neutral water into a container of the dirt taken out of different pots.Because the mix is wet i can use my digital tester to see what the pH is.This is different then testing the run off.I have not done that as of yet i will do it lights on tonight.so with an idea that the soil pH is 6.2 what should my run off be at 7.0 neutral water ran through it?

 

[trichrome101]

can anyone answer this question

 

[vorzh]

Should be about the same boss. IF it changes it means there's nutrients locked out in the solution. Just a question though, and don't get mad at me for asking, are you sure the 'defficiency' signs you're showing 'late in flower' arn't just natural changes to the plant? Yellowing leaves and such?

 

[trichrome101]

yes im pretty sure its either toxicity or or a pH problem.we are talking leaf curl,discoloration as well as the normal leaf drop you get in late flower.No man I wouldn't get mad its a legit question but no were not talking just harvest yell.The leaves have curled around and down.some of them have taken on a hard glassy look it looks like lock out or something and its halting growth.i am flushing them with clear water and will see if that helps i mean they only have a week max untill i harvest them so i guess it really dosnt matter if they dont die

 

[bsound]

What are the temps and RH of your environment? Low humidity (below 40-50% imo) could cause a leathery appearance in the leaves. This comes from the plants inability to perspire due to the plant not moving any water through it. This can lock everything out and until it's fixed, nothing will help. The curling could come from temperature swings, possibly? Cold nights?

 

[ProfGerbik]

im using ffof, i always aim for either 6.3 or 6.5 if im lazy. i would say you could raise your PH a little it being so close to the tipping point could be the cause of your problems possibly.

 

[ProfGerbik]

honestly though you should give a lot more information on everything you are using, its really hard to just say its a PH problem without knowing everything else your doing.

 

[vorzh]

honestly though you should give a lot more information on everything you are using, its really hard to just say its a PH problem without knowing everything else your doing.

This.

 

[trichrome101]

ok i have my plants in a 10x10x8 box,its covered in reflectifoil top to bottom.I am useing 4 gal pots with ffof with about 1/2 cup horticultural hydrated lime for each pot.Both my water and my feed salution are pHed at 6.2.I am useing dyna grow ,dyna bloom beastie bloomz cha ching and open sesme.in addition i am adding fish emulsions and superthrive.Temps hove between 83 lights on 65 lights off.Plants are under 5 400wt lights regiment is 12 12

 

[trichrome101]

b sound
I think you might be on to somthing my humidity here is about 30%,should i combat this with a humidifyer?

 

[Hovz]

i use plain fox farm soil HF and OF i ph everything to 6.5

 

[vorzh]

Get your humidity up and tone down the additives in the mean time...

 

[bsound]

Yes, 30% humidity is causing your problems. Get the humidity between 50 and 60% all the way through. The 40% range doesn't really cut it imo.

Tips on keeping the humidity up: sitting water on the ground that will evaporate throughout the day, wet rags, frequent misting (doesn't really work as a longterm solution unless the environment lets it somehow). Best way to do it is to keep a bucket of water on a metal shelf with a space heater underneath it. Always be safe, though... and make sure you're not promoting mold or bugs as best you can, etc.

In the meantime, I would be giving plain water throughout the next couple waterings. Your plants aren't moving anything you're putting in the soil.