• Do you need help identifying a 🌶?
    Is your plant suffering from an unknown issue? 🤧
    Then ask in Identification and Diagnosis.

I'm confused with pH

S

SpraysOnTheWayOut

Two identical plants ( chocolate 7 pots ) - same soil mix ( 1/4 each of sand, peat, manure, perlite/vermiculite ), same pot size ( kinda small but whatever ), came from the same distributor, planted the same time, have identical conditions ( outside, for almost a month with equal sun/shade ) and get the exact same foods ( twice fed with AACT - basic recipe with compost, EWC, molasses and wee bit of seaweed juice - also got a light shot of cal/mag one feeding ). 
 
Plant A is growing, green and getting fat, bushy and starting to grow up.  Plant B is sub par.  Barely any growth, leaves look decent ( so does the little new growth - at least I think so ) and the leaves are pointing up ( the reason why I ran out and got the test kit ).
 
The water I used to test Plant A ( the good one ) had a pH of 8 - 8.5 and I tested the run off ( pouring a good amount of water through the pot ) which gave me a reading of 7.
 
Plant B, B for Plant Bitch, I used distilled water to run through the pot ( pH 7 ) and the run off measured 8.
 
I ran the test twice to make sure I get accurate readings.
 
I use pond water to water my plants with ( pH fluctuates from 7.5 - 9 ) and thats it.  Never got rained on or watered with tap water.
 
Any insight on why this may be?  There is a third plant however its doing fine like Plant A.
 
 
 
Posting pics would help. Keep in mind that plants are often like people - sometimes we come out strong and sometimes we don't. Heck, sometimes we come out with anomalies that are just mind-boggling. Could simply be that your Plant B is genetically weak. Also could be that your pH reading is off - run the test a few times to see if you get the same results each time or if they vary. 
 
I'm uploading the pics now.
They soil is wet because of the testing - otherwise I run these puppies dry.  If you need more pictures let me know
 


The leaves are really bright in this shot - they are darker
 
I know i will get some flack for this, but PH in soil container grow is honestly not that important. It does not affect your production nearly as much as say in hydro where that is the sole basis of nutrient uptake.
 
Therefore i do not believe PH is your problem
 
I wouldn't be concerned about it. One day it will probably just take off. One of my habs last year did nothing for almost two months, then it shot up and turned into one of my best producers.
 
If your using distilled water to test one and regular water to test the other your results will be flawed. regardless I don't think your having a PH problem.
 
I'd say you are over-anxious if the leaves are really darker - they both look healthy otherwise. Patience is in order. 
 
But, that said, your grass looks like a regular grass green, so the leaves of your plants should, too. Do you use the lift method to determine when to water again, or possibly let the leaves droop a tad between waterings? I know you said you let them run dry and that the leaves are darker, but some people stick a finger in the top part of the soil and think that part being dry is enough - it's not a good indicator of what's going on further down in the pot. Overwatering is one cause of slow growth.
 
Swartmamba said:
I know i will get some flack for this, but PH in soil container grow is honestly not that important. It does not affect your production nearly as much as say in hydro where that is the sole basis of nutrient uptake.
 
Therefore i do not believe PH is your problem
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for your input - need to do more reading.  My suspicion was that because there was no growth that it may have been due to a nutrient lockout - the pot did have a higher pH
 
Transient Exuberance said:
I wouldn't be concerned about it. One day it will probably just take off. One of my habs last year did nothing for almost two months, then it shot up and turned into one of my best producers.
Click to expand...
 
Last year I had something similar happen to a couple potted plants ( knew much less than I do now ) which never took off - got worried for this guy because the other two are growing much more than this one is.
 
geeme said:
I'd say you are over-anxious if the leaves are really darker - they both look healthy otherwise. Patience is in order. 
 
But, that said, your grass looks like a regular grass green, so the leaves of your plants should, too. Do you use the lift method to determine when to water again, or possibly let the leaves droop a tad between waterings? I know you said you let them run dry and that the leaves are darker, but some people stick a finger in the top part of the soil and think that part being dry is enough - it's not a good indicator of what's going on further down in the pot. Overwatering is one cause of slow growth.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks geeme - over anxious and over cautious no doubt.  I'm actually worried about letting them go too dry.  Initially would let the leaves droop a bit before watering however one day I came home from work ( in the morning the plants looked great ) and had one plant that had wilted beyond recognition.  The plant survived but I fear putting them through such stress.  I am guilty for doing the finger bang technique however I need o get myself on board with this pot weight method.  While the top section is dry I know deep down its moist.  I'll adjust my watering from now on.
 
Thanks for the time and input folks - much appreciated.
 
 
 
 I'm actually worried about letting them go too dry.  Initially would let the leaves droop a bit before watering however one day I came home from work ( in the morning the plants looked great ) and had one plant that had wilted beyond recognition.  The plant survived but I fear putting them through such stress. 
Click to expand...
 
But it did survive ;) I think overwatering is the issue. I really would let them dry… let them look wilty. First year I grew peppers I grew 60. Where I live most of the summer is 100+ degrees and no matter how attentive I was the plants would wilt from thirst! They grew great, and big, and productive. Water them when they look thirsty and not before would be my suggestion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top