I'm growing 3 Autoflowers-- planted just over 2 weeks ago-- safely outdoors in the wild in 5-gallon pots of soil, and they're hungry as ever for their first "full-strength" feeding of nutes. (Since the soil has naturally-occurring nutrients in it, I fed them mostly-pure water [with a trace amount of SuperThrive added] during the seedling phase. During the past week, I've given a 1/8 dose of some 0-0-1 fish ferts, to encourage root development.) I am interested in leaf/stem growth right now, so I have a 5-1-1 organic fish fertilizer that I've added to the plant's water... But when I test the nutrient-water, the pH is off the charts in acidity (appearing as orangey-red, lower than 4 on the pH chart). It seems obviously unwise to feed/water a plant a solution that's so drastically outside the "healthy" pH range... I've been asking for help and opinions on a few different forums (like this one), and most growers are saying "Bro, that's WAY too acidic"... But there HAVE been only a couple of growers who have said that I need not be concerned with the pH of what I add because the plans are grown in soil, and soil naturally buffers the pH so that high-acidity in the water/nute-solution doesn't really matter as it would if the plant were grown in a "soil-less growing-medium" (which does not buffer the pH). Is this true??? Because these are Autoflowering plants, I'm actually only using 1/2 the dosages of ferts, as is recommended by several sources, so there's no danger of over-fertilizing... That being said, my "little girls" are starving, and need to be fed today, and I could really use some advice here ASAP. I'd rather avoid spending the money on another bottle of solution if it won't matter anyways because of the buffering ability of my soil. IS a perfectly pH-balanced water/nutrient-solution necessary if the plant is grown in soil??? DOES soil in fact buffer an excessively acidic nute-solution, making the pH-rating of the solution irrelivant??? Please offer your thoughts, experiences or insights. Thanks!
70 views and no replies yet? Does anyone here at GrassCity know about the pH of nute-soultion for plants grown in soil???
Sorry that you've been awaiting a single reply. I know how it is bro! Now, soil does have a buffering capacity (with minerals in it and beneficial microorganisms). However, think about it this way.......how long will it take the soil to buffer an extremely off pH? Probably longer than you want. Your best bet (especially that you're growing autos which are very sensitive to nutes n environmental fluctuations which will ultimately affect the yield) is to balance your pH and ppm prior to feeding! Also, and based on my own experience with autos, its best to check the runoff water for pH and ppm. If the runoff pH is waaaaaay off compared to the water/fees going in, this means the soil pH is way off and needs to be adjusted. If the ppm of the runoff is waaaaaaaay higher than the ppm going in, this means you might have excessive salt buildup. Remember you cannot afford even a single day of delay when it comes to autos. It will reduce your yield! I really hope this helps brother!
You don't have to check the runoff every time ya water. Once a month or closer to when ya normally flush! Make sure ya always get at least 20% runoff when ya water/feed! It helps leaching some of the salt build up
Excellent, thank you for the helpful advice, DrCannaPath! "Remember you cannot afford even a single day of delay when it comes to autos. It will reduce your yield!"
@[member="BrothaSweetleaf"] Uuuum, let me put it to you this way... No one in this forum that understands very basic soil chemistry (and that's just about everybody) bothers with measuring the pH of soil runoff or worries about adjusting the pH of their feed water (unless very VERY bad), which is usually just plain water, compost tea, or some kind of water that has had plant material soaking in it. Soil DOES naturally buffer pH. That's why most of us build our own, or amend what's out in nature. For the most part, it's just "water only". Here's a little soil science that may help you understand HOW soils buffer pH naturally without the help of man and his bottled "fix it" amendments... http://www.soilminerals.com/Cation_Exchange_Simplified.htm You said you were growing in pots. What kind of soil are you growing in? What organic fertilizers are you using?
If your soil was properly limed/buffered in the first place, then no worries. Was the soils pH checked and adjusted, or, just planted in? I haven't checked pH going in or coming out in over three years. Maybe 4, I don't remember anymore, and I've dumped stuff more acidic than that fish fert, and stuff that was super alkaline. No problems whatever the pH was. Wet
No one in this forum that understands very basic soil chemistry (and that's just about everybody) bothers with measuring the pH of soil runoff or worries about adjusting the pH of their feed water (unless very VERY bad), which is usually just plain water, compost tea, or some kind of water that has had plant material soaking in it. Right on. Well, the solution I've made is not plain water or compost tea, and did not have any plant material soaking in it, but most of the people I've heard from on 3 different online forums warn me that feed-water with a pH that's off the charts in acidity (appearing as orangey-red, lower than 4 on the pH chart) IS in fact considered "very VERY bad"... But it sounds like you do not agree. Am I reading you correctly? Soil DOES naturally buffer pH. That's why most of us build our own, or amend what's out in nature. For the most part, it's just "water only". What do you mean by "For the most part, it's just 'water only'"? You said you were growing in pots. What kind of soil are you growing in? What organic fertilizers are you using? I'm using Fox Farm's Happy Frog, and-- because I want leave and stem development-- I am currently using Alaska's 5-1-1 Fish Fertilizer. Thanks for your response, and for the link on soil-science, BTW!
Dayaaaaaam! THAT is one hell of a great reply, Waktoo! Thanks for the time and care that you took in answering, for offering so much variety of helpful info, and in providing some clarity and understanding! It's getting late after a busy day, and I'm a bit speechless at the moment. I've been actively searching for answers on several forums and websites, and yours is by far one of the "Best Answers" I've seen. I agree with you regarding misinformation regurgitated by so many people out there who never bothered to study or research the matter themselves. Thanks for a dropping a few fact-nuggets I might look further into-- like CEC buffering free Hydrogen... And thanks for guiding me towards Tomato Tone and the organic line of Espoma's products, as well as the info and simple directions on earthworm castings. Great info on the ferts too, Mate! I heard some of that same info earlier in the day during a conversation I had with a local grower/garden-center owner/manager, who told me that Alaska uses heat-prcessing and therefore kills the enzymes, metabolites, etc. in thier ferts, whereas Neptune's harvest processes thier ferts deliberately to maintain the beneficial compounds you spoke of. Yes, I'm in the Northern Hemisphere, the same longitude as, say, New York. Again, thanks for the meaty response!
@[member="Brother Sweetleaf"] I only asked about your location in the world because the outdoor growing season in the Northern Hemisphere is about over. I do realize that you're growing auto's and that they tend to finish quickly, but do you think that you're plants will be able to grow to fruition before the weather takes a turn for the worse? Will you be able to harvest before your area experiences its first frost?
Excellent questions... Glad you asked! The outdoor growing season in the Northern Hemisphere is indeed about over. I've given it much consideration before deciding to do this. I was not in a position to grow this year until the end of July, and I know that first frost usually hits us here sometime in the second or third week in October... So from Auto Seeds I got myself 3 Auto-Fems-- a Hijack, a Candy Kush, and a Berry Ryder, all of which have a grow-cycle between 8 and 10 weeks from seed to harvest-- and planted them just after recieving them, knowing that 10 weeks after planting will be in the second week of October. I'm making a video series on Growing Autoflowers From Late Summer Through Chilly Early Autumn (working title). It's more of a "watch my progress" series (maybe a "learn along with me" series) and less of "this is how it's done" series... Clearly. So this will be somewhat educational for us all... I've considered that Autoflowers grown outdoors-- if planted in the Springtime-- know that the sunlight lasts longer and longer each day towards Summer, and perhaps may even intrinsictly "know" they're gradually heading into a warm, abundant season for thriving... Whereas Autoflowers grown outdoors-- if planted in Late Summer-- know that the sun sets earlier each day towards Winter as the nights get cooler, and perhaps may even intrinsictly "know" they're gradually heading into a cool, sparse season for dying. Furthermore, this is the coolest August I can recall ever having. To answer your exact questions-- Yes, I think that my plants will be able to grow to fruition before the weather takes a turn for the worse, and Yes, I am confident that I will harvest before the first frost... I've successfully harvested early/mid-October before, though not on Autoflowers. What's also promising is that Auto Seeds-- when describing thier Berry Ryder-- say that "the plant can turn blue especially under colder night time temperatures which it can cope with easily." So maybe my girls won't get as big as plants grown earlier in the year, but they're definitely worth a grow, I'm enjoying the process, and I really look forward to sharing my results with the Marijuana community.
Like the guy said PH has no meaning in outdoor or indoor soil grows. I got this same info from a guy in the U.K. who has over 200 soil grows and 20 years growing experiance. Soil works as a natural buffer against PH drops or rising. In fact you can harm your plants by constantly adjusting your PH levels when growing in soil. If you live in a city and are using tap water you need to let it sit 24 hours before using it on your plants to reduce the clorine levels in the water. Thats it! Do not overthink when growing in soil let nature run its course. I feed mine thrive alive in the veg stage, I cap full in a 4 gallon container, and BC boost and Swell in the flowering stage, I cap full of each. I do this ever third watering. The results are amazing and I don't even own a PH tester.