Foxfarm soil and pH?

[Marzbadrock]

Ive been in foxfarm soils for about 5 years now. I thought I was having deficiencies all the time from my feeding schedule being off. Well the conclusion I have came to is add 2 tablespoons dolomite lime per gallon of dirt and DO NOT to pH at all. The soil buffers and mantains ph levels for you. You really notice the difference in flower. I have vigorous growth, huge buds and massive rootballs now. My soil pH goes from 6.2 when wet and 7.0 when dry. My plants have started consuming huge amounts of food. Anyone have something to add to this. Am I an innovator or dumb? I see soil growers seem to always have deficiencies, they all pH too. It doesn't make sense to me but I tried not ph'ing and BOOM!! Perfect plants start to finish. Please try this in one pot....if it works spread the word! Happy growin

 

[ride free]

I'm using fox farms all so. I just got my ph meter watered at 6.8 and the run off was 5.2 so some adjustments are in order I'll keep your post in mind.

 

[BudTester420]

I'm using fox farms all so. I just got my ph meter watered at 6.8 and the run off was 5.2 so some adjustments are in order I'll keep your post in mind.

Don't ph your water, your feed anything, never never no, With soil you do not need to ph your water, soil it's self is a natural buffer and has been forever.

Dolomite Lime is a natural ph buffer and will help. I've found that Epsom salt actually helps with the issues that start just before flower.

 

[Marzbadrock]

Your runoff pH 5.2 is an average. If you watered at 6.8 your soil is really low to give you 5.2 runoff. Prob low 4's I'd imagine. You can get a decent soil probe for about $10 at most garden supply stores....I bought two just to check them to each other since probes have poor reputations. Good luck

 

[ride free]

Whats up Blazin that and marzbadrock, I watered tonight be for I read your post Blazin. I did check the ph of the water and it was at 7.3 so I water with it any way and the run off again was 5.5-5.5-5.2-5.3 I have four plants, so I just ordered dolomite. I hope that helps,tonight watering was more like a flushing so I know where I'm at with the soil.Thanks for the replies,any info is apperciated.

 

[ride free]

Whats up Blazin that and marzbadrock, I watered tonight be for I read your post Blazin. I did check the ph of the water and it was at 7.3 so I water with it any way and the run off again was 5.5-5.5-5.2-5.3 I have four plants, so I just ordered dolomite. I hope that helps,tonight watering was more like a flushing so I know where I'm at with the soil.Thanks for the replies,any info is apperciated. I do think a soil probe is in order.

 

[Marzbadrock]

I'd suggest just scratching some into the top of your soil, it does take time so dont expect immediate pH balanced soil. Your next grow add 2 tablespoons per gallon, I like to use 1 part powdered dolomite and 1 part dolomite lime prills, this will help sooner and later! Outta sight shouldnt be outta mind, keep your roots happy and everything else will fall in place. And hey phing is a pain, not no more. Good luck

 

[GeorgeFoster]

Ive been in foxfarm soils for about 5 years now. I thought I was having deficiencies all the time from my feeding schedule being off. Well the conclusion I have came to is add 2 tablespoons dolomite lime per gallon of dirt and DO NOT to pH at all. The soil buffers and mantains ph levels for you. You really notice the difference in flower. I have vigorous growth, huge buds and massive rootballs now. My soil pH goes from 6.2 when wet and 7.0 when dry. My plants have started consuming huge amounts of food. Anyone have something to add to this. Am I an innovator or dumb? I see soil growers seem to always have deficiencies, they all pH too. It doesn't make sense to me but I tried not ph'ing and BOOM!! Perfect plants start to finish. Please try this in one pot....if it works spread the word! Happy growin

I have been using FF soils and nutes for 4 yrs.....my worst results ever was my last grow when I started ph'ing my water and nutes.

I am no longer ph'ing except for cloning in rock wool.

I usually see deficiencies in week 3 of flower.....now adding cal-mag throughout the flower cycle and things are looking great.....I may try the dolomite lime in a couple pots next grow, but things look like it won't be needed so far.

Thanks for the info

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Even tho i don't personally use fox farm soil/compost myself i have observed the PH buffering effect of soil/compost

I use Biobizz all mix which is pretty available in my own neck of the woods & is normally PH 6.6 being stated on the bag it self.


How ever i never bothered with PH my nutrient solution in the first place but have monitored the PH buffering effect over my first few grows... since then, many months later i'm doing just fine i don't even check it now of any PH value !

What is important is the correct PH of the soil/compost


But regular feeding of chemical/synthetic nutrients like every watering/feeding may cause a salt build up in time which may effect PH value of the growing medium causing problems... hence a water/feed/water/feed regime is best used.

 

[Marzbadrock]

I agree, I myself just water until I get 25% runoff and that seems to take care of salt build up. Either way good info!!

 

[ride free]

Well I'm 7 weeks into veg and getting ready to flower, every thing was going great untill 2 weeks ago they seem to stop growing. I feed every 3rd watering and I water every 2 days. The soil is on the dry side with in to two days but no signs of wilting.I will be checking soil ph befor the naxt planting.

 

[Marzbadrock]

Hmmm? When you just use water next catch the lat bit of runoff and check the ppm. If they are locked out your ppm on your runoff should be extremely high. If I feed in veg at all I get a build up in my soil because foxfarm is so nutritious, then again I only veg for 17 days.

 

[ride free]

Mmmm ok I'll check the ppm,the only way I have to check it is with those check strips but it will at least give me some direction.Thanks.

 

[BudTester420]

When you say the soil is dry how do you test this?

 

[ShrubHub]

ocean forest is very high in nutrients and also slightly high in PH I have gotten several bags of it and noticed its usually seven or higher although one was 8.0 right off the bat. PH can be effected by many variables and really assuming that any variety of soil will always be the same is kind of a joke. If you pay attention to your plants none of this should matter either. But over all if you start in ONLY ocean forest you will have some adjusting to do PH wise and nute burn can be common in seedlings.

 

[ride free]

Blazin The weight of the pot,two I poke my finger in wiggle it around to feel the soil. I know how heavy they feel after watering(when the run of is over) in two days it loses a third to almost half the weight,three days thay begin to wilt.I just checked out the Nutes-what to use / how to use them,I think I'm over feeding I do know my next grow I will use the FF feeding schedule I didn't know some thing like that existed,lol. Marzbadrock my ppm readings are TA ppm-40, THppm close to 800, CYAppm-200to250. I just want to say thanks to every one,and the patience of you all are awsum.

 

[BudTester420]

excellent, good best practices use. Yeah you can even wait the day till you see them start to wilt to water.
So not to long ago i learned you can water and feed your plants whenever without any bad effects, i always thought you wanted to get it water or food before the lights turned on so they could use it all, but i guess you dont have to, so dont be afraid to let them go that extra day till you see wilt, just remember the roots are still going looking for water and thats what you want.

 

[Marzbadrock]

Just on a side note, foxfarm did open a new facility on the east coast about a year and a half ago. I'm not sure how similar there product maintained, but I have found very large pieces of bark recently and heard one person found a bandaid. Maybe QC is slipping at foxfarm.

 

[BudTester420]

Just on a side note, foxfarm did open a new facility on the east coast about a year and a half ago. I'm not sure how similar there product maintained, but I have found very large pieces of bark recently and heard one person found a bandaid. Maybe QC is slipping at foxfarm.

Wouldnt surprise me, if you look online you can see a bunch of people complaining about that as well. I cant remember if it was FF or Roots but one of them had a holding center next to a land fill, all the bag got contaminated with so sort of flys. It shouldnt be this hard to get quality soil.

 

[ride free]

Blazin That I hear ya, I had a half bag of FF ocean sea and half of regular, the regular did have large chunks of bark so I mixed them 50/50, I also had nat problems last grow and I'm starting to see them on this grow. I going to look around and see what other soils pepole are using. I have a full bag of miracle grow that was bought for the wifes window flowers,I haven't opened it yet, I think I'm going to open it and see what it looks like.