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Soil recipe help

Lost in a SOG

GrassSnakeGenetics
I know we say we dont need to ph when watering/feeding with super soil organic and whats important is the soils' PH by itself.

So what PH would be ideal for the soil? So it won't hurt to water/feed with that ideal PH for supersoils right?

I was giving 5.8 as i thought i was still dealing with a soiless/hydro not PHing for soil/organic soil/supersoil grow.

WTF. But they still look just fine.
:)

Thanks a lot masters!


Ah check this chart If your watering/soil pH goes outside these values too much you will get deficiencies in these nutrients. In a super soil you are often using an acidic base like peat added amendments and with dolomite to help buffer the pH to around 7.

In a near perfect organic mix where you add no feed besides the odd tea one major advantage is that there is less of a pH swing being caused by you which stresses the microbiome and the availability of nutrients as well.

Nutrients are acidic and often pull the pH down below 6 on a low dose depending on the hardness of your water. teas from worm castings can be really quite alkaline, it's always a good idea to check pH of teas when diluted.. I think aim for 6.8-7.2 in the soil and water at 6.8 but it's just my opinion. Phosphorous is essentially the most important nutrient in flower so having an overly acidic soil isn't a brilliant idea, and Calcium and Magnesium become increasingly unavailable as the pH drops. big or suddden swings in pH really annoys them. Ideally I think the soil pH should swing through those values from 6.5 ish when watered to nearer 7 as the plant eats the nutrients and dolomite neutralises any excess acidity.

You may find that at that pH you are using up your soils buffering capacity and that you might get a P or cal/mag lockout or deficiency come flower :2cents:


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Packer420

Member
Ah check this chart If your watering/soil pH goes outside these values too much you will get deficiencies in these nutrients. In a super soil you are often using an acidic base like peat added amendments and with dolomite to help buffer the pH to around 7.

In a near perfect organic mix where you add no feed besides the odd tea one major advantage is that there is less of a pH swing being caused by you which stresses the microbiome and the availability of nutrients as well.

Nutrients are acidic and often pull the pH down below 6 on a low dose depending on the hardness of your water. teas from worm castings can be really quite alkaline, it's always a good idea to check pH of teas when diluted.. I think aim for 6.8-7.2 in the soil and water at 6.8 but it's just my opinion. Phosphorous is essentially the most important nutrient in flower so having an overly acidic soil isn't a brilliant idea, and Calcium and Magnesium become increasingly unavailable as the pH drops. big or suddden swings in pH really annoys them. Ideally I think the soil pH should swing through those values from 6.5 ish when watered to nearer 7 as the plant eats the nutrients and dolomite neutralises any excess acidity.

You may find that at that pH you are using up your soils buffering capacity and that you might get a P or cal/mag lockout or deficiency come flower :2cents:


View Image

Again thank you Lost in SOG you have always helper me in my questions the most, you have been the most help now that im learning a lot. I really appreciate it mate!

From 5.8 i will now be watering feeding 6.5 and hope that things will be adjusted with causing major PH swings. Seedlings are now 3 weeks and was fed 5.8 from start they were in 90% soil less mix 10% ewc so i guess that ph of 5.8 didnt hurt them as much for it was still under that medium. Now that i have transplanted them into a soil recipe that was cooked with 5.8 tea and water. I will start watering feeding with 6.5 starting the next water feed.

Thank you again! What precious basic ph i have missed and learned again.
 

nickman

Active member
Veteran
That’s a great chart right there... I’m new to building my own soil as well... last few years I’ve been using Fox Farms ocean forest/happy frog at a 50/50 mix. But with general Organics line on top of that. Last run and this run I’m still using the fox farm soils but I also added in some worm castings. I dropped the general Organics this run and I did a top dress when I switched to flower with Mother Earths bloom meal mix. It’s a amendment mix tailored towards blooming.
 

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