InTheShed Grows Inside & Out: Jump In Any Time

[InTheShed]

@Jon, I did flush them before the vinegar treatment. Perhaps I should have mentioned that.
It seemed to do the trick. The new growth was fine. But the Geoflora Bloom she got shortly after the vinegar also may have kicked in to assist. There was also some blood meal in play during this period. Geez! I hope @WreckLoose reads this.
I feel foolish, giving such partial information about what I actually did.
That's what happens when I try to stand in for the ailing Shedster. I can't fill his shoes. (His feet are so much bigger than mine. )

There was a lot involved in that recovery, but lots of site recommend vinegar to lower soil pH. Here's one:

Vinegar to Acidify Soil in Organic Gardening

Vinegar is a kitchen staple, because it can be used to add flavor to food and even to...

homeguides.sfgate.com

And they recommend a cup of vinegar/gallon!

To be clear, I don't recommend vinegar to lower soil pH as I haven't tried it.

 

[Moony]

Oh, and about those eggs...I'm going with aphids (source):

Not surprising really in my garden!

That's no aphid. That's the spawn of Satan! Tiny little beasts with snarling jaws. KILL THEM WITH FIRE!!

lol good to see you back shed. Had us worried there

 

[Jon]

@Jon, I did flush them before the vinegar treatment. Perhaps I should have mentioned that.

It seemed to do the trick. The new growth was fine. But the Geoflora Bloom she got shortly after the vinegar also may have kicked in to assist. There was also some blood meal in play during this period. Geez! I hope @WreckLoose reads this.

I feel foolish, giving such partial information about what I actually did.

That's what happens when I try to stand in for the ailing Shedster. I can't fill his shoes. (His feet are so much bigger than mine. )

Lol. Thanks. So you add blood meal to your Geoflora? I've been occasionally adding a seaweed supplement and occasional Cal Mag, but that's it. I'm always on the lookout for good additives to organic nutes. Do you have a sense for what specifically the blood meal does to help?

 

[cjsbabygirl313]

That's no aphid. That's the spawn of Satan! Tiny little beasts with snarling jaws. KILL THEM WITH FIRE!!

lol good to see you back shed. Had us worried there

No - just do Like @Krissi1982 does and buy a bunch of ladybugs from the zon and release them - they’ll take care of THAT in a heartbeat!

 

[WreckLoose]

To be clear, I don't recommend vinegar to lower soil pH as I haven't tried it.

I love the disclaimer Shed!

I was thinking of flushing but my water comes out the tap around 7.7-8.3 which I presumed would maybe exacerbate the problem?

And they recommend a cup of vinegar/gallon!

I might check the ph before, just in case it gets a bit too low but I'm willing to give it a try. This is what I'm working with for reference.

 

[InTheShed]

That's no aphid. That's the spawn of Satan! Tiny little beasts with snarling jaws. KILL THEM WITH FIRE!!
lol good to see you back shed. Had us worried there

Thanks Moony! If they make it to the fire stage I've waited too long.

No - just do Like @Krissi1982 does and buy a bunch of ladybugs from the zon and release them - they’ll take care of THAT in a heartbeat!

That's a great idea babygirl, as long as you're in a tent. Outside they last about 2 hours before they're off to the neighbors!

I love the disclaimer Shed!

I was thinking of flushing but my water comes out the tap around 7.7-8.3 which I presumed would maybe exacerbate the problem?

The pH of your tap water only matters in hydro. Have you done an actual slurry test (with distilled water) on the soil?

This is what I'm working with for reference.

Oof! You usually have such green plants. What's changed since your last grow?

 

[Jon]

I love the disclaimer Shed!

I was thinking of flushing but my water comes out the tap around 7.7-8.3 which I presumed would maybe exacerbate the problem?


I might check the ph before, just in case it gets a bit too low but I'm willing to give it a try. This is what I'm working with for reference.

If I may....I flush with Ph'ed water. Takes a lot longer, but eliminates that concern....for what it's worth. Perhaps a flush with a low 6s ph might be helpful? Not sure, but I might try that.

 

[cjsbabygirl313]

That's a great idea babygirl, as long as you're in a tent. Outside they last about 2 hours before they're off to the neighbors!

Have you tried those plant bags that are meant to protect fruiting plants? You bag her up and drop in the lady bugs - the lady bugs will stay put (though they’ll need some water). Heck, they probably finish the job fast

 

[InTheShed]

If I may....I flush with Ph'ed water. Takes a lot longer, but eliminates that concern....for what it's worth. Perhaps a flush with a low 6s ph might be helpful? Not sure, but I might try that.

No need to pH flush water since there is no need to pH water at all in soil or peat-based mixes. Those media are buffered, and if they get out of whack, no amount of pH'd water will correct them.

Have you tried those plant bags that are meant to protect fruiting plants? You bag her up and drop in the lady bugs - the lady bugs will stay put (though they’ll need some water). Heck, they probably finish the job fast

Thanks babygirl, but I can't see putting my plants in bags! Unlike tent growers, I don't see bugs as a major issue with my plants. All part of growing outside.

 

[cjsbabygirl313]

No need to pH flush water since there is no need to pH water at all in soil or peat-based mixes. Those media are buffered, and if they get out of whack, no amount of pH'd water will correct them.

Thanks babygirl, but I can't see putting my plants in bags! Unlike tent growers, I don't see bugs as a major issue with my plants. All part of growing outside.

Lol - they’re not really “bags” … more of a lightweight mesh screen material. I had actually considered getting them when I was trying to grow parsley for the caterpillars I was raising cuz they wouldnt stop laying their eggs on the parsley and then I was having MORE caterpillars to feed. Twas a vicious cycle that spring!

 

[WreckLoose]

Have you done an actual slurry test (with distilled water) on the soil?

Yeah, that's where I got the 7.5 reading from.

Oof! You usually have such green plants.

I still did about a week ago haha.

What's changed since your last grow?

Not much apart from moving things indoors. The biggest difference with that has been how much slower they are to drink, about a week between waterings. And with that I felt I had to feed every time, which probably led to a salt build up even though I was watering to 10-20% runoff.

No need to pH flush water since there is no need to pH water at all in soil or peat-based mixes. Those media are buffered, and if they get out of whack, no amount of pH'd water will correct them.

If the pH won't be affected either up or down I think I'll flush (3x container size, right?), and then try the vinegar solution. Just hoping to get to the finish line, so close, yet so far.

 

[Jon]

No need to pH flush water since there is no need to pH water at all in soil or peat-based mixes. Those media are buffered, and if they get out of whack, no amount of pH'd water will correct them.

Thanks babygirl, but I can't see putting my plants in bags! Unlike tent growers, I don't see bugs as a major issue with my plants. All part of growing outside.

Thank you for that. Sorry, I thought the flush was to rinse salts, not reset Ph, and that just the act of rinsing the salts was what helped you get your ph back in line. But I see it's not necessary to ph it on the actual flush. Thanks. That shaves hours off my time.

 

[InTheShed]

And with that I felt I had to feed every time, which probably led to a salt build up even though I was watering to 10-20% runoff.

I haven't seen nutes build up to any great extent with that kind of runoff. I don't think that's why the pH is so high. Do you have any soil left to test out of the bag? I had some crap soil this spring that was 7.6 out of the bag!

I think I'll flush (3x container size, right?), and then try the vinegar solution. Just hoping to get to the finish line, so close, yet so far.

Give it a shot with not much to lose. Any chance it's really rootbound? That makes everything worse on the deficiency front. Make sure you follow the flush with full strength nutes.

I thought the flush was to rinse salts, not reset Ph, and that just the act of rinsing the salts was what helped you get your ph back in line. But I see it's not necessary to ph it on the actual flush. Thanks. That shaves hours off my time.

It does indeed flush out the old ions and unused nutes. I wouldn't do it to try to change the pH of the medium, but when your plants look like WL's, a good clear out can't hurt.

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

Lol. Thanks. So you add blood meal to your Geoflora? I've been occasionally adding a seaweed supplement and occasional Cal Mag, but that's it. I'm always on the lookout for good additives to organic nutes. Do you have a sense for what specifically the blood meal does to help?

Not routinely, @Jon. I did it this time trying to address whatever deficiencies might be present. I was flying blind when the Lush soil I am using ran out of steam and didn't really know what needed to be done. It's a long story and all anyone here wants to read on this thread are Shed's return posts.

Send me a message if you want want the long version.

 

[InTheShed]

It's a long story and all anyone here wants to read on this thread are Shed's return posts. Send me a message if you want want the long version.

Feel free to post it here GDB! I'm not an organic nute user so I'd be interested in hearing about it too. The only time I tried bloodmeal on a plant in my garden my dog thought it was for her.

 

[Jon]

Not routinely, @Jon. I did it this time trying to address whatever deficiencies might be present. I was flying blind when the Lush soil I am using ran out of steam and didn't really know what needed to be done. It's a long story and all anyone here wants to read on this thread are Shed's return posts.

Send me a message if you want want the long version.

Sorry, didn't know it was so involved. I don't wanna hijack Shed's thread. Thanks.

 

[WreckLoose]

I haven't seen nutes build up to any great extent with that kind of runoff. I don't think that's why the pH is so high. Do you have any soil left to test out of the bag? I had some crap soil this spring that was 7.6 out of the bag!

Nor have I but I could literally start to see the salt on the sides of the fabric pots which I presumed wasn't a good thing. I do indeed have about a cup's worth and I'll check it first thing tomorrow. I also remember the 'shite' soil haha. Another thing I should mention is the distilled water is measuring 7.25-7.3 straight from the bottle, perhaps that's messing with my slurry tests?

Any chance it's really rootbound?

I haven't even considered it. They're in fabric pots which I thought were very unlikely to get rootbound with all the air pruning?

Make sure you follow the flush with full strength nutes.

Sir, yes sir! Should I hit it with the vinegar after flushing too?

 

[BigD13]

Nice update Shed. Glad you’re feeling better.

 

[InTheShed]

Sorry, didn't know it was so involved. I don't wanna hijack Shed's thread. Thanks.

No worries Jon! It's grow related so it's all good.

They're in fabric pots which I thought were very unlikely to get rootbound with all the air pruning?

Fabric pots get rootbound too, but in a different and better way. Still eventually causes uptake issues.

Should I hit it with the vinegar after flushing too?

If you're going with the vinegar, that's when you should do it...after the flush.

Nice update Shed. Glad you’re feeling better.

Thanks BigD!

 

[Krissi Carbone]

That and Hamilton are worth the subscription price (if you have kids of Disney age )!

Hamilton? I've never heard of that!!! I have had Disney+ since he was in the womb...way too into Blippi right now though, need something else for him to watch!

Oops missed @StoneOtter's reply! It is THE BEST...even for TK and I !