So, your plants are not showing any issues? I've taken too many years and made too many mistakes to unlearn the following--If it ain't broke don't fix it.
no ph up or down it will kill the organics ph up and down is chemical based if you must lower your ph use organic methods because if you dont your not growing organically
No it won't kill your microbes, not if the water/feed solution is pH-adjusted first and you're not throwing the straight, full strength adjustment solution onto the soil/medium.
Norcal, outdoors I no longer worry about the pH or any other parameters of my source water. Just not necessary. Indoors, you betcha, it has to be done.
Personally, I'd filter the water and then maybe try some GO
CaMg or
CaMg+. That stuff drops my pH by a full point, damn if I know why. Otherwise, I'd suggest either a phosphorous-based pH Down for quickest adjustment, it's the best way to push it down and keep it down, or if you really want to keep it completely organic, go with citric acid to adjust down. I haven't used that, I've used vinegar on very base and alkaline (well-buffered, i.e. resistant to pH shift) water and I have to use far, far more than 1tsp/gallon to get it down, and it never stays down (because its alkalinity is high).
ya i think ill just never use my ph meter. that way i dont get stressed out. they look healthy and there about week 3 flowering. so we will see.
There you go. KISS and watch. If they're doing well, then what have you got to worry about, right? Now, if you start seeing stuff, it probably would help to know what the parameters have been going into it, so that's a good reason to at least
know where it's at. Make sense?
high ph will prevent nuts from being used (lock out) whether they are organic or not. you should use your meter to check water going in and then test the runoff as well. 3 weeks into bloom would be a really bad time to start locking out your plants - there are plenty of ways to raise and lower your ph organically.
I think there is even a powdered organic ph adjust product.
I find it amusing that many organic growers feel it unnecessary to practice the most basic growing techniques such as ph'ing mixes and flushing at the end.
theres see lots of "organically grown" weed in clubs that looks like back yard boogie and smells like fish emulsion...
Hi Motherlode. I'm an organic soil grower, and knowing what I do, I understand that the plants and microbes actually make adjustments in their immediate regions themselves (cation/anion exchange = self-adjustment of pH). I've also learned as a longtime fishkeeper that if it ain't broke DON'T try to fix it or sure as shit you'll break your own shit. The last thing I want to mention is that if one is growing in very large soil containers or directly in-ground, it's rather difficult to really "flush", let alone test run-off. Especially if you plan on using that plot/soil for another run.
Lastly, low pH can also cause lock-outs.
