Lowering soil pH for seedlings

[MIMedGrower]

Yeah, I'm pretty stunned. Again, I wonder if they are made regionally or something. With both Happy Frog and OF being marketed heavily to the weed community, I am very surprised. In contrast, the bags of Kellog Organic I got from Home Depot last year was under 6.

I guess they do run out of resources and have to find new bogs and suppliers or whatever.

 

[OldManRiver]

I guess they do run out of resources and have to find new bogs and suppliers or whatever.

I wrote them and politely said, WTF? I'll pass on what they say.

 

[Beachwalker]

1 teaspoon of Alaska fish ferts in a gallon mix will take the pH of that gallon down to about 4. (I use it just to lower my pH and I can get 2 gallons to drop a full point with just 1/8 tbs.) The Fox Farm soil has added oyster shell to buffer the pH, so you're not going to be able to significantly chance the soil pH. I'll bet that the pH of the soil is actually closer to 6.5, and you're fine.

I know you don't want me dissing on your meter, but it's simply not that accurate, so don't try dropping your pH relying on your meter. Soil will natural buffer your water pH, and you'll end up with more problems then you'l be solving. You can buy a cheap meter for less then $20, which will be be fairly accurate (if you keep it calibrated). You'll defineatly want to be checking your fish fert water and combining it with something like kelp to balance out it's super low pH (or use a pH up).

I've tested both PPM and pH in multiple fresh bags of ffof = 6.5

 

[Beachwalker]

@MIMedGrower @growsince79 My test strips came in from Amazon, they confirm that the Happy Frog is about 7.5 and the Ocean Forest is about 7.0. Which is more or less what the meter said. YMMV.

Respectfully disagree, there's no way this is correct; there would be lockouts from go! Foxfarm knows what they're doing, your questionable testing measurements and equipment, perhaps not so much?

 

[OldManRiver]

Respectfully disagree, there's no way this is correct; there would be lockouts from go! Foxfarm knows what they're doing, your questionable testing measurements and equipment, perhaps not so much?

Dude, that's what started this. My plants were experiencing signs of lockout: stalled growth, indications of deficiency early in life in fresh soil. I used three different test methods, from three different vendors. I executed the tests carefully, following the instructions, the results correlate, and the plants were hurting in a manner that is consistent with what the tests are indicating. I purchased the soil precisely because of Fox Farms' reputation, have used it for years before, and the recent purchases' performance has been wanting.

 

[OldManRiver]

Followup. I found a better batch of soil, tested ph, 6.8, transplanted to that, and watered only sparingly for the past two weeks. No additional nutes of any sort. They are recovering nicely. Dinner, ribs and winecap mushrooms that also grow in the garden. For you outdoor gardeners, I encourage you to get some spawn for these. They create mushroom compost in place, are scenic, and delicious. Google Winecap spawn for vendors.

 

[OldManRiver]

Two weeks later, looking good. Outside in the bed. Going to LST top four branches along the twine you see, just to keep height down. It's legal here, but I don't want someone seeing them and getting ideas. Also want to minimize trimming effort. Prior years have resulted in eight to nine footers, lol.

 

[Edinburgh]

I really am suprised your haveing those ph problems, having used both fox farm happy frog and ocean forest, happy frog is a hotter mix i grow autos so i use ocean forest exclusively, it has to be your water somehow, when i checked the soil i get a ph of around 7, once you mix it all up i get a ph of 6.2, it pretty much stays there till late flower when sometimes it creeps up 6.5 or so, most strains can grow ok anywhere from 5.8 to 7 but 6.2 or 3 is optimum, i know im trying to tell you stuff you allready know as your a much more advanced grower than me, i can only relate personal experience and again am suprised your haveing that problem with that mix, i would try ocean forest if you have not allready and dont like it for some reason, i do know happy frog is a hot mix and autoflowers generally dont like it.

 

[OldManRiver]

I really am suprised your haveing those ph problems, having used both fox farm happy frog and ocean forest, happy frog is a hotter mix i grow autos so i use ocean forest exclusively, it has to be your water somehow, when i checked the soil i get a ph of around 7, once you mix it all up i get a ph of 6.2, it pretty much stays there till late flower when sometimes it creeps up 6.5 or so, most strains can grow ok anywhere from 5.8 to 7 but 6.2 or 3 is optimum, i know im trying to tell you stuff you allready know as your a much more advanced grower than me, i can only relate personal experience and again am suprised your haveing that problem with that mix, i would try ocean forest if you have not allready and dont like it for some reason, i do know happy frog is a hot mix and autoflowers generally dont like it.

Most people believe that Happy Frog is milder, FYI. FFOF is richer, in my experience. YMMV

 

[One drop]

Iron to lower pH lime to raise it .od