Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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How do YOU lower pH?
- Thread starter DonovanC
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VERMONT USA !!!!
Yamadori
You where true, I always think my water is at 7'4 but this is the water where it's collect.
So they add javel and it Will be above 8 at least
But didn't found any infos about the ph after treatment. Drinkable water.
I know a guy who add white vinegar for it's cactus.
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DonovanC
Chumono
It seems that my total alkalinity is quite high, the test strips that I have now aren’t very precise. I don’t know that this picture will help, but it definitely seems to suggest that my TA is quite high. My attempts at bringing the pH down haven’t had much of any effect on the TA. So what does one do in this situation?
DonovanC
Chumono
TN_Jim
Omono
sifted pine bark in mix
Kudo
Sapling
Organic fertilizer also lower the soil pH.
I have some Ficus microcarpa seedlings planted on turface and DE which is said to have a high pH. I feed them osmocote and cotton seed meal. None of them show signs of chlorosis.
I have some Ficus microcarpa seedlings planted on turface and DE which is said to have a high pH. I feed them osmocote and cotton seed meal. None of them show signs of chlorosis.
Kudo
Sapling
I forgot to mention: unless it is raining, I always water using tap water which the last time I measured had a pH 8 reading.
MrWunderful
Omono
Yes, but it is more complicated than that. If I can find his post I will quote it here, or he can pop in and explain (again) if he wants.
River's Edge
Masterpiece
One option is reverse osmosis, tends to be expensive and wastes a lot of water in comparison to the amount produced. Unless of course you have a use for the discharge waste water. The simplest may be to collect rainwater for Bonsai use unless your collection is too large or the climate not conducive.
Shogun610
Masterpiece
Insights from using a chemical injector to acidify the water for one year - Bonsai Tonight
An update about the past year's experience using vinegar to acidify the water.
bonsaitonight.com
This is a good article too wow never thought of this. He lives in CA though a not a lot of rain but if it rains often depending where you guys live the collection of rain water works just as well!
DonovanC
Chumono
Yes
This has been my goal since starting out, but just never got around to setting it up - I have no excuses, just procrastination. But I’m going to do it soon.
DonovanC
Chumono
Jack’s 20-20-20 up until running out. Now I’m using Jack’s 15-30-15, just because it’s what I have. It has no effect on my total alk or pH
bwaynef
Masterpiece
https://www.espoma.com/product/soil-acidifier/#tab2. Also, organic fertilizer tends to adjust the pH in whatever direction it needs to go.
erich_raudebaugh
Shohin
I use citric acid to lower pH a tad when needed, and gypsum to buffer. You may be having trouble over time if you have hard water and calcium carbonate builds up in the soil, also turface yields terrible results in my experience. It may help to use a bit of organic material like composted pine bark.
Try testing the pH of the water draining out of the hole after watering. Turface is usually acidic therefore it might not be a pH problem. I think it may be related to the fertilizer. Did it happen after switching to 15-30-15? I'd try using osmocote plus slow release which is sold at homedepot/lowes and see if it helps.
DonovanC
Chumono
That’s a good idea. It seems however that total alkalinity is what I’ll be looking at.
And no, this switch was quite recent, and this problem came out of the blue weeks before the switch. I’ve been using Jack’s 20-20-20 for about 4 years and have never seen this.
hemmy
Omono
Pour-thru leachate test. The link is to measure EC after fertilizing but same process can be used to test pH or other parameter from your mix using distilled water. I’m sure it was mentioned here, but if you haven’t, send your well water off for analysis. It should be stable and you only have to test it once.
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
Keep in mind that younger foliage always starts off a little lighter than the rest.
Baking soda can be sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate, you do not want the sodium ever. And neither does your plant.
I use everything, from coca cola containing phosphoric acid, to HCl, or sulfuric acid, or nitric acid, vinegar or citric acid.
But to lower the soil pH effectively, it might be needed to put the entire pot in a bucket of 'correct pH' water for a while, since it's buffering towards a higher pH by itself. A month or two of rain water would have the same effect.
My water pH is around 8, but I haven't felt the need to adjust anything in the past two years. After a summer of tap water, my trees get an entire fall, winter and spring with only rain water. It seems to balance out quite well.
The plants themselves can secrete either acids or bases depending on the soil pH, they can regulate their own root zones to get the ideal pH value. I trust that physiological system to do most of the work for a pH value range from 4.5-8.5.
Baking soda can be sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate, you do not want the sodium ever. And neither does your plant.
I use everything, from coca cola containing phosphoric acid, to HCl, or sulfuric acid, or nitric acid, vinegar or citric acid.
But to lower the soil pH effectively, it might be needed to put the entire pot in a bucket of 'correct pH' water for a while, since it's buffering towards a higher pH by itself. A month or two of rain water would have the same effect.
My water pH is around 8, but I haven't felt the need to adjust anything in the past two years. After a summer of tap water, my trees get an entire fall, winter and spring with only rain water. It seems to balance out quite well.
The plants themselves can secrete either acids or bases depending on the soil pH, they can regulate their own root zones to get the ideal pH value. I trust that physiological system to do most of the work for a pH value range from 4.5-8.5.
armetisius
Chumono
Light dusting of Sulfur &/or gypsum &/or aluminum sulfate
but shouldn't be necessary if feeding schedule is on point.
but shouldn't be necessary if feeding schedule is on point.
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