First time grow in zone 9b, lets learn from my mistakes

[Thatoneguyyouknow_]

You said you had a bit of natural clay and shale in your mix right?


I do know clay and shale likes to perch, and hold onto calcium and potassium more then other compounds, and that can cause alkalinity and lockout issues over time slowly. It's the reason house wells set into shale bedrock have so much calcium and potassium in their water actually. Clay shales also hold onto fossil fuels and leach sulfur into the well aquafers too. Thats why many house wells drilled around here in the mountains have super alkaline, calcium and potassium hardened water that smells like boiled eggs. Not sure how that would affect a soil mix in a container though.

The super alkaline, hardened, boiled egg water is also common around the great lakes, and near the more mountainous internal regions of Cali and up through the cascades.

If you can keep your PH in check (6.5-Neutral in this context), even if plants can mange the higher PH unamended, all the calcium, silica, sulfur and potassium in that clay and shale will become plant available over time with healthy root bacteria and fungi breaking it down btw. Becomes a slow steady release of bioavailable mineral content.

 

[cbrians]

You said you had a bit of natural clay and shale in your mix right?


I do know clay and shale likes to perch, and hold onto calcium and potassium more then other compounds, and that can cause alkalinity and lockout issues over time slowly. It's the reason house wells set into shale bedrock have so much calcium and potassium in their water actually. Clay shales also hold onto fossil fuels and leach sulfur into the well aquafers too. Thats why many house wells drilled around here in the mountains have super alkaline, calcium and potassium hardened water that smells like boiled eggs. Not sure how that would affect a soil mix in a container though.

The super alkaline, hardened, boiled egg water is also common around the great lakes, and near the more mountainous internal regions of Cali and up through the cascades.

If you can keep your PH in check (6.5-Neutral in this context), even if plants can mange the higher PH unamended, all the calcium, silica, sulfur and potassium in that clay and shale will become plant available over time with healthy root bacteria and fungi breaking it down btw. Becomes a slow steady release of bioavailable mineral content.

You sir are a wealth of knowledge. Yes we’ve got clay, but I’m not sure about shale. It’s a big ag area so there’s something good in our dirt lol

 

[cbrians]

Before I go all willy nilly, internet says you can lower ph with vinegar or lemon juice, any experience with this?

 

[cbrians]

Okay. Didn’t jump the gun and start throwing shit in there yet. Did buy PH tests for soil and water, I’m skeptical about the probe working correctly.

Good news they’re all still alive!

 

[cbrians]

Still researching. Read a couple different things, from how the ammonia in horse manure compost can help, different soil amendments (acid mix/acidifies and the like). Directly applying something more acid like vinegar. And the below list of things from chat gpt

It FEELS like I might be stressing too soon, which is my style, but I just want them to make it lol. They’ve come so far.

Anyone have experience with this? Or anything in the the attached list?

Related, I’m on a well and have clay soil, both of which tend to be alkaline, so this is gonna be an ongoing issue for me. All the pipes that don’t come off of our water softener are calcified.

Related, would it be better to do soft water in this situation?

Thanks again.

 

[cbrians]

I wouldnt worry about it too much unless it gets worse. Theres something goin on it doesnt like though for sure.

too late I’M WORRYING

I want these plants to make it, I’ve already decided I’m giving all my coworkers shitty weed for christmas

 

[SeedSupreme]

guys seed supreme liked my post I’m doing something right

Hi there! What strain are you growing? We'd love to know more about your grow setup and any tips you might have discovered. Let's chat and share some knowledge!

 

[Metalman1]

Hi there! What strain are you growing? We'd love to know more about your grow setup and any tips you might have discovered. Let's chat and share some knowledge!

GodfatherOG. I think I got it from you.

 

[cbrians]

Hi there! What strain are you growing? We'd love to know more about your grow setup and any tips you might have discovered. Let's chat and share some knowledge!

I have NO idea, this is my first grow and I’m using bag seed I’ve had for years. Made things interesting.

Right now I’m just outdoor in sunny california, 30 gallon fabric pots, and as I’ve learned recently growing with very alkaline soil and water

I have GG 4, Pineapple Haze, and Tropicana purple cookies or punch or something from you guys for the next round.

 

[cbrians]

Hi there! What strain are you growing? We'd love to know more about your grow setup and any tips you might have discovered. Let's chat and share some knowledge!

Also I’m blushing

 

[katraiter]

Still researching. Read a couple different things, from how the ammonia in horse manure compost can help, different soil amendments (acid mix/acidifies and the like). Directly applying something more acid like vinegar. And the below list of things from chat gpt

It FEELS like I might be stressing too soon, which is my style, but I just want them to make it lol. They’ve come so far.

Anyone have experience with this? Or anything in the the attached list?

Related, I’m on a well and have clay soil, both of which tend to be alkaline, so this is gonna be an ongoing issue for me. All the pipes that don’t come off of our water softener are calcified.

Related, would it be better to do soft water in this situation?

Thanks again.

We have a friend whom uses horse manure buys it by the dump truck load is abundant here in the horse capital area we are in and lets it sit a year turns it and then uses it the next year. I have used some of his dirt before in a plant , and it's awesome , I try to buy it from him whenever I can . It grows the biggest veggies and I used it as a soil amendment before with my cannabis plants that I had in the ground here in zone 9 a and had no issues and wish I could get more of it !

 

[cbrians]

We have a friend whom uses horse manure buys it by the dump truck load is abundant here in the horse capital area we are in and lets it sit a year turns it and then uses it the next year. I have used some of his dirt before in a plant , and it's awesome , I try to buy it from him whenever I can . It grows the biggest veggies and I used it as a soil amendment before with my cannabis plants that I had in the ground here in zone 9 a and had no issues and wish I could get more of it !

Okay so when I was a kid working farmers markets, the old lady next to us consistently had the biggest fucking root vegetables I had ever seen. Carrots parsnips sunchokes. Said all she used was horse poop.

So it’s gonna be great. If I ever learn patience

Also I found my shit for free on craigslist, I bet there’s someone out there

 

[cbrians]

I took pinches of soil from parts of plant h. I tried to get as deep as I can without fucking with roots which wasn’t very far, and from
different spots in the pot. Felt it would be more accurate. Jarred it with distilled water, shook it, let it sit for probably an hour or two, and strained some water into a cup to test. Looks like it’s on the acidic side.

I forgot pics but last night I tested water from an inside faucet that doesn’t go thru our water softener. It was like an 8.

Gotta look into fixing the water then? which sounds like more work than I want lol. I’m working all weekend so let’s hope it fixes itself

 

[Thatoneguyyouknow_]

In the style of growing your doing pH isn't nearly as big a deal. But when I've run totally organics, and super souls in the past I've always ph'd whatever water I was using to neutral


IMHO the plant kinda looked like it was sitting slightly off in both directions, which is odd but most plants would be just fine in a mix and regiment like you have going.

If you just soaked water in a container with soil for a time. Then tested that water, it's going to read more acidic then the soil actually is especially if the water started at an alkaline leaning pH.

 

[cbrians]

In the style of growing your doing pH isn't nearly as big a deal. But when I've run totally organics, and super souls in the past I've always ph'd whatever water I was using to neutral


IMHO the plant kinda looked like it was sitting slightly off in both directions, which is odd but most plants would be just fine in a mix and regiment like you have going.

If you just soaked water in a container with soil for a time. Then tested that water, it's going to read more acidic then the soil actually is especially if the water started at an alkaline leaning pH.

All my plants are a little off like their grower

Make sense about soaking the soil, I was assuming distilled water was supposedly neutral, I meant to check it before but stoner brain.

I also had never checked any ph on anything, was really seeing how long I could get away with it. It kinda makes sense I think, if I put them all in a new soil mix than they’ve had, soaked them with mineral rich water, and added nutrients on top of that, shit could get a little weird.

 

[Thatoneguyyouknow_]

All my plants are a little off like their grower

Make sense about soaking the soil, I was assuming distilled water was supposedly neutral, I meant to check it before but stoner brain.

I also had never checked any ph on anything, was really seeing how long I could get away with it. It kinda makes sense I think, if I put them all in a new soil mix than they’ve had, soaked them with mineral rich water, and added nutrients on top of that, shit could get a little weird

My jugs from the grocery tend to test 7.8-8ph. my RO tests about 5ph. Both test under 10ppm lol

There are soil reagent tests that'll give you a much more accurate test then a soil meter or doing it that way either one.

 

[cbrians]

Update for my own sake, just over a month since transplant, they are indeed growing!

 

[cbrians]

This one clearly thinks it’s a race and it needs to flower now

 

[cbrians]

I did find some webby action on the top leaves of just one plant

 

[Metalman1]

I did find some webby action on the top leaves of just one plant

What is that !?