Greetings, I'm having some confusion about PH. I grow in FFOF with a little extra perlite and a cup of worm casting in each plants soil. They are all autos growing in 2 gallon canvas pots. I use botanicare neuts, sweet and calmag when needed. My water out of the faucet is PH 7.2. I've been adjusting it to 6.3 before watering. My runoff water however I just discovered was 5.1. When I was watering with straight tap water I got neut lock and my girls showed a clear case of calcium deficiency. Now when I adjusted to watering with 6.3 they are still not doing well. Should I be adjusting the PH in the water to a different level than 6.3 to get the desired results of proper PH in the water and in the runoff? Or do I need to use lime to raise the soil PH to 6.3 and continue to adjust the water to 6.3 as well? For my next grow how much lime would I add to a 2 gallon pot with runoff of 5.1? Can it be added as a top dressing for my existing girls? If lime is the answer is it something that only need be done once or will the PH rebound down to undesirable levels? Thanks guys, yousofunny
Sorry, I would like to help, but pH is kinda like black magic to me.... maybe one of the pH guys will chime in here.
I would add 1/2 cup lime for every five gallons of soil, and put the ph pen in the drawer in case i wanted to ever do hydro. Ph problems in soil are HIGHLY blown out of proportion by people that dont know how to water or feed their plants. You have been seeing calmag problems not because of ph, but because fox farms soil and nutrients lack calmag. The lime and tap water together should be plenty. Yes you can top dress with lime and it only needs to be done once.