And peppers have different requirements than the generalization that is infered with low, high or ideal. Low may be low for tomatoes but ideal or even high for peppers.Mallory said:but as far as nutes it only tells me if the 'fertility' is low, high, or ideal.
Neither as I grow with the soil food web and pH is irrelevant.Roguejim said:Well, I can get a $5 test kit that will test each of the N-P-K nutes twice, plus the pH 4 times. Or, I can drop ~$25 for a battery operated double-probed instrument that tests both pH and nute levels. Which would you choose? Why? Thanks.
Only if you are growing without soilpwb said:Is this a must have for growing chili?
I would say by no means is it a must have for peppers (for a cash crop i would say yes). i think it depends on how deep your pockets are and level of passion for the chilli hobby.pwb said:Is this a must have for growing chili? is a Bluelab truncheon nutrien meter all i need. To TS, some link to the 5$ testkit and 25$ instrument?
Good to hear. There is so much misinformation out there so that everyone thinks they have to know the pH and the ppm and NPK numbers. Too many people listen to what the misinformed guy at the hydro shop recommends.Roguejim said:Well, after seeing PMD's comments, and consulting Nigel, I won't bother with these measurements. My raised beds and containers are heavily composted, with no chem ferilizers. Thick layer of mulch on the raised beds, too.
I have used litmus paper. I use it as a double check. Works every time.Geonerd said:Does anyone have experience with the cheap litmus paper you can buy on Fleabay?
(My home-brew soil is working fine for adult plants, but causes young seedlings to yellow out just as they are growing their first leaves. Transplanting them to ocean forest reversed the yellowing and got them growing well, so I'm wondering if the PH of my mix is a bit wacky.)