Best practice to lower soil pH?

[av8ersteve]

Hello all. Quick question. I purchased a test kit with the strips to test my soil pH. The strips say pH is 7.5. I then made a slurry with my soil, let it sit for a few hours, then tested it with my meter. It says soil pH is around 7.8. What would be the best way to get it down to a 6.5? I’m growing with soil in a 7 gallon fabric pot and im coming up on week 4 of veg. I have pH up and pH down and I’ve been keeping my water pH at 6.5.

 

[GNick55]

cant answer your question but growing in soil you should use organic nutrients than no need to ph in soil,
ph up and down are not organic..
someone will help out soon

 

[CannaGranny]

Hello all. Quick question. I purchased a test kit with the strips to test my soil pH. The strips say pH is 7.5. I then made a slurry with my soil, let it sit for a few hours, then tested it with my meter. It says soil pH is around 7.8. What would be the best way to get it down to a 6.5? I’m growing with soil in a 7 gallon fabric pot and im coming up on week 4 of veg. I have pH up and pH down and I’ve been keeping my water pH at 6.5.

What process are you using? What line of nutes, etc? The best way to get control in your soil is to do a flushing. I have had to do this in the past. A proper flushing will be four times the size of your container. So, if you have a seven gallon, then literally you need to run four times that amount through your soil. I use a ph of 6.0 and follow with a light feeding.
I grow organically using organic amendments but despite others saying there should have not been a prob…there was.
As far as ph up and ph down go, these were never meant to be used in more than one process. Meaning if you phed down too low, you are not supposed to bring it back up with the ph high.
So, more info please. Soil? Nutes? Amendments?

 

[BudBogart]

If you can, top dress and scratch in peat moss. If not, some fast acting sulfur on top of soil, water in.

 

[Buzzzz]

Hello all. Quick question. I purchased a test kit with the strips to test my soil pH. The strips say pH is 7.5. I then made a slurry with my soil, let it sit for a few hours, then tested it with my meter. It says soil pH is around 7.8. What would be the best way to get it down to a 6.5? I’m growing with soil in a 7 gallon fabric pot and im coming up on week 4 of veg. I have pH up and pH down and I’ve been keeping my water pH at 6.5.

add dolomite lime to your soil

 

[mysticepipedon]

If you can, top dress and scratch in peat moss. If not, some fast acting sulfur on top of soil, water in.

Sulfur doesn't work in indoor growing. It takes too long. But mixing peat moss in will do it.

 

[mysticepipedon]

add dolomite lime to your soil

That is going to be counterproductive for lowering soil pH to between 6 and 6.5.

 

[mysticepipedon]

Hello all. Quick question. I purchased a test kit with the strips to test my soil pH. The strips say pH is 7.5. I then made a slurry with my soil, let it sit for a few hours, then tested it with my meter. It says soil pH is around 7.8. What would be the best way to get it down to a 6.5? I’m growing with soil in a 7 gallon fabric pot and im coming up on week 4 of veg. I have pH up and pH down and I’ve been keeping my water pH at 6.5.

How are your plants looking? Do you have pics?

Some ways of testing pH are less reliable than others. If your plants aren't showing symptoms of deficiencies related to high pH, you might want to double check those pH readings. Do you know anyone with a pH meter or pen?

Don't lose sight that your goal is growing healthy plants, not satisfying a test strip.

 

[Buzzzz]

That is going to be counterproductive for lowering soil pH to between 6 and 6.5.

How so? After repeated fertilizing the ph will lower, I just aim at 7 ,lime will keep it close to there over time.

 

[Aqua Man]

Aluminum sulphate as needed. Peat may help but if you cant mix it well then its just going to be uneven and takes time to work

 

[Sod]

You can try baking soda mixed in water and then poured over your soil until you get where you want. On the other hand, as someone said, how does you plant look? You may also checkout "soil kit" testing. I buy my test kits at Lowes. $20 bucks gets you a bag to put your soil in, a prepaid packing envelope, you mail it and you get your results online. Doesn't take long, less than a week the last time I used them. I find those slurry and strip tests less than reliable, but they do work. My slurry tests at 6.5 ph, the lab test also showed 6.5 ph on my soil. Can't swear to no problems using baking soda, bicarbonate of soda, but I've used only a couple times. It takes very little baking soda, maybe a tablespoon in a couple gallons will easily raise the ph of your water. Good luck.

SOD

 

[Aqua Man]

You can try baking soda mixed in water and then poured over your soil until you get where you want. On the other hand, as someone said, how does you plant look? You may also checkout "soil kit" testing. I buy my test kits at Lowes. $20 bucks gets you a bag to put your soil in, a prepaid packing envelope, you mail it and you get your results online. Doesn't take long, less than a week the last time I used them. I find those slurry and strip tests less than reliable, but they do work. My slurry tests at 6.5 ph, the lab test also showed 6.5 ph on my soil. Can't swear to no problems using baking soda, bicarbonate of soda, but I've used only a couple times. It takes very little baking soda, maybe a tablespoon in a couple gallons will easily raise the ph of your water. Good luck.

SOD

Baking soda is alkaline and will raise ph, he needs to lower ph. Also its really not a good option as well sodium is a micronutrient its not tolerated well in higher amount.

If looking to raise soil PH hydrated lime is a quick better ootion. Dolomite lime is a good long tern solution to raise soil PH

 

[mysticepipedon]

How so? After repeated fertilizing the ph will lower, I just aim at 7 ,lime will keep it close to there over time.

His pH is too high now, according to the test strips. Dolomite and calcite tends to hold the pH to 7 - 7.5, so if he adds dolomite or other liming material, it will never get down to between 6.5 and 6.0.

 

[mysticepipedon]

You can try baking soda mixed in water and then poured over your soil until you get where you want. On the other hand, as someone said, how does you plant look? You may also checkout "soil kit" testing. I buy my test kits at Lowes. $20 bucks gets you a bag to put your soil in, a prepaid packing envelope, you mail it and you get your results online. Doesn't take long, less than a week the last time I used them. I find those slurry and strip tests less than reliable, but they do work. My slurry tests at 6.5 ph, the lab test also showed 6.5 ph on my soil. Can't swear to no problems using baking soda, bicarbonate of soda, but I've used only a couple times. It takes very little baking soda, maybe a tablespoon in a couple gallons will easily raise the ph of your water. Good luck.

SOD

If it worked for you in small amounts, great. But adding sodium to soil is almost never a good idea. Outdoors it's even worse than in potting mixes, as it tends to destroy soil structure, which results in poor aeration and water infiltration.

 

[mysticepipedon]

Aluminum sulphate as needed. Peat may help but if you cant mix it well then its just going to be uneven and takes time to work

It's been years since I was able to find aluminum sulfate in garden supply stores (in the US). They always have sulfur, which is useless indoors.

I would have loved to be able to get some a grow or two ago. I had a couple of strains that liked low pH. They were not happy.

 

[Aqua Man]

It's been years since I was able to find aluminum sulfate in garden supply stores (in the US). They always have sulfur, which is useless indoors.

I would have loved to be able to get some a grow or two ago. I had a couple of strains that liked low pH. They were not happy.

Yeah i found it a home depot here in Canada lol. Used it for my raised beds

 

[mysticepipedon]

Yeah i found it a home depot here in Canada lol. Used it for my raised beds

Maybe we can exchange some contraband neem for some contraband aluminum sulfate!

Actually, I'm sure it's available here. I see it online. I just haven't seen it in stores in a long time.

 

[Aqua Man]

Maybe we can exchange some contraband neem for some contraband aluminum sulfate!

Actually, I'm sure it's available here. I see it online. I just haven't seen it in stores in a long time.

Right some regulations dont make sense

 

[PotsieSativa]

A few ml of sulfuric acid per gallon of water.

 

[Aqua Man]

A few ml of sulfuric acid per gallon of water.

To lower soil PH??? Not effective in the slightest