I have been experimenting with using orange juice to lower the ph of my water (got the idea form another member here). It definitely works but I am worried about any adverse affects it might have? I know that oj is high in pottasium (dont know about lime juice though). I am using this idea in conjunction with aerating to get rid of chlorine. The question here is will I throw off the balance of other things by using oj or lime to adjust my ph? I am getting an RO system soon but this is the deal for now. Thanks. by the way, I added 1.5 limes (squeezed) to 1 gallon of water and got the ph from 7.6 to 6.3/6.5.
You can get citric acid in grocery stores to lower you water's ph. In winter when I use municipal water I sometimes will mix a teaspoon or two of citric acid in a squirt top water bottle filled with water. Then I give the water a squirt or two from the bottle until the ph is where I want it to be. Truthfully I have just trusted my soil in the last year and despite less than ideal water the grows have went fine. While there may be potassium in OJ, is it available to the plants? I doubt most grows are defficient in K. So making it available through nutrient cycling seems like the way to go, over just adding more IMHO. MIW
I unerstand what you are saying but I am more asking if the amount of K in the juice will throw off the balance that the plant takes in? Here is an example of what Im trying to ask: The first time that I tried this idea out, I had to add 15 tbsp of oj to 5 gallons of water in order to get my ph in check. I dont know how much other trace nutrients are being introduced at this point when the water is being given to the plants. I hope that made more sense? Can I throw off the balance of everything else that the plant is taking in?
If you calculate the weight of K in the 15 tbs orange juice added to the amount of K in your mix, and then take into consideration the availability of K due to your humic content and chelating agents in your soil mix, and then find your plants exact K needs, along with the massive headache you will get, you will most likely find it won't make a hill of beans difference. The sugars in OJ might make some microbes happy though....MIW
you had me going for a minute there.... I was actually rolling numbers through my head as I was reading! I get the point though. Thanks.
How about lemon juice? A few threads I've read suggested that instead of non-organic ph up and down. I have used it only a couple times and so far no issues but I only use when I am watering with no ferts.