soil Soil Ph

Noah Yates said:
Its not that guano itself is alkaline... its that the byproducts of the metabalism of the guano by the microorganisms in the soil will be alkaline... It is those very by-products, however, that feed your plants... when applied in the correct balance :party:
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Interesting. Yeah correct balance being the operative phrase : )
 
 
Blister said:
8 is way too high. You're looking for a ph of somewhere around 5.8 - 6.8. If you have an extreme of on either side you run the risk of locking out nutrients and getting deficiencies. One solution, and a much faster acting one at that, is to find a hydro store and pick up a bottle of PH down. You'll also want to pick up a tester of some sort. The ph test drops are fairly cheap (around $10). Keep in mind that this is NOT a permanent solution, but you'll be able to grow peppers. Just like hydro growers, you'll have to ph your water with every watering. It will allow you to avoid lockouts and get you going right away.
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Thanks for the tip, I'll look into that, even tho its not a permanent fix, it will do nicely for the time being 
 
Thanks for all the great help everyone
 
Those little cheap pH kits are very inaccurate as well. Adjusting the pH of the water is not going to help much either unless you are growing in containers.
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
Those little cheap pH kits are very inaccurate as well. Adjusting the pH of the water is not going to help much either unless you are growing in containers.
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I mean no disrespect and I hate to disagree as it so often leads to pointless arguments - I have no interest in arguing and I will not take part. That said, I believe your statements are inaccurate PMD. The pH drop indicator solution kits, if that is to what you are referring, can be quite accurate. Inaccurate kits are often the result of improper storage.
Granted, adjusting the pH of the water will have less an effect in the ground than in containers, but it can still make a very large difference in the ground. I would recommend using the pH down from the hydro store since (I think) it is buffered.
 
Citric acid is a cheap quick water pH adjuster ... Fish ferts are often quite acidic ... On the other hand many seaweed extracts are high pH so keep that in mind if you using them. A slow release pH adjuster is something which breaks down over time in your soil like pine needles/bark ... Try to get away from using single elements to fix problems like this ... Try to look at the whole grow holistically and you tend to run into less extreme problems ... Just my 2 cents
 
impending_bending said:
I mean no disrespect and I hate to disagree as it so often leads to pointless arguments - I have no interest in arguing and I will not take part. That said, I believe your statements are inaccurate PMD. The pH drop indicator solution kits, if that is to what you are referring, can be quite accurate. Inaccurate kits are often the result of improper storage.
Granted, adjusting the pH of the water will have less an effect in the ground than in containers, but it can still make a very large difference in the ground. I would recommend using the pH down from the hydro store since (I think) it is buffered.
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I was referring to the ones at the store like Home Depot that you test soil with not the one by General Hydroponics which I have and have used especially for Canna. ;)
 
I use a small bottle cap full of white vinegar to bring my water down from 8.0 to 6.0.  
 
I also use the pH testing drops to test it and its within 0.5 units of accuracy to the meter I also have (or vice versa).
 
I just use the General Hydroponics pH Up and pH Down kit which includes the tester if I want to adjust pH.
I never used it for peppers though as I don't see a need. I feed them AACT weekly and once in a while give them a little Earth Juice Bloom and some Cal/Mag since I have some and call it good.
 
Not only does gypsum help to lower pH (by bringing basic soils closer to neutral)...  it also stabilizes the pH... meaning your soil will not have as wild of pH swings... providing a kind of buffer.
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
I just use the General Hydroponics pH Up and pH Down kit which includes the tester if I want to adjust pH.
I never used it for peppers though as I don't see a need. I feed them AACT weekly and once in a while give them a little Earth Juice Bloom and some Cal/Mag since I have some and call it good.
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Hey PMD,
 
I just finished reading 'Teaming with Microbes' and am loaded with questions in regards to soil optimal pH for peppers.
 
For your AACT, do you make a Fungal dominant tea (in order to have a low pH) or you aim for a Bacterial dominant tea (for a higher ph around 7)?
 
Are you using some compost you made or is it commercial? If so, what kind of compost is it?
What do you mulch with? Greens or browns?
Thanks,
Teurf
 
Teurf, I just use what is in my bin and no I don't have it balanced one way or the other. Most of my compost is yard trimmings so I would assume it is more fungal dominate.
I just put in my bin what I have available and table scraps and lawn trimmings are rare so I probably don't have as balanced of a compost as I would like but it is what it is right? ;)
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
Teurf, I just use what is in my bin and no I don't have it balanced one way or the other. Most of my compost is yard trimmings so I would assume it is more fungal dominate.
I just put in my bin what I have available and table scraps and lawn trimmings are rare so I probably don't have as balanced of a compost as I would like but it is what it is right? ;)
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Thanks for the answer!
Teurf
 
I have several plants, a lemon, apple, and plum tree, a couple of other large bushes that I trim and all of the dead material from Dahlias, peppers and roses, etc that I compost every year.
I have a powerful electric shredder/chipper that I run them all through and then into the composter it goes.
I use this compost as well as home made worm castings as my material in my AACT brewing along with some unsulphered molasses and that is it.
I don't add anything else except and occasional feeding of Earth Juice Bloom as I still have some from a Canna grow two seasons back.
 
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