Ph What's The Big Deal?

[Gaberabtic]

Does ph really make that big of a difference in flower growth? I don't understand. Can someone tell/link a good article on this subject?
Thanks

 

[2thaleft]

I haven't used pH up or down in over a year, nor do I use a pH perfect line. I ran out one day and just never bought it again my plants are great, no lock out, no ill nothing.....

 

[kbellfoy]

My last grows I didn't ph anything as I'm full organic's in soil less media. I ended up with a ph over 7 in my root ball....soooooooo never again. I ph again now. I don't have any links for ya sorry.. just what i have experienced.

 

[tobh]

My last grows I didn't ph anything as I'm full organic's in soil less media. I ended up with a ph over 7 in my root ball....soooooooo never again. I ph again now. I don't have any links for ya sorry.. just what i have experienced.

if you're organic in soilless, it shouldn't be much of a concern. I would think you could just treat it as soil in the fact you don't pH organic soil grows. The whole idea is to allow the rhizosphere to balance itself out. Same reason you don't measure EC, you'll (A) get inaccurate reading and (B) the rhizosphere will balance itself out.

pH has a huge impact on the availability of nutrients. This becomes all the more apparent when you're using soilless or hydro mediums. Depending on growth stage, the pH should be within a certain range to facilitate the plants ability to uptake nutrients.

When using salt based nutrients, you need to monitor your pH. Depending on your medium, you'll want to be within the appropriate range. Search for the charts, they're posted all over the forum with various explanations. Seamaiden also has deeper answers to your questions linked in her signature. The gist of pH is this: if the pH is in the correct range, the plant can eat as it desires. If it's outside of the appropriate range, something will be locked out and this will cause plant illness. The thing to consider as well as pH is the relationship with EC. Minerals interact with each other and lock each other out. What this means is, the plant will not be able to uptake X nutrient due to Y nutrient or pH range.

In short, yes pH is vital to proper plant development. If you're organic and in soil, pH'ing is a futile effort. No point, the medium will balance itself out where it wants to be. If you're using raw minerals or salt based liquid nutrients, you need to monitor your pH or you'll eventually run into issues.

 

[kbellfoy]

I get that. Iv read so much about it. Putting it in to practical use for me seems to be a struggle. My last grow shot to 5ft and I think that massive spurt of growth may have been responsible for my high ph. I'm still really new at this and I don't seem to be an instinctive gardener. Never have been. In my head I get it....it just seems to be taking me ages to translate that to good gardening. I mean iv only just got my stretch under control. This is my 4th grow and iv only just got that right????? I think I'm a bit too scared now to NOT ph my stuff. I must say tho considering my brain issues lol iv had 3 very good harvests and a 4th on the way hopefully. I appreciate the info tho. I just need a hammer now to knock it home lol. We all know well known farmer means nothing around here... just means iv been on here a lot.

 

[kbellfoy]

Oh ye this grow iv managed to give too much Fe and Zn so iv locked out P that was achieved by me using bio bizz organic food (Algimac) at 1/4 strength every water as directed. They are coming out if it now but another lesson learned.

 

[tobh]

don't feel bad, it took me over 8 grows to get to a successful harvest. I started at 13 years old though and only had a hiatus of a few years around 23. You'll get it figured out, just research organic growing in soilless media. Not many do it because by nature of soilless you're just flushing out all the microbial life that you work so hard to build to begin with. But don't quote me on that, I prefer much finer control over my plants and have only ever worked with salt nutes in soilless media.

Translating the research to practical use takes years though. Interacting with the plants, learning what their "personalities" are and such really takes lots of experience. Each grow is a new opportunity to learn more and come to understand more, so don't get discouraged. Some day you'll look back at your current battles as the easy days :) it's good you're conscious of pH though, that's one of the biggest hurdles for beginners to grasp. Yet, it's of pivotal importance depending on choice of nutrient line. I believe I've read some Seamaiden (may have been another big organic grower here) posts talking about wild pH swings in her organic soil grows and as such simply quit messing with it. If the plants are healthy, no need to worry.

 

[kbellfoy]

don't feel bad, it took me over 8 grows to get to a successful harvest. I started at 13 years old though and only had a hiatus of a few years around 23. You'll get it figured out, just research organic growing in soilless media. Not many do it because by nature of soilless you're just flushing out all the microbial life that you work so hard to build to begin with. But don't quote me on that, I prefer much finer control over my plants and have only ever worked with salt nutes in soilless media.

Translating the research to practical use takes years though. Interacting with the plants, learning what their "personalities" are and such really takes lots of experience. Each grow is a new opportunity to learn more and come to understand more, so don't get discouraged. Some day you'll look back at your current battles as the easy days :) it's good you're conscious of pH though, that's one of the biggest hurdles for beginners to grasp. Yet, it's of pivotal importance depending on choice of nutrient line. I believe I've read some Seamaiden (may have been another big organic grower here) posts talking about wild pH swings in her organic soil grows and as such simply quit messing with it. If the plants are healthy, no need to worry.

I think I would have quit by now just in sheer frustration! But I don't like being beaten lol. It's encouraging to read your last post tho. Thank you for taking the time. Much appreciated. I will get there in time... I just wish time could be bought!!

 

[Smoody]

Does ph really make that big of a difference in flower growth? I don't understand. Can someone tell/link a good article on this subject?
Thanks

This is the most important thing to keep in check!!!! No matter hydro, coco or soil or other media. This is the thing who makes nutriens absorbation possible. In case of dificiency first of all you shoud check and correct the water ph before adding any additional nutriens!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some commercial fertilizers got proper to adjust ph aint goos idea to trust only this. Best investment is ph meter!!!!! 6.5 for soil , never keep it down less than 6.5, and highier than 6.7 untill u master the ph and can "see" what is best ph for each plant

 

[Gaberabtic]

Thank you Smoody been doing alot of reading and I'm 99% sure that's what is going on with my ladies heading the to store today

 

[Smoody]

Thank you Smoody been doing alot of reading and I'm 99% sure that's what is going on with my ladies heading the to store today

U can start from this :)

 

[Gaberabtic]

Fantastic!!!
This is what the guy sold me
Question can I use the ph down in plain water? For instance in between feedings?

 

[Ooopsi]

Hmm... Interesting post. I'll be waiting for answers just like you...
I'm using BioBizz as well and I never ph down anything. That's what BioBizz told me to do. And still, I feel like my plants often suffer the same deficiencies. Mostly mg around week 3 of flowering and mg most of all anyways. So I'm still wondering: is it ph lockout or underfeeding? So I'm pretty curious to hear what other people think about ph'ing when using organic nutes, espescially when using chemical ph down as it is said to destroy the microherd in soil.. It's jst one of these topics I can't really get to an end somehow...

 

[Mademan]

Looking for same answers and using BoiBizz aswell, so definetly following this! :)

 

[Smoody]

Ph down? U guys have tooo much money to waste for bullsh*ts(soil only ), shame on you. For organic fans just buy few lemons and use their juice to down the ph, lemon also got vitamines in it, basic chemestry a/b. Every application containing water shoud she have to be checked and adjusted ph before application itself even for old adjusted water, she change her ph in the time. This is real organic blooming fert , costed me 0.00¢ , for real real organic , big pot with small plant without applicating nothin , only water

 

[Gaberabtic]

I'm sorry man, trust me I don't have the money to waste. I'm still learning about this stuff and maybe I don't do enough research first. But I really do appreciate your input on the matter.

 

[Superbeasto]

I haven't used pH up or down in over a year, nor do I use a pH perfect line. I ran out one day and just never bought it again my plants are great, no lock out, no ill nothing.....

I did quite a bit playing around with PH in my hydro days. Couple times I would let it drift to 4.5 or 6.8 and after a day or so I would have serious signs of various lockout/health issues.

Keep her between 5.1-6.3 and you will avoid most serious issues IME. In the end, you will be wasting much more money if you fuck up and lose a crop, or at the least get less than optimal results.