Best way to quickly lower soil PH?

[Bogdan]

I have my plants in 120 gallon holes. The soil is 40% cow manure compost 60% Promix BX (peat, vermiculite, buffers) and Gaia green 4-4-4.

I added 2 cups of dolomite lime per hole. I just did a soil slurry test and it read 8.1.... No wonder my plants are stunted and yellowing.

Im organic right now but would not be opposed to adding whatever I need to correct my soil. I read that "Elemental Sulfur" and pure un buffered peat moss could help.

Would that lower my PH fast enough to save my girls? I also have General hydroponics Flora trio. Would a good dose of that help acidify my soil?

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

I have my plants in 120 gallon holes. The soil is 40% cow manure compost 60% Promix BX (peat, vermiculite, buffers) and Gaia green 4-4-4.

I added 2 cups of dolomite lime per hole. I just did a soil slurry test and it read 8.1.... No wonder my plants are stunted and yellowing.

Im organic right now but would not be opposed to adding whatever I need to correct my soil. I read that "Elemental Sulfur" and pure un buffered peat moss could help.

Would that lower my PH fast enough to save my girls? I also have General hydroponics Flora trio. Would a good dose of that help acidify my soil?

Why is it everyones first reaction is to add something? Any more food will make it worse at this point.
If you are organic, did you add the Enzymes that will turn that mess into pure plant gold?
The soil you are using has a high compaction ability. What did you add to keep airflow going? Roots need O2 just like the leaves do.
Organic soil uses very little if any of what you have. 99% of all the plants needs are created by the enzymes and microbes in organic soil.
On rare occasion, the soil was not prepared correctly and it may be short a nutrient, but rare.

Most cases of outdoor issues that I've seen here so far are from trying to grow organic and feeding like it's a commercial grow. People flush the nutes right out thinking they are helping.
That and root issues. How about it @Aqua Man?

 

[LexLuthor]

I think the combination of 40% manure and 60% promix bx is the main problem. Promix BX is already made to hold alot of water and manure is very dense and also holds alot of water. Maybe 20% manure with 40% promix and 40% perlite would of been better IMO. You also added the gaia green, how much of that did you add? Manure is pretty hot so maybe the fertilizer wasn't necessary until the plants got bigger?

I would transplant into a lighter, more airy mix of soil.

Oh yea, and when you mix soil like that and add lime, I think it needs to sit and allow the soil to 'cook' for a couple months.

 

[Bogdan]

Why is it everyones first reaction is to add something? Any more food will make it worse at this point.
If you are organic, did you add the Enzymes that will turn that mess into pure plant gold?
The soil you are using has a high compaction ability. What did you add to keep airflow going? Roots need O2 just like the leaves do.
Organic soil uses very little if any of what you have. 99% of all the plants needs are created by the enzymes and microbes in organic soil.
On rare occasion, the soil was not prepared correctly and it may be short a nutrient, but rare.

Most cases of outdoor issues that I've seen here so far are from trying to grow organic and feeding like it's a commercial grow. People flush the nutes right out thinking they are helping.
That and root issues. How about it @Aqua Man?

Im not sure what enzymes do in the soil or where I can get the right ones. I assumed the cow manure would have all the organic matter I needed. I am just trying to replicate my last successful grow, I have very little experience. From what I have read the PH being at 8.1 It doesn't matter what is in the soil the roots can't access it. All I know Is they don't look happy and are growing slowly.

 

[Bogdan]

I think the combination of 40% manure and 60% promix bx is the main problem. Promix BX is already made to hold alot of water and manure is very dense and also holds alot of water. Maybe 20% manure with 40% promix and 40% perlite would of been better IMO. You also added the gaia green, how much of that did you add? Manure is pretty hot so maybe the fertilizer wasn't necessary until the plants got bigger?

I would transplant into a lighter, more airy mix of soil.

Oh yea, and when you mix soil like that and add lime, I think it needs to sit and allow the soil to 'cook' for a couple months.

The cooking could be it. The lime is very fine. Its been so hot and no rain here this year. Im watering allot with very hard water which also doesn't help. I was surprised with how quickly it dries out. I watered 4 gallons yesterday and its just barely moist 1' down. I added 4 cups of the 4-4-4. They recommend 12 cups for my hole size. I scaled it back cause of the compost.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Im not sure what enzymes do in the soil or where I can get the right ones. I assumed the cow manure would have all the organic matter I needed. I am just trying to replicate my last successful grow, I have very little experience. From what I have read the PH being at 8.1 It doesn't matter what is in the soil the roots can't access it. All I know Is they don't look happy and are growing slowly.

Yeah, with that mix, I think you are choking the air from the roots.
If you can, try mixing in some small bits of sticks and some pebbles and pearllite.
I really think your issue is a root zone problem. Get that fixed and don't add anything except some enzymes and see what happens.

I use a different method, so mine are all in one.
You can add some of this and nothing else but airation to the soil.

Root Magic Mycorrhizae - Blue Planet Nutrients

Root Magic Mycorrhizae increases the absorbing area of roots 10 to 1000 times. Over 250,000 propagules per gram! Root Magic is a mycorrhizae supplement used for both hydroponics and soil to maximize uptake of water and nutrients.

www.blueplanetnutrients.com

 

[Farmer88]

TLDR sulphur. Or very very small amounts of sulphuric acids added to the water. Always add acid to water, not water to acid.

 

[Dank.in.Donuts]

Anyone got any advice for lowering soil PH by watering?
My Ph is at 7 and Ive been adding lemon juice to get the water at 6.2 but when I check after watering its back up to 6.9.
I want it at 6.5

 

[FATAL]

Aluminum sulfate is your best bet

 

[Texasdigger35]

I add fast acting sulfur to my soil mix and top dress Halfway along. Soil mix starts around 6.4... then 6.8... over a month or two it might get above 7 if I dont remedy. I think it creeps up on me because my tap water is crap from a limestone aquifer. I only use tap at 50% mix w RO but I think gradually over time the calcium carbonate sticks around raising my soil ph.
The lime you added doesn't help. Thats for raising ph.