# Organic PH Adjustment?



## Tool46 (Nov 27, 2008)

So i have been using Lakeland Natural & Oraganic Soil for this grow. This soil has lime in it for PH adjustment. At the time i bought the soil it seemed like a good idea. Now im thinking otherwise. My Ph is Between 6.9-7.0 now and most of my plants are thriving except one. and everyone has been telling me to lower my PH! My QUESTION CAN I STILL LOWER THE PH OF MY SOIL WITH THE LIME IN IT OR AM I STUCK WITH WHAT I HAVE. Do i need to get different soil next time or is this ok? thanks for your help guys. 
  Mainly i use Brita filtered tap water. Although one of my plants is a strickly distilled water drinker. Also im growing organic so dont really want to use hydro store PH adjuster? And i just tried the lemon juice thing and it didn't adjust my distilled water at all? water is still at 7? and i used a whole jar of the small lemon sized container? any help would be very apprieceated.
  Ive been all over this forum trying to figure out what to do and seems like im going in circles for a while now.  I just want to save her before it too late!


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## Alistair (Nov 27, 2008)

Personally, I wouldn't use the Brita filter.  I have a Brita filter, but I don't use it for my plants.  A lot of us here use reverse osmosis water.  I get my water from a water dispensing machine for 20 cents a gallon.

The soil I use is also buffered to maintain the pH between 6.3 and 6.8.  Plus, I use dolomite lime and so far I don't seem to be having any problems.  The problem you have might be the water you're using. Most of your plants are healthy, but I'd use different water, just the same.


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## Tool46 (Nov 27, 2008)

The thing is that the plant in the pic is the plant that i am and have been using distilled water on?  Also (written above) the soil im using has lime in for PH adjustment but it is to high.  im trying to figure out how to lower it organically since the lemon juice did not work?  and next time i will get different soil.  Also what kinda of buffer keeps the PH between 6.3 and 6.8?


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## WeedHopper (Nov 27, 2008)

Could it be over watering,,or adding to much Nutes? My PH is around 7.0 at times, and my plants are VERY healthy.I keep mine between 6 and 7 and I have never had any problems. Your lights are not to close are they? Sorry,, Im just asking questions to see if we can get to the bottom of this. What kind of grow setup are you using?


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## Tool46 (Nov 27, 2008)

This plant was vegged under 400wMH for about two and a half months.  Vegg room has its own a/c for intake and 4' inline fan for exhaust straight outside.   At week three of vegg i gave her a small 1/4 strengh dose of bat guano which has proven excelent on all my other plants, she did not take seemed to burn.  So i then flushed out reall good and have been using distilled water on her since.  She has now recently been moved into  flower 12 days ago. one week ago i gave her a small dose of humix in a gallon of distilled water.  She is Flowering under two 400w HPS the lights are approximately 3ft from the plants.  I also have an a/c for intake and an 4' inline fan for exhaust straight outside. and plenty of fans for air movement


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## Elephant Man (Nov 29, 2008)

Dry citric acid, apple cider vinegar, bloodmeal, cottonseed meal, used coffee grounds, and worm casings will all lower ph organically.  Nearly all nitrogen sources will.

I would probably pick up some acid ferts or acid soil and add it carefully, either on top or by transplanting.  Orchid or cactus soil will be in the 4.5-5.5 range I think, so mix it with your soil carefully before putting her in it.

Good luck brother, let us know what you decide.


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## Mr.Wakenbake (Dec 1, 2008)

Okay. There are two ingredients every organic grower needs. 
Apple Cider Vinegar and Lemon Juice. 

Let's put that point aside though. Adjusting the ph of your soil isn't done overnight and can take a couple weeks to get right. You can't run ph adjusted water through a container of soil and then check said containers pH and expect it to remain that pH. 

Ph can also vary from spot to spot in the container. This is why the RUNOFF should be what you need to be checking. Not Soil Ph. 

If you pre-ph your nutrients and water before you feed or water you would never run into this problem.With organics pH isn't nearly as important as you think on a day to day basis. 

Bubble the nutrients to bring the pH up. NEVER NEVER us hydro pH up with Organic Nutrients. There are organic pH ups, but it's not as affective as bubbling or as good for your plants.

Get a cheapo aquarium bubbler and use it to bring the nutrient solutions pH up. To bring the Nutrient solution down use Apple Cider Vinegar. A few drops go a long way. 

If you are worried about the plant , flush it out. however i suggest you just give it pH'd water for the next two weeks and no nutrients.  . I personally think your pH is fine, and the plant is experiencing a minor  case of either Heat burn or over fertilization.And yes you can overfertilize with Organics even though it's hard to do. 

Flush it out .. and give it water for the next two weeks. If it begins to improve you know you are headed in the right direction.It's time to step back , get you a notepad and start keeping notes on your grow, and i don't just mean online.

Write everything down, from feedings amounts and ph. 
waterings ph
Transplants.
ect ect

Anything you think is pertinant to your grow write it down.  Do it for one grow and you prob won't have to ever do it again . You can learn alot if you keep good notes. 

I hope my organic ph solutions help you. But it isn't pH that's the problem with that plant. The ph being around 6.3-7.0 is tolerable and with organics vary WILDLY in the soil environment on a daily to weekly basis as the microherds evolve in the soil .

I will reiterate. When checking soil pH in organic grows , water your plants with the correct ph water until it runs through the bottom of the container and collect the runoff to run the pH test on. This method gives the best idea of what is happening in the root zone.

Soil has to be wet also to check the pH. Just more info whether needed or not.

Hope this helps you man.


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