PH in pro mix using dolomitic lime

[MIMedGrower]

The lime is in... Lol. I have no intention of adding more to this mix. I intend to increase the ratio of pro mix to lime going forward in transplants to come.. . Just need to deal with it appropriately. Its all educated guessing on my end. In the spirit of learning.. savant style! (Gemini)

I'll keep watering in around 6.0 then lol unless MIMedGrower's post tells me otherwise.

Thank you!

Water cant not affect the ph of limed soil. Well maybe very hard water over time.

Here is another link from the pro mix learning center. Best info i have found is on premierhorticulture dot com.

Its for food and plant producers but i think they may have added cannabis now.

MYTH Series: Water pH Relates to Medium pH | PRO-MIX

www.pthorticulture.com

 

[Dr.B]

Water cant not affect the ph of limed soil. Well maybe very hard water over time.

Here is another link from the pro mix learning center. Best info i have found is on premierhorticulture dot com.

Its for food and plant producers but i think they may have added cannabis now.

MYTH Series: Water pH Relates to Medium pH | PRO-MIX

www.pthorticulture.com

I have hard water in spades... Thanks, Ill give it a look today.

 

[MIMedGrower]

I have hard water in spades... Thanks, Ill give it a look today.

Dont forget that adding hard water deposits a little bit of lime each watering. Best to mix hard tap with ro water to 150 ppm or thereabouts to keep a stable medium ph.

 

[MIMedGrower]

This thread is a good example of every grow is different. While extra liming soil may help one grower to avoid calcium or mag deficiencies another may end up with high ph lockout.

Kind of like telling everyone to add cal mag really.

Too many variables. We need to know the relationahip of our own water medium and nutes.

 

[Dr.B]

What I'm taking from all of this so far;
-Less lime in future trials.
-Read more before pulling the trigger on future trials (Not a step I missed this time, believe me...)
-I might be in for big big touble...
-I might be able to pull it off yet... Lol
-My curiosity is my worst enemy in that room, (Kind of had that figured out)
-Input pH for the happy plants 6.0 (I'm leaning to 5.9)
-Adding more peat in the affected/problematic cups is likely the best immediate change I could make as a way to adjust the pH in the media down a little... ?
(I haven't read any of the posted links just yet, I will.)

I've been counting on a salt build up in the media over time to work against the lime in the soil... In my mind this is how I will get the balance I'm looking for here. Once I figure out the lime dose... Just so everyone knows what I'm thinking...

 

[Aqua Man]

This thread is a good example of every grow is different. While extra liming soil may help one grower to avoid calcium or mag deficiencies another may end up with high ph lockout.

Kind of like telling everyone to add cal mag really.

Too many variables. We need to know the relationahip of our own water medium and nutes.

100% this

 

[Aqua Man]

What I'm taking from all of this so far;
-Less lime in future trials.
-Read more before pulling the trigger on future trials (Not a step I missed this time, believe me...)
-I might be in for big big touble...
-I might be able to pull it off yet... Lol
-My curiosity is my worst enemy in that room, (Kind of had that figured out)
-Input pH for the happy plants 6.0 (I'm leaning to 5.9)
-Adding more peat in the affected/problematic cups is likely the best immediate change I could make as a way to adjust the pH in the media down a little... ?
(I haven't read any of the posted links just yet, I will.)

I've been counting on a salt build up in the media over time to work against the lime in the soil... In my mind this is how I will get the balance I'm looking for here. Once I figure out the lime dose... Just so everyone knows what I'm thinking...

Build the soil to match your nutrients and water... Then avoid nutrient buildup.

 

[Dr.B]

This thread is a good example of every grow is different. While extra liming soil may help one grower to avoid calcium or mag deficiencies another may end up with high ph lockout.

Kind of like telling everyone to add cal mag really.

Too many variables. We need to know the relationahip of our own water medium and nutes.

I'm getting good results everywhere except in the cups. I'm also considering holding off on the adjusted lime until they go into nursery pots from now on... An easier shift from rockwool to peat... Lol

 

[Dr.B]

Build the soil to match your nutrients and water... Then avoid nutrient buildup.

I'm going to nail it.. eventually. Lol

 

[MIMedGrower]

What I'm taking from all of this so far;
-Less lime in future trials.
-Read more before pulling the trigger on future trials (Not a step I missed this time, believe me...)
-I might be in for big big touble...
-I might be able to pull it off yet... Lol
-My curiosity is my worst enemy in that room, (Kind of had that figured out)
-Input pH for the happy plants 6.0 (I'm leaning to 5.9)
-Adding more peat in the affected/problematic cups is likely the best immediate change I could make as a way to adjust the pH in the media down a little... ?
(I haven't read any of the posted links just yet, I will.)

I've been counting on a salt build up in the media over time to work against the lime in the soil... In my mind this is how I will get the balance I'm looking for here. Once I figure out the lime dose... Just so everyone knows what I'm thinking...

No extra lime needed in buffered potting soil like pro mix. And we leach (flush) with fresh water or mild nutrient solution to get rid of excess salts. Also watering to good runoff helps with this. And of course not over feeding. ;-)

 

[MIMedGrower]

P

I'm getting good results everywhere except in the cups. I'm also considering holding off on the adjusted lime until they go into nursery pots from now on... An easier shift from rockwool to peat... Lol

Another tip. Pro mix suggests unadjusted tap water the first week to keep the ph up while the lime activates.

 

[Dr.B]

No extra lime needed. And we leach (flush) with fresh water or mild nutrient solution to get rid of excess salts. Also watering to good runoff helps with this. And of course not over feeding. ;-)

Ok... Lol. The watering to runoff with mild nutrient solution I've got. I just made big big changes in the watering technique department... Its how Ive been keeping the pH in the cups down so far. Slightly under feeding has also been contributing. I'm just starting out on these green planet nutrients. Getting a feel for them carefully.

I'll strongly consider cutting the lime altogether in the future.

Must read now...

 

[MIMedGrower]

But this was my break from trimming.

:-(

 

[Dr.B]

P



Another tip. Pro mix suggests unadjusted tap water the first week to keep the ph up while the lime activates.

When I water in initially to activate the lime its unadjusted de-chlorinated water, no nutrient. My only goal was to activate the lime. I introduce nutrient 24 hours before planting.

 

[Dr.B]

But this was my break from trimming. :-(

Sorry.

 

[MIMedGrower]

When I water in initially to activate the lime its unadjusted de-chlorinated water, no nutrient. My only goal was to activate the lime. I introduce nutrient 24 hours before planting.

Is it pro mix from a white professional bale? It has a 1.2 average starter nutrient charge included. You dont need to feed young transplants for a week or two.

And after the first week wet the ph should rise to near 6.2ph and remain there with good practices.

 

[Dr.B]

Water cant not affect the ph of limed soil. Well maybe very hard water over time.

Here is another link from the pro mix learning center. Best info i have found is on premierhorticulture dot com.

Its for food and plant producers but i think they may have added cannabis now.

MYTH Series: Water pH Relates to Medium pH | PRO-MIX

www.pthorticulture.com

This in line with what I've been reading up to now. To me it tells me what I'm trying is possible.. how do I test CaCO3 content in a cost effective manner?

 

[Dr.B]

Is it pro mix from a white professional bale? It has a 1.2 average starter nutrient charge included. You dont need to feed young transplants for a week or two.

And after the first week wet the ph should rise to near 6.2ph and remain there with good practices.

I flush the shit out of it once its in containers before adding nutrient for the initial planting. Is this not good/necessary? I had to increase feed rates yesterday on the Do-Si-Do I just transplanted. Seedlings too. They were hungry... Happy on all counts but hungry.

 

[Beachwalker]

P



Another tip. Pro mix suggests unadjusted tap water the first week to keep the ph up while the lime activates.

Oh so it does come out of the bail lower!? I never measured it fresh, I do the pre wet as recommended but that's all

In my 3 gallon pot I added half as much Dolomite to the Pro mix as I normally add to 3 gallons of ffof, and it went up to 7.2 and never budged the whole grow no matter how low I pH'ed the water!!!

 

[Dr.B]

What I'm taking from all of this so far;
-Less lime in future trials.
-Read more before pulling the trigger on future trials (Not a step I missed this time, believe me...)
-I might be in for big big touble...
-I might be able to pull it off yet... Lol
-My curiosity is my worst enemy in that room, (Kind of had that figured out)
-Input pH for the happy plants 6.0 (I'm leaning to 5.9)
-Adding more peat in the affected/problematic cups is likely the best immediate change I could make as a way to adjust the pH in the media down a little... ?
(I haven't read any of the posted links just yet, I will.)

I've been counting on a salt build up in the media over time to work against the lime in the soil... In my mind this is how I will get the balance I'm looking for here. Once I figure out the lime dose... Just so everyone knows what I'm thinking...

***Also.

- Perhaps I'm trying too much at once. Maybe, maybe... The changes to my watering technique and the addition of my milk crate racks is enough to accomplish my goal here lol. I'll ride this one out and drop the lime from the mix... (Most of it anyway) for the winter.