What do you guys think of using vinegar to lower ph?

[MeNtAlPaTiEnT]

Is it worth it? Does the ph stay down? Is it even worth trying to lower ph in an organic environment?

My tap water is around 7 pH. Nutrients will decrease the ph, sure, but the soil already has enough nutrients to last a month or two. Keep watering with the 7pH tap water? Thanks for any input!

 

[BackWoodsDrifter]

I have used it but then gain my method not quite the norm here these parts

BWD

 

[rotten_socks420]

Yea it will work, im not to sure for how long but it will do.

 

[HemperFi]

It works. I have used it, but if you are organic you really don't have to worry about PH too much. From what I have read, a lot of organic growers don't ever check PH. General Hydrophonics make some PH up and down that is cheap and works great -- vinegar is difficult to regulate and doesn't hold the PH down long. JMO&E

Peace

 

[Wetdog]

Is it worth it? Does the ph stay down? Is it even worth trying to lower ph in an organic environment?

My tap water is around 7 pH. Nutrients will decrease the ph, sure, but the soil already has enough nutrients to last a month or two. Keep watering with the 7pH tap water? Thanks for any input!

Water pH of 7 is more than fine.

The soil buffers the water to its pH, not the other way around.

Save the vinegar for salad dressing or whatever, not your soil or plants.

pHing the water is like pi$$ing into the wind, but it gives the stoners something to do.

Wet

 

[orangesunshine]

Earthjuice makes an organic Ph up and down

 

[pcduck]

Is it worth it?

That depends on what the grower sees as an improvement.

Does the ph stay down?

No... the pH will slowly rise to what the soil is if the soil has some/enough buffers in it(Dolomite lime,oyster shells,gypsum or something similar).

Is it even worth trying to lower ph in an organic environment?

What pH'ing in organics does is allow for the uptakes of nutes to be easier as the pH rises back to soil level. I would only pH an organic grow if the base soil mixture was high alkalinity or without the presence of any buffers in it. As many organic additives/teas will lower the pH.

 

[MeNtAlPaTiEnT]

Water pH of 7 is more than fine.

Sorry, I misswrote what my pH actually is. It's actually 10+. Potentially it's at 14.

Thanks for the replies guys!! Even with a pH of 10+, should I still ignore the pH? I'm using store bought soil that has been "ph buffered" and has nutrients for 6 months of growth for normal household plants.

 

[WeedHopper]

Anything over 7 is gonna lock out nutes isnt it?

 

[ShOrTbUs]

no you should not ignore it at 10+. i think you need to take a look at the soil you purchased. are you testing the ph of your run off? from what i hear testing the ph of your run off doesn't give you and accurate description of what the ph is within your medium. i will not even begin to try to give you a fix on this subject as i dont have any soil OR organic experience

 

[MeNtAlPaTiEnT]

They look wilted like I havn't watered them. Really slow growth too. Must be the water... I'll try a quick fix with vinegar for now.

 

[HighBrixMMJ]

i didnt like the GH up and down as it affected my microbes. I swithced to the EJ natural and my plants love me for it. jmo

 

[TwoHighCrimes]

Hello MP.
Been a while

I've been growing organic for a few years and have to confess that i am a long way from where i would like to be !

In saying that i used to use Fish emulsion and liquid kelp/seaweed as my main feeding regime along with Various organic soils and organic pellets to act as slow release biscuits kinda thing with azomite, kelp meal, dol lime,worm castings , and even compost to create my soil !

I always Ph checked my feeding schedule purely to suit the plants comfort zone Ph6.5 i never tried feeding at the Ph10.2 readings so i'm not sure there !

Now i use worm tea in conjunction with compost tea and i was ph checking it until about 10 days ago but i no longer check Ph now because Hushpuppy offered some good advice in a thread and my plants are still happy without adjustment the microbes that are brewed do all of the work to ensure the rootzone is Happy "so to speak" !
I also used vinegar a few years ago but found that concentrted lemon juice was cheaper and more so closer to being organic both worked well in my opinion Some would also say that food products are not suitable to use as ph down because it will tend to raise pretty quickly ...But for me i had no problems whatsoever JMO
You might find some useful info in my greenhouse grow pcduck has helped me get most of it on cue but there might be a few extra tips/ideas of interest.

Good luck MP
THC.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Does your water come out of the tap at 10? That is really a high pH for domestic water. Are you sure your meter is accurate? I don't know how big your grow is, but you may want to consider buying bottled water. It takes a whole lot of pH down to get your pH into the 6s where it is best.