Is PH That Important?

Published by admin on

Is PH That Important?

Are you plants discolored? Are they droopy, deformed, or just sickly looking? It could be your PH.

There are many growers out there, that will tell you PH is not important. They couldn’t be more wrong. Now let’s be honest, we aren’t saying these guys can’t get good results. We’re just saying that they are really lucky. They happen to have found a planting medium, nutrients, and water supply, that maintain the proper PH. Just because they don’t check their PH, doesn’t mean it isn’t important!

PH in a Nutshell

So what exactly is PH? PH is the scale of acidity or alkalinity in any given substance, such as water or soil. PH ranges on a scale from 1.0 to 14.0, with 7.0 being nuetral in acidity/alkalinity. By maintaining a proper PH, you allow your plants the ability to uptake as much nutrients through their roots as possible. Nutrients require different PH levels, in order to be properly absorbed by the plant. When PH levels become too acidic or to alkaline, the plant will not absorb some of the nutrients properly. This is true for all plants, not just cannabis!

What’s the Correct PH for Cannabis?

So what is the proper PH? Well, that depends on your growing medium. Are you growing in soil? Then you should be maintaining a PH of 6.0 to 7.0, in order to allow the most nutrients to be absorbed. Growing in hydro or a soil-less medium like coco? Then shoot for a PH of 5.5 to 6.5. It is very important that you stay within the proper PH range, every time you water.

In order to maintain your PH, you will need:

  • PH UP Liquid
  • PH Down Liquid
  • Electronic PH Tester or Testing Strips/Solution

If you are using an Electronic PH Tester, you will also need to purchase the appropriate storage solution and calibration solutions to keep it as accurate as possible.

Steps:

  1. Start by adding any nutrients to your water that you will be using.
  2. Once the nutrients have been thoroughly mixed in, it is time to check the PH.(Make sure to allow the water to settle first. If you agitated the water too much, it becomes saturated with added oxygen and temporarily affects the PH level.)
  3. Follow the instructions on the PH tester or test kit, to test your water.
  4. If your PH was within the PH ranges mentioned above, you are all set and no amendment is needed. However, if your PH is not within the proper range, please proceed to step number 5.
  5. When adjusting PH, use only small amounts of PH Up/Down at a time, as a little goes a long way. If your PH is to alkaline(above PH range), add PH Down. If your PH is too acidic(below PH range), add PH Up. Then stir, retest, and adjust accordingly.

Tips:

  • Electronic PH Testers are more expensive, but are also less hassle and more accurate than their test strip or solution counterparts
  • Many companies offer a full kit that includes the Up/Down and testing solution
  • You can check PH of the water run off from your soil, to determine if your water/soil combination is out of the proper PH range

If you’d like to learn more, please feel free to contact us or check out our pricing page. We offer an array of services, from virtual consultations to harvesting assistance, and even how to make feminized seeds! At Vermont Grow Coaching LLC, service is our commitment and plants are our business.

Vermont Grow Coaching LLC

(802)342-5381

Pittsford, VT 05763

Service@VermontGrowCoach.com

Disclaimer: Please note that this article is the opinion of Vermont Grow Coaching LLC and should only be viewed as such. Vermont Grow Coaching LLC takes no responsibility for any damages, or legal concerns regarding the cloning or cultivation of Cannabis. The responsibility to ensure operation within governing law, is placed solely on the person or entity that chooses to cultivate Cannabis. Be smart and remember to keep it legal with your local and state governments.

Categories: Grow Tips
Tags:

Related Posts

Grow Tips

Ultraviolet UVB Lighting

With so many options out there like High Pressure Sodium, Ceramic Metal Halide, COB and Quantum Board LEDs, indoor grow lighting can get kind of overwhelming. It gets confusing, before you even start thinking about light spectrums. Well, at Vermont Grow Coaching, we do what we can to help eliminate some of that confusion. Today's topic is Ultraviolet Light. In particular, the benefits of using UVB lighting for your indoor grow room. Ultraviolet Light, like all light, is measured by wavelength. UVA is from 320-400nm. UVB is from 290-320nm. And UVC is 100-290nm. When it comes to the sun, almost all UVC is filtered out through the ozone layer. UVB from the sun, amounts to less than half a percent of the total light that reaches earth. In comparison, UVA from the sun, amounts to closer to 3%.

Grow Tips

Kelp and Kelp Tea

It doesn’t matter if you’re growing cannabis, hemp, petunias, or garlic. This is something ALL gardeners need to know. Today’s topic is kelp. What is it? Where does it come from? How exactly do you use it? So, what is kelp? Kelp is a marine plant of the seaweed variety. There are many different types of kelp. Many of them will have slightly different nutrient properties, but all of them will be beneficial to your plants. Kelp contains a small amount of macro nutrients, such as nitrogen and potassium. But, also contains many micro nutrients and vitamins beneficial to plant growth, such as calcium, iron, vitamin C, and more!

Grow Tips

Composting and Compost Teas

Composting. If you aren't doing it, you should. The benefits far outweigh any downsides you could see. So what is composting? Composting is the act of breaking down or decomposing organic matter into a rich soil amendment, via the assistance of microorganisms or worms. Composting is a great way to add many necessary nutrients to the soil of your cannabis, hemp, and other plants.