We are in a very hard water area. When I worked at a greenhouse, a new manager brought in a new fertilizing and water conditioning system in which the water was acidified. This improved the nutrient availability and within weeks the difference was amazing; stronger faster growth and improved leaf colour. Isn't it true that fertilizer salts can build up in the soil because the water alkalinity prevents plant uptake. If the water is modified then not as much fertilizer is needed and less is left behind in the soil. I have been experimenting a bit with this with my tropicals I tested acidity with litmus paper then adjusted using vinegar. I would really appreciate hearing your take on this and any suggestions you might have..
I have been struggling with three citrus trees not thriving. I finally got a ph meter. Two are at 8 and one is at 4.5 at the bottom of the pot and 5.5 closer to the surface where I added some new, nutrient rich potting soil mixed with coconut coir. I struggled with chemistry but I totally understood what you said because the visuals you used were great for my art brain. Thank you. Time for me to experiment. ☀️🍀
I wish you would have talked about alkalinity more. One of my work colleagues is super into the PH of everything, and he's always talking about the PH of the city water (which is incredibly high in Ottawa). I was hoping to hear more about comments on how to ADD acidity to counteract watering houseplants/containers with highly alkaline tap-water. For the past month or so I've been using about 2 tablespoons of unused coffee grounds in my 4-gallon jug of water and making a weak coffee for them. So far so good. But, y'know, I'm not a scientist, and I don't have the space to do comparison-growing.
Ditto! I've had a hard time finding info on "how to ADD acidity" & in the process of trying to find said info, I've come across THIS problem NOT how to get soils more alkaline?
My aquarium has a pH of 8 (I don't lower it because of the fish) and some plants grow really well. What I noticed is that using a good iron fertilizer is very important because otherwise the plants quickly develop iron deficiency.
Great video! I had a vaguely inkling that old potting mix could be detrimental to the plants but wasn't really sure what signs to look for when the soil is too acidic. If I plan to repot my houseplants annually with new potting mix, would it be necessary to add lime? As well, when you go to reuse old potting mix, I'd assume you'd add worm castings/guano/ meals to replenish nutrients but also lime to counter the acidification?
i have a few indoor grow tents ,i see you have one in the background , i built 3/4' plywood and 1-4 edge platform for my tents and put caster wheels on them , this does a few thing , first it raises the tent off the house floor so the airflow keeps the plants bottoms warm ,second it makes for easy tending of plants as i can move the tent and unzip it all around 3 sides to get at plants 3rd it makes cleaning of the house a lot easier
I used to water my indoor lemon tree with cold coffee ( notbthe leeched out coffee grounds) and the plant loved it. Thoughts on using acidic cold coffee??
I have not herd this tip for potted plants and that is wild to me. I have listened to many 100's of videos about deficiencies and all that is talked about is NPK and never about acidic soil issues and how they happen. In my situation I now see I was destine to have acidic potting soil in a 5 gal pot and could have headed off long ago. Thanks you for the video.
Have been successfully gardening and pHing water for years. This video was essential in figuring out why container runoff was dropping so low this season. Thank you for sharing this wealth of knowledge!
@@hales6547 I have both the liquid stuff and a couple electronic gadgets that need to be calibrated. I pH water before putting it in the soil, then test soil runoff from my containers to see where I'm at in the medium.
I have been using wood ash water to raise my ph. It is easy to get free wood ash, and it is easy to test the ph level of the water that you are putting into your soil.
Thank you. I've been such a victim of potted plants. Well, actually they've been victimized by my own ignorance. I've been nursing a stunted cherry tree from seed. There were several others, but I'm down to three. One is really strong and beautiful. Another is almost the same, but is a bit droopy lately. The tiny one doesn't compare at all to the other two, and looks like it'll just wilt away to nothing. So I finally found some lime. Powdered agricultural lime. And I got a Ph test kit. The soils are largely Peat with a bit of compost, and some Vermiculite. I was actually hoping the vermiculite would aid drainage, but, later, realized it was more conducive to holding it; Oh, crap. I'd already transplanted the trees into their own pots, and didn't want to put them through the stress of an additional potting, so I got a screw and screwed it into the soil by hand and pulled it out gently, in an attempt to aerate the soil and deplete some of the moisture. I'm having some success, but one of the large ones was kinda weak with the leaves hanging low compared to the other large one. So when I finally got the lime yesterday, I sprinkled a light pinch over the soil, then lightly watered with spray to get it into the soil. I think it's working. The leaves look like they're perking up. I tried the same thing on the tiny cherry, but I'm not sure I can salvage that one. Gonna have to wait to see. The new leaves seem to have different shades of green. I'm kinda wondering about root rot. I would have tried Hydrogen Peroxide, but I couldn't find the bottle I thought I had. If it doesn't look improved by tomorrow, I may go buy some more. Also experimenting with Honey locust, and mystery plants that grew out of the compost; Might be melons. Trying to grow a forest in my back yard. Love your explanations and descriptions. Thanks again.
I’m glad the video was able to help you out. It really does seem like you’re on the right track however. I see success in your future and send you all the positive vibes
I really like how you explained which nutrients start to become unavailable as the soil becomes acidic or basic. I've never heard it explained that way before and it makes so much more sense than the pH Charts. lol *edit: actually the whole video, you have a way with words. Great teacher lol sorry. Just really appreciate not feeling the need to flex all the fancy sciencey words
Hi Ashley! Thanks for sharing this video, its really helpful and I learned a lot! I have two questions if you don't mind? 😌🙏 1. I have a bunch of hoyas in small containers (4"), using a soil less mix of coco chips, bark, charcoal, pumice, a bit of spaghnum moss and the bottom of the pot is lined with leca. Will adding lime on top work in this instance? 2. I also have a few plants in leca, same question as #1, would adding lime on top of the leca be applicable? Thank you in advance!
its not harmful to try and see what happens for the first one. the second one would not work as well and its likely within the correct pH because its clay.
I understand a little better now. I use tap water and I do not see a decline but when I do use distilled water it seems my plants do a bit better. Not a huge difference but noticeable. Maybe it has to do with ph? What’s the best way to check ph? So for inorganic substrate do we just put the lime in the mix? Thanks For the video!!!
What are your thoughts on using sterilized crushed egg shells as a buffer? As well I dissolve eggshells in vinegar to create a solution to raise ph, thoughts?
Question. If I have a plant I a seven gallon pot with soil that has turned acidic and the plant is locked out of nutrients and the leaves are turning g yellow and falling off, will adding dolomite lime on top and watering with ph7.0 water consistently save my plant from starving to death? If so, how much lime should I spri kle prior to watering and for how long should I continue this treatment? Thank you for the valuable resource you provide us.
I have used cider vinegar in small amounts to lower PH from 7 to 6.5 ..Also Lemon .. But lime sounds like it might be a better option ..Cheers for this . Stay bright!
Ashley, after months of stagnant growth indoors under strong grow lights, andhearing you stress the importance of pH, I've decided to repot a bunch of lavender. Since the un-amended base was mostly peat with a bit of compost and sand/perlite, I'm pretty sure it was very acidic. I use pool pH tester, which really is only good from a range of 6.8 - 8.0. I'm pretty sure the pH was lower than 6.8, and I heard lavender like 6.5 - 8.0. I hope you're right! New medium is coir/perlite/calcitic lime/wood ash mixed with 20% of the old medium. I think the pH is now around 7.6. Fingers crossed.
Lyme is one of the oldest soil amendments there is. You forgot to mention that lyme also helps to decrease smells from potted soil as well. I want your job!!!❤️👍🙏🙏🙏
My well water comes outa the tap at 7.5 ish I add 2 mils of white vinegar to 1 gal of water to bring it in at 6.4 then add humic/fulvic acids and silica almost every watering for cannabis and works pretty good as of now but im always willing to make adjustments from those better educated than me. Ive heard the vinegar will kill some of the microbs but I add those as well sometimes. Do you have any suggestions Ashley?
Hello! Great video, thank you. Very easy to understand. I've struggled to understand why my Aroids aren't doing well and, through the process of elimination, suspected the pH might not be what it needs to be. I tested my soil and the pH is 4.5 - 5.0 - way too acidic. I'm on a well and septic system in Interior Alaska and have very hard water; because of that, I've been watering with distilled water. Inadvertently, I was contributing to the problem. The potting soil I mixed up for my Aroids hasn't helped either; it's a chunky mix with a large percentage of orchid bark. I'm assuming the tannins in bark are also contributing the lower pH. If you're actively monitoring this channel, I was wondering if you could recommend a course of action that would help my potted Aroids thrive. Start watering with well water? Add some Dolomitic lime sprinkled over the top of the soil or repot the plant and mix in some Dolomitic lime? Thanks! Again, this is a great video.
So here in the western U.S. I have the opposite problem. Our water is hard water and alkaline which raises my container plants soil ph to above 7 and into 8 territory. I've started using sulfur and fertilizer intended for acid plants which also contains sulfur so we'll see how it goes but I read it takes a long while for sulfur to acidify soil. I also read about ammonium sulfate which is supposed to reduce the soil ph must faster but I'm not sure how to use it properly. I couldn't find any papers related to using ammonium sulfate to lower soil ph in terms of dosage, etc. Do you have a video about effective ways to lower soil ph in container plants? Thanks.
When I first started gardening I ignored ph. come to find out its very important in containers, not so much in the ground. Nature has a way of fixing itself and doing what it wants. Cotton seed meal will also lower ph and provide slow release N. I've learned.
We are vegetables gardening in 25 gallon Wicking tubs. Four inch slotted corrugated drain pipe in the bottom. We have done it right and using water soluble fertilizers. PH is way low. We started with 1/8th cup of Soil Doctor Garden Lime. Then 6 tablespoons was added 3 months later. A month later 6 more tablespoons when the PH was ranging from 4 to 5.8 in 44 different Wicking tubs. We think 1/2 cup of dulcimer lime is needed. Could use some advice, Please.
I was trying to see what kind of lime u use but was unable to see it .if u could can u tell me what kind of lime is good for indoor houseplants .do you use dolomite lime?
I have a giant alocasia plant 7ft tall. The soil is pretty alkaline. Can I I use used coffee ground from my coffee to boost acidity. It’s indoors in a 15 litre pot
Ive had multiple cacti for 3+ years and about 50 succulent varieties for about a year now. About 85% of them have had MINIMAL growth throughout their life with me and I’m starting to realize pH might be why.. I assumed the short growing season here in zone 5 was the culprit but even after spending the winter under some premium T5 lights, there has been no improvement. I finally got test strips and found out my tap water is close to 9 (as far as i can tell) when cacti/succulents like acidic 5.5-6.5 ph. Very sad im just now realizing this but hoping for some growth this summer after adjusting ph!
Yes! We have the same problem here in Ottawa! I've been trying to add more acidifiers to my water, but since I'm in a small apartment, I really don't have room for control testing. I've been adding some unused coffee to my giant water-bucket every few days to try and acidify things. So far so good, I have to say, but only time will tell.
My current ph is a high 7.5/8 in some spots. How do I lower my ph? I've tried an "acidifier" & it lowered it for hrs. then went back up again. Im growing in "Promix" (cc,hp) I ph my nutes to 6.1. What can I do to remedy this problem??
I’m confused. I thought in the video Ashley was recommending lime to raise ph but here she seems to be recommending it to lower ph. Does it do both? I have to be misunderstanding something.
My native soil is "calciferous loam" with a pH of 7.5-7.75, generally. I am in zone 5b in the Syracuse, NY, USA area. Our base-rock is limestone. I've had success in lowering pH for growing potatoes in grow bags by mixing aluminum sulfate into moist soil to bring pH down and elemental sulfur pastilles to keep it down, over time. Aluminum sulfate is a 'heavy hammer', so add, test, add, test, until you reach your target pH level. Aluminum sulfate solutions can be extremely acidic (pH 2 to 3), so the aim here is to counter and cancel the soil's chemistry that causes its native high pH, only. Do not reduce soil pH to 5.0 or lower, as aluminum ions will become highly solubilized and will leach into the soil at plant-toxic levels, resulting in stunted roots growth. Levels above pH 5.0 will not do this. (Aluminum metal gets a bad rap in cooking, and common 'knowledge' transfers to its use as aluminum sulfate in gardening. This is 'lore', not fact. Keeping soil pH above 5.0 is the key.) Acetic acid (as in vinegar) can be used to lower soil pH. Acetic acid solutions in water, alone, have a pH of around 2.5 to 3.0. However, in moist soil, it will form an acetic acid - acetate 'buffer'. Buffers are complicated. To simplify, this will ideally form a 'target' pH in soil of approximately 4.7 that it will want to be at. If you use acetic acid (vinegar) in your soil, do so sparingly and expect varying results. Citric acid can also be used to lower soil pH in an easier to manage manner. It will form a citric acid - sodium citrate 'buffer' in moist soil. This will form a 'target' pH of approximately 6.75, depending in part on how much citric acid you add and how much sodium salts there already are in your soil. You can push the buffer-balanced target pH downward somewhat by adding some more citric acid, but the buffering effect will resist change to some degree, downward or upward. (In large part, it is the citric acid - sodium citrate 'buffer' effect that keeps our bodies at about pH 7.0) Again, add, test, add, test, until you reach your target pH level. It may change somewhat later, so retest again after sometime passes. You can find citric acid in grocery stores, among the canning supplies. Sulfur is a lot more forgiving. However, it won't immediately lower your soil's pH, being organically slow-released in soils over a long period. As such, it is ideal to maintain a pH lower than your native soil wants to be, but you'll want to use something else for immediate effect, first. Follow package instructions for amounts to use. For potatoes, I also added some Espoma Tomato-Tone slow fertilizer.
Really great information! I’m curious about something. I use fox farm soil and they advertise that their soil is already ph balanced, is that something that will become unbalanced over time? If so how long after potting something should I start sprinkling lime on top of the soil?
it will as it degrades. But its going to take a lot longer because there way of balancing the pH is actually using lime. The speed in which the soil acidifies is completely based on factors such as heat, moisture levels, microbe activity, etc
Liked the explanation you gave, however i didn't catch how to lower the # of ph as if to suggest most people look to raise the #. My garden and my greenhouse beds are more alkaline (7.7 and 8.1) 16:57 based upon lab tests i just got back. Do you have suggestions to being this back towards more neutral for most plants?
Would Oyster shell flour be a good substitute for dolomite lime? Also, would you have to add anything else if you do use oyster shell flour? Thank you so much for your videos, I have learnt so much from watching them. 🤩
What about Bone Meal in houseplants? I was reading that Begonias like that with limestone mixed in soil? Can you mix the limestone with a gallon of water instead of sprinkling on top of soil to add? VERY new to ALL this. Thank you kindly.
Great video & explanations, but did I miss the bit on acidifying soil/potting mix? I have an inkling it’s not your favourite subject but my soil pH varies from 7.0-8.0. A lawn guy recommended elemental sulphur (find powder) which we put down on our lawn a year ago but no change. Also grow potatoes in containers but can’t get the pH below 7.0. Any tips please?
Thank you, like your channel. I'd like a diy PH tester video. I'd like to ask is it a good idea to add used ethylene absorber to the soil? It's suggested on the package of the ethylene absorber.
(SE Michigan, USA, 6a) my lawn is full of field strawberries, dandelion, and clover. Neighbors likely do not appreciate that I dont spray. I will not spray. That said, I have clay and alkaline soil. I am collecting and piling leaves to raise my gardens in the spring. Should I be doing anything else? Like apply lime? I'm a newbie, btw.
I read that coffee and tea grinds raise ph. Ash from fire lower it. Is that true? I try to leave those things out of my gardens bc I don't want to raise or lower it. But I have buried tea leaves in my soil around acidic loving plants.
@@thomasswainston2821 no I wrote it the way I understood it 😂 I know very little about it. I usually have to ask friends to break it down. Even still it goes way over my head.
Hi, Ashley. I had a quick question in the video you mention using Lime for adjusting media pH. But you said not to use Hydrated Lime why is that? I have Dolomite Lime and Hydrated Lime and I have been using both for my soilless media mix (Peat Moss, Vermiculite and Rice Hulls). I want to reuse my media and right now I'm trying to figure out how to test my media's pH and measure how much Lime I need to add. What are the negatives to using Hydrated Lime?
You have some pretty red hair naturally streaked. My wife and son are the same. Question; I've been a sunshine promix/ added perlite synthetic gardener. And in my circle I'd probably get shunned and have been shunned on my question. I'm very interested in switching to organic. Most people talk about fox farm, happy frog bat guano all these fancy things. I've decided to do my own thing I started with good quality 1/3 cattle manure 1/3 sheep and 1/3 organic compost mixed in a large tote in basement. I have added orange peel bananas egg shells some veggies scraps coffee grinds loose teas plant trimmings paper bags spent wine yeast some fertilizer miracle grow granules that chicken poo stuff, some extra micro like miicrobial mass and micariza. Every thing I add I put in a kitchen blender with water and basically make a smoothie. I mix it in with a old garden claw and it heats up fast a few days and then cools every time I add to it. Is there really any difference between these fancy things and what I'm doing? I know the soil I've made its probably pretty strong. So I think I would mix it 40% perlite/40%my mix/20% promix. Any suggestions on mix ratio? As I would like to drop bottle fertilizers all together. Any ideas or suggestions much appreciated. 😉
@@GardeningInCanadamedical cannabis. I'd like to avoid chemical fertilizers if possible. I'd call myself near master with advanced nutrients line. I'm just sick of mixing up a bunch of different waters cause I do a perpetual monthly rotation so 4 different ages and different needs. I would recognize problems that may arise And would feed if its seem absolutely necessary. But I've heard of transplanting up when they seem hungry makes sense. I'd like to just straight water all the time and don't want to pour run off down the drain anymore. I'm in Saskatchewan and saw 100s of carp dieing in echo lake because of algae bloom from farms. Couldn't swim with kids there anyway. I dont want to be part of the problem anymore. I do lawncare as well and am planning to try and push my clients towards lower fertilizing cause heavy fertilizer lawns are screwing the eco system too. In my eyes I'm really just trying to do the right thing and teach others as well. And not sure what you mean conventional probably synthetic I'm guessing. Any suggestions on it would be much appreciated. And God bless 10 fold for your reply.
@@GardeningInCanada perfect thanks you so much. It's a question alot of people who grow cannabis wont touch. Especially hydro store owners. I just like to try my own ideas sometimes. I have a one month old in a 1 liter pot with the mix already and it seems very happy. I've been learning tons about this micros stuff it's so interesting. And that no till garden scene cool. I hope conventional agriculture catches on to creating healthy diverse soil. I'm hoping to sell my house and get out of the city and move somewhere a little more rural to start my own diverse farm. Gardening is really moving into cutting edge understanding. And I thank you for your willingness to help others no matter the type of gardener.
@@GardeningInCanada I did an experiment with some grass seed in Dixie cups. #1 I used expensive miicrobial mass and #2 with spent wine yeast #3 with flat beer. All same water and were given bottle miracle grow. The wine yeast came in 1st the miicrobial mass came 2nd and 3rd was the beer. For fastest growth. As a soil scientist does this sound about right. Or is yeasts bad? I used a product for lawns called sr71. I think it's a type of microbes and it smells like a brewery. The hydro store sold it to me when I was asking about spraying beer on lawns. He said the sr71 would be alot cheaper in the long run. This thing's are so interesting. Sorry to bother you so much.
I will check the PH of some of the landladies plants first of course, but the water here in Calgary is already above 7 in Alkilinity but I am not sure which type of limestone is affecting this. If you know by soil map or other please let me know to satisfy my curiosity.
Hey there! I started growing trichocereus cactus kinda recently. They like the PH lower than 7. I’m in humid South Florida so I’m mixing: 3 parts pumice, 1 coir, 1 EWC, and a dash of bone meal. I tested the rainwater I collected at 6.5 . I’m not sure if the next test I did is a good method but I mixed roughly equal parts potting mix and rainwater, shook vigorously, left overnight so solids could settle and tested the water at the top. That showed PH 7. I was looking for ways to lower the PH but if I understand correctly, I just need to add compost and other organic materials and let the microbes do the work for me? I love that because other ways of achieving a lower PH I’ve read about have seemed dubious or possibly risky. Since I’ve been collecting trichos I’ve spent a lot of time on the Reddit subs. I’ve recommended your videos several times. Certain topics always seem to come up that people have strong opinions on. After I read the comments arguing back and forth, I’m always grateful I found an actual soil scientist that probably has a video that can help me make sense of the topic. Thank you for your excellent videos… Science rocks!!! You rock!!!
what soil ph test meter would you recommend ??? i have a mid range ph meter for my water but do not have a soil ph meter iv looked at BLUELAB soil/water ph meter is there a less expensive Quality combo meter
Maybe you have addressed this in another video but thus far I haven't found it but how would you go about testing the pH level in approximately 50 various house plants?
You are seeing huge demands for science based stuff on container gardening for one reason: the hobby/industry is full of pseudoscience and old wives tale. People just add stuff or do stuff based on what they heard/read/was told and all of it is purposely vague. Also, almost no one in houseplant TH-cam is approaching it from a science background perspective. Things like "bright indirect light", "water only when dry", "use soil that is moist but well draining" etc says so much yet mean so little. I am one of those people. I started watching your channel because I want specifics based on hard science. Would he awesome if you can do houseplant lighting next, talk about foot candles and DLIs and how most houseplants can actually thrive with direct sunlight (up to a point). it's a view numbers gold mine.
@@GardeningInCanada one thing I would add, or perhaps a future video is how ph is affected by how hard or soft your water is. Also, how you can test the pH of your container soil or soilless media. If you Google "test pH of potting soil" it's almost always talking about garden soil instead. You'd think it would be straightforward but its a bit more involved than I first thought. You can't just stick your pH meter into the potting soil. there are so many techniques that I'm sure you can simplify or at least give a simple explanation. Basically have a channel similar to ELI5 subreddit, but for houseplants. Pour through method, etc. It's TH-cam viewing gold mine! Most people don't realize that container gardening is essentially semi-hydroponics already.
would you by chance be able to do a review of common fertilizer brands/ph up/down fertilizers commonly found out homedepot or lowes? not sure if they have many of them in Canada, or whatever your equivalent is? thx in advance!
I have espoma garden lime and build a soil oyster shell flour and have been trying to go totally organic do you think i should try different brand of lime thanks for your advice and help ‼️‼️💯✅🙏🙏
Our well water is 400ppm and has a relatively high PH. By watering with this water will it lower the PH within peat moss and thus negate the acidification of this 'soil'?
So how does this interact with water and the pH of water? My tap water is very alkaline so I use pH down to adjust after I’ve added fert/nutrients. Maybe I should not be doing that? Or does the soil and the water need to be different? Like will alkaline water raise the ph of soil or no?
soil ph (and, in extension, cation exchange) is unfortunately barely discussed and learnt by houseplant-keeping folks around me, that's why when i heard what soil ph is, i thought it wasn't important. even some people said they only need 'green thumbs' or 'lots and lots of positive vibes and prayers' to make their plants grow, while dunking a uniform potting/soil mix to a ridiculously diverse range of plants (yes, that includes *using peat-based clay soil to cacti and other desert plants.* this kind of knowledge shall be at least mandatory in basic gardening. i know it's hard, but imagine how much budget we can save and how diverse our collections can be if we master this science. no more rebuying failed plants or avoiding certain species (i still have a grudge towards begonias tho)
How about pulverized eggshells? They are calcium carbonate, which is essentially garden lime, is it not? They are naturally quite inert, but I am guessing that if the soil is acidifying, it would react with the eggshells to break them down gradually and maintain a healthy pH. Or am I out to lunch on this one? Grade 12 chemistry was a long time ago 😁
How to decrease the soil pH if you have a potting medium which is alkaline? I've tried finding out but there's no clear answer to this. Vinegar, aluminium sulphate were suggested but many people say that it's toxic to the plants. I'm trying Sulphur currently but it seems like it'll take a few months to fully take effect.
You can buy "pH down" which contains diluted phosphoric acid. You'll also need a pH meter to test it. Most plants like pH in the range of 5.8 to 6.4. Six is a good baseline. You can flush the soil with the 6 pH water and text the flushed liquid to see where your soil is currently.
Ok so ima be honest..when you said lime I thought sour lime. And just now realized when people say lime for your garden they aren't talking about the food. Wow I feel really stupid rn.😂
All my indoor plants are already potted but I’d love to sprinkle some dolamite lime on top and water it in - as you recommended. Is there such thing as too much? How can I measure the pH of my soil with strips (I find the meter difficult)?
Unless you're using water that has low pH (eg. distilled, ro, rainwater) your potteds are likely in the mid to mid-high pH range. Adding lime to this environment would be counter-productive. And ya, there is such thing as too much. There's countless factors that influence the pH of potting substrates over time so the best approach is to start w a test. And yes strips can help. Wat you want is a clean, empty jar to hold a sample of the potting mix that you will add water to. Enough to create a slurry with. Slurry=thicker than chocolate milk and thinner than pudding. Best type of water is gonna be deionized. Spring/drinking and your filtered h-two-ohhs will work as will tap water, but will themselves factor into the results to differing degrees. To help mitigate this grab the smallest bottle of pHdown you can find (garden centers, nurseries, hydroponic supplies) and adjust your water beforehand. Mix vigorously in jar and then let rest for a day to stratify. Test strip the clear layer in your jar and there's your baseline. Here's when you realize your passion, or lack thereof, for horticulture. Repeat this for every plant! Check back in w results.
I started seeds with jiffy seed starting soil and I thought I could add some compost to it to up pot my starts. I could not figure out why none of my plants were dark green. I just bought a ph meter and it says the soil is at 4.5 💀
@@GardeningInCanada even more awesome is the fact that I bought a bag of lime half a year ago, now that I know what it translates to from english xD I honestly have no clue why tho. I guess I must have found somewhere the info about acidity, but rather in a written form, hmmm. Anyways thanks for the informations, now I'm gonna finally use it!
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If you are looking to change your potting soil Ph this is the stuff you would want to go with geni.us/X8RPJ0
We are in a very hard water area. When I worked at a greenhouse, a new manager brought in a new fertilizing and water conditioning system in which the water was acidified. This improved the nutrient availability and within weeks the difference was amazing; stronger faster growth and improved leaf colour. Isn't it true that fertilizer salts can build up in the soil because the water alkalinity prevents plant uptake. If the water is modified then not as much fertilizer is needed and less is left behind in the soil. I have been experimenting a bit with this with my tropicals I tested acidity with litmus paper then adjusted using vinegar. I would really appreciate hearing your take on this and any suggestions you might have..
I have been struggling with three citrus trees not thriving. I finally got a ph meter. Two are at 8 and one is at 4.5 at the bottom of the pot and 5.5 closer to the surface where I added some new, nutrient rich potting soil mixed with coconut coir. I struggled with chemistry but I totally understood what you said because the visuals you used were great for my art brain. Thank you. Time for me to experiment. ☀️🍀
Haha awe ❤️ glad it helped
Ack! The timing.. I literally just clicked on TH-cam to see if anyone was talking about this and I’m SO glad the info is coming from you. Thank you..
HAHAAH that’s so wild
I wish you would have talked about alkalinity more. One of my work colleagues is super into the PH of everything, and he's always talking about the PH of the city water (which is incredibly high in Ottawa). I was hoping to hear more about comments on how to ADD acidity to counteract watering houseplants/containers with highly alkaline tap-water. For the past month or so I've been using about 2 tablespoons of unused coffee grounds in my 4-gallon jug of water and making a weak coffee for them. So far so good. But, y'know, I'm not a scientist, and I don't have the space to do comparison-growing.
Ditto! I've had a hard time finding info on "how to ADD acidity" & in the process of trying to find said info, I've come across THIS problem NOT how to get soils more alkaline?
They have soil acidifiers too. The organic ones are safer to use. Some work more quickly then others too.@kathmahoney1287
I have watched hundreds of houseplant videos, and NOBODY mentions PH. As a freshwater planted aquarium keeper, I knew how important ph is, Thank you!
❤️❤️
My aquarium has a pH of 8 (I don't lower it because of the fish) and some plants grow really well. What I noticed is that using a good iron fertilizer is very important because otherwise the plants quickly develop iron deficiency.
You were right, you can't find this kind of information elsewhere on YT. Bless your heart for sharing this knowledge.
Thank you for enjoying!
@@GardeningInCanada 😊
Great video! I had a vaguely inkling that old potting mix could be detrimental to the plants but wasn't really sure what signs to look for when the soil is too acidic. If I plan to repot my houseplants annually with new potting mix, would it be necessary to add lime? As well, when you go to reuse old potting mix, I'd assume you'd add worm castings/guano/ meals to replenish nutrients but also lime to counter the acidification?
I remain amazed that each of your succeeding videos is more enjoyable and informative than the previous! How do you do it? You are so gifted.
Thank you its you guys that help with the motivation
You are my #1 go-to channel regarding all things plants. Thank you for this video! I love your confidence and how you convey information
and I have to add that the 2 people disliking this video needs to check their pH, 'cause their milk is getting way too sour lol
glad you are enjoying still
i have a few indoor grow tents ,i see you have one in the background , i built 3/4' plywood and 1-4 edge platform for my tents and put caster wheels on them , this does a few thing , first it raises the tent off the house floor so the airflow keeps the plants bottoms warm ,second it makes for easy tending of plants as i can move the tent and unzip it all around 3 sides to get at plants 3rd it makes cleaning of the house a lot easier
That’s perfect !
Best explanation I ever heard
❤️ thank you
I used to water my indoor lemon tree with cold coffee ( notbthe leeched out coffee grounds) and the plant loved it. Thoughts on using acidic cold coffee??
The physical liquid would definitely temporarily lower the pH at the exact moment it’s needed form nutrient uptake
@@GardeningInCanada can I use this for all my houseplants?
No reason why you can’t. Just watch to see how each plant reacts some will love it and others won’t. Any issues will show up as a deficiency
Hacking the houseplants pH. I love it! Great video! How do we lower the pH if it’s too high? Or will Dolomite Lime handle both swings of the pH scale?
Use 2ml vinigar per 32oz or 8ml a gallon will bring your ph down to 5 or 6
I have not herd this tip for potted plants and that is wild to me. I have listened to many 100's of videos about deficiencies and all that is talked about is NPK and never about acidic soil issues and how they happen. In my situation I now see I was destine to have acidic potting soil in a 5 gal pot and could have headed off long ago. Thanks you for the video.
anytime! be sure to share!
As a soil scientist im sure you have the perfect ratio..the audience should follow you right
very kind!
Have been successfully gardening and pHing water for years. This video was essential in figuring out why container runoff was dropping so low this season. Thank you for sharing this wealth of knowledge!
Thank is awesome
How do u test ph
@@hales6547 I have both the liquid stuff and a couple electronic gadgets that need to be calibrated. I pH water before putting it in the soil, then test soil runoff from my containers to see where I'm at in the medium.
I have not heard this tip before, keep up your good informational discussions! Thanks!
I have been using wood ash water to raise my ph. It is easy to get free wood ash, and it is easy to test the ph level of the water that you are putting into your soil.
I am so grateful for your videos - I'll be checking my houseplants ph today! Thank you.
Awesome! feel free to share :)
Very informative. I knew what to add to raise and lower ph but didn't know how much. Wish I knew this a year ago. Thanks for the info 👍🏽
Thank you. I've been such a victim of potted plants. Well, actually they've been victimized by my own ignorance. I've been nursing a stunted cherry tree from seed. There were several others, but I'm down to three. One is really strong and beautiful. Another is almost the same, but is a bit droopy lately. The tiny one doesn't compare at all to the other two, and looks like it'll just wilt away to nothing. So I finally found some lime. Powdered agricultural lime. And I got a Ph test kit. The soils are largely Peat with a bit of compost, and some Vermiculite. I was actually hoping the vermiculite would aid drainage, but, later, realized it was more conducive to holding it; Oh, crap. I'd already transplanted the trees into their own pots, and didn't want to put them through the stress of an additional potting, so I got a screw and screwed it into the soil by hand and pulled it out gently, in an attempt to aerate the soil and deplete some of the moisture. I'm having some success, but one of the large ones was kinda weak with the leaves hanging low compared to the other large one. So when I finally got the lime yesterday, I sprinkled a light pinch over the soil, then lightly watered with spray to get it into the soil. I think it's working. The leaves look like they're perking up. I tried the same thing on the tiny cherry, but I'm not sure I can salvage that one. Gonna have to wait to see. The new leaves seem to have different shades of green. I'm kinda wondering about root rot. I would have tried Hydrogen Peroxide, but I couldn't find the bottle I thought I had. If it doesn't look improved by tomorrow, I may go buy some more. Also experimenting with Honey locust, and mystery plants that grew out of the compost; Might be melons. Trying to grow a forest in my back yard. Love your explanations and descriptions. Thanks again.
I’m glad the video was able to help you out. It really does seem like you’re on the right track however. I see success in your future and send you all the positive vibes
you are a genius. thanks for the explanation. it makes so much sense. thanks so much.
You're very welcome!
I really like how you explained which nutrients start to become unavailable as the soil becomes acidic or basic. I've never heard it explained that way before and it makes so much more sense than the pH Charts. lol *edit: actually the whole video, you have a way with words. Great teacher lol sorry. Just really appreciate not feeling the need to flex all the fancy sciencey words
Hi Ashley! Thanks for sharing this video, its really helpful and I learned a lot! I have two questions if you don't mind? 😌🙏
1. I have a bunch of hoyas in small containers (4"), using a soil less mix of coco chips, bark, charcoal, pumice, a bit of spaghnum moss and the bottom of the pot is lined with leca. Will adding lime on top work in this instance?
2. I also have a few plants in leca, same question as #1, would adding lime on top of the leca be applicable?
Thank you in advance!
its not harmful to try and see what happens for the first one. the second one would not work as well and its likely within the correct pH because its clay.
@@GardeningInCanada I appreciate your response so much! Thank you!!! 🙏💚
Your the best, love your no bull attitude 😊
I understand a little better now. I use tap water and I do not see a decline but when I do use distilled water it seems my plants do a bit better. Not a huge difference but noticeable. Maybe it has to do with ph? What’s the best way to check ph? So for inorganic substrate do we just put the lime in the mix? Thanks For the video!!!
most likely!
What are your thoughts on using sterilized crushed egg shells as a buffer?
As well I dissolve eggshells in vinegar to create a solution to raise ph, thoughts?
You could in a small container setting and make a difference
Thank you. I learned a lot. My houseplants are mostly succulents. Do I treat them the same as other houseplants?🙏🙏
Yup! When it comes to pH it’s ideal
Question.
If I have a plant I a seven gallon pot with soil that has turned acidic and the plant is locked out of nutrients and the leaves are turning g yellow and falling off, will adding dolomite lime on top and watering with ph7.0 water consistently save my plant from starving to death?
If so, how much lime should I spri kle prior to watering and for how long should I continue this treatment?
Thank you for the valuable resource you provide us.
I have used cider vinegar in small amounts to lower PH from 7 to 6.5 ..Also Lemon .. But lime sounds like it might be a better option ..Cheers for this . Stay bright!
Thank you so much! 💚
You are so welcome!
Ashley, after months of stagnant growth indoors under strong grow lights, andhearing you stress the importance of pH, I've decided to repot a bunch of lavender. Since the un-amended base was mostly peat with a bit of compost and sand/perlite, I'm pretty sure it was very acidic. I use pool pH tester, which really is only good from a range of 6.8 - 8.0. I'm pretty sure the pH was lower than 6.8, and I heard lavender like 6.5 - 8.0. I hope you're right! New medium is coir/perlite/calcitic lime/wood ash mixed with 20% of the old medium. I think the pH is now around 7.6. Fingers crossed.
What would you recommend to lower the ph? Great information by the way!
Just what I needed know. Thank you
Love when that happens
Lyme is one of the oldest soil amendments there is. You forgot to mention that lyme also helps to decrease smells from potted soil as well. I want your job!!!❤️👍🙏🙏🙏
Yes!
Great video !
My well water comes outa the tap at 7.5 ish I add 2 mils of white vinegar to 1 gal of water to bring it in at 6.4 then add humic/fulvic acids and silica almost every watering for cannabis and works pretty good as of now but im always willing to make adjustments from those better educated than me. Ive heard the vinegar will kill some of the microbs but I add those as well sometimes. Do you have any suggestions Ashley?
I only use the vinegar from trying to avoid supporting some conglomerate company.
That sounds like a nice mix.
Hello! Great video, thank you. Very easy to understand. I've struggled to understand why my Aroids aren't doing well and, through the process of elimination, suspected the pH might not be what it needs to be. I tested my soil and the pH is 4.5 - 5.0 - way too acidic. I'm on a well and septic system in Interior Alaska and have very hard water; because of that, I've been watering with distilled water. Inadvertently, I was contributing to the problem. The potting soil I mixed up for my Aroids hasn't helped either; it's a chunky mix with a large percentage of orchid bark. I'm assuming the tannins in bark are also contributing the lower pH.
If you're actively monitoring this channel, I was wondering if you could recommend a course of action that would help my potted Aroids thrive. Start watering with well water? Add some Dolomitic lime sprinkled over the top of the soil or repot the plant and mix in some Dolomitic lime?
Thanks! Again, this is a great video.
So here in the western U.S. I have the opposite problem. Our water is hard water and alkaline which raises my container plants soil ph to above 7 and into 8 territory. I've started using sulfur and fertilizer intended for acid plants which also contains sulfur so we'll see how it goes but I read it takes a long while for sulfur to acidify soil. I also read about ammonium sulfate which is supposed to reduce the soil ph must faster but I'm not sure how to use it properly. I couldn't find any papers related to using ammonium sulfate to lower soil ph in terms of dosage, etc. Do you have a video about effective ways to lower soil ph in container plants? Thanks.
When I first started gardening I ignored ph. come to find out its very important in containers, not so much in the ground. Nature has a way of fixing itself and doing what it wants. Cotton seed meal will also lower ph and provide slow release N. I've learned.
Thanks for sharing! great tip
Really good video. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
News, thank you very much.
Anytime!
We are vegetables gardening in 25 gallon Wicking tubs. Four inch slotted corrugated drain pipe in the bottom. We have done it right and using water soluble fertilizers. PH is way low. We started with 1/8th cup of Soil Doctor Garden Lime. Then 6 tablespoons was added 3 months later. A month later 6 more tablespoons when the PH was ranging from 4 to 5.8 in 44 different Wicking tubs. We think 1/2 cup of dulcimer lime is needed. Could use some advice, Please.
I was trying to see what kind of lime u use but was unable to see it .if u could can u tell me what kind of lime is good for indoor houseplants .do you use dolomite lime?
Yup!
I have a satsuma tree in an 18 gallon tub. What do you think would be the ideal PH for its soil? Thanks
Can’t seem to find the lime you mentioned in the description box?..
Sorry i put it into the comments section. this is it geni.us/X8RPJ0
I have a giant alocasia plant 7ft tall. The soil is pretty alkaline. Can I I use used coffee ground from my coffee to boost acidity. It’s indoors in a 15 litre pot
Thank you for the info!
I ph balance my water, is this sufficient?
It will definitely help . The issue is the actual material is natural acidic so it may not be enough
Ive had multiple cacti for 3+ years and about 50 succulent varieties for about a year now. About 85% of them have had MINIMAL growth throughout their life with me and I’m starting to realize pH might be why.. I assumed the short growing season here in zone 5 was the culprit but even after spending the winter under some premium T5 lights, there has been no improvement. I finally got test strips and found out my tap water is close to 9 (as far as i can tell) when cacti/succulents like acidic 5.5-6.5 ph. Very sad im just now realizing this but hoping for some growth this summer after adjusting ph!
Yes! We have the same problem here in Ottawa! I've been trying to add more acidifiers to my water, but since I'm in a small apartment, I really don't have room for control testing. I've been adding some unused coffee to my giant water-bucket every few days to try and acidify things. So far so good, I have to say, but only time will tell.
My current ph is a high 7.5/8 in some spots.
How do I lower my ph?
I've tried an "acidifier" & it lowered it for hrs. then went back up again.
Im growing in "Promix" (cc,hp)
I ph my nutes to 6.1.
What can I do to remedy this problem??
have you tried adding something like lime? those liquid acidifiers are really hard too change the pH perminately.
I’m confused. I thought in the video Ashley was recommending lime to raise ph but here she seems to be recommending it to lower ph. Does it do both? I have to be misunderstanding something.
My native soil is "calciferous loam" with a pH of 7.5-7.75, generally. I am in zone 5b in the Syracuse, NY, USA area. Our base-rock is limestone.
I've had success in lowering pH for growing potatoes in grow bags by mixing aluminum sulfate into moist soil to bring pH down and elemental sulfur pastilles to keep it down, over time.
Aluminum sulfate is a 'heavy hammer', so add, test, add, test, until you reach your target pH level. Aluminum sulfate solutions can be extremely acidic (pH 2 to 3), so the aim here is to counter and cancel the soil's chemistry that causes its native high pH, only. Do not reduce soil pH to 5.0 or lower, as aluminum ions will become highly solubilized and will leach into the soil at plant-toxic levels, resulting in stunted roots growth. Levels above pH 5.0 will not do this. (Aluminum metal gets a bad rap in cooking, and common 'knowledge' transfers to its use as aluminum sulfate in gardening. This is 'lore', not fact. Keeping soil pH above 5.0 is the key.)
Acetic acid (as in vinegar) can be used to lower soil pH. Acetic acid solutions in water, alone, have a pH of around 2.5 to 3.0. However, in moist soil, it will form an acetic acid - acetate 'buffer'. Buffers are complicated. To simplify, this will ideally form a 'target' pH in soil of approximately 4.7 that it will want to be at. If you use acetic acid (vinegar) in your soil, do so sparingly and expect varying results.
Citric acid can also be used to lower soil pH in an easier to manage manner. It will form a citric acid - sodium citrate 'buffer' in moist soil. This will form a 'target' pH of approximately 6.75, depending in part on how much citric acid you add and how much sodium salts there already are in your soil. You can push the buffer-balanced target pH downward somewhat by adding some more citric acid, but the buffering effect will resist change to some degree, downward or upward. (In large part, it is the citric acid - sodium citrate 'buffer' effect that keeps our bodies at about pH 7.0) Again, add, test, add, test, until you reach your target pH level. It may change somewhat later, so retest again after sometime passes. You can find citric acid in grocery stores, among the canning supplies.
Sulfur is a lot more forgiving. However, it won't immediately lower your soil's pH, being organically slow-released in soils over a long period. As such, it is ideal to maintain a pH lower than your native soil wants to be, but you'll want to use something else for immediate effect, first. Follow package instructions for amounts to use.
For potatoes, I also added some Espoma Tomato-Tone slow fertilizer.
Really great information! I’m curious about something. I use fox farm soil and they advertise that their soil is already ph balanced, is that something that will become unbalanced over time? If so how long after potting something should I start sprinkling lime on top of the soil?
it will as it degrades. But its going to take a lot longer because there way of balancing the pH is actually using lime. The speed in which the soil acidifies is completely based on factors such as heat, moisture levels, microbe activity, etc
@@GardeningInCanada Thanks for the reply! Glad that I picked up the Fox Farm soil when I had the chance!
Liked the explanation you gave, however i didn't catch how to lower the # of ph as if to suggest most people look to raise the #. My garden and my greenhouse beds are more alkaline (7.7 and 8.1) 16:57 based upon lab tests i just got back. Do you have suggestions to being this back towards more neutral for most plants?
Would Oyster shell flour be a good substitute for dolomite lime? Also, would you have to add anything else if you do use oyster shell flour? Thank you so much for your videos, I have learnt so much from watching them. 🤩
Yes, absolutely
Can we use baking soda to increase the ph for potted plants
How much should we add to a liqiud solution or sprinkling on top
What about Bone Meal in houseplants? I was reading that Begonias like that with limestone mixed in soil? Can you mix the limestone with a gallon of water instead of sprinkling on top of soil to add?
VERY new to ALL this. Thank you kindly.
Yes you can! not issues there. I need to do a video on bone meal
Great video & explanations, but did I miss the bit on acidifying soil/potting mix?
I have an inkling it’s not your favourite subject but my soil pH varies from 7.0-8.0. A lawn guy recommended elemental sulphur (find powder) which we put down on our lawn a year ago but no change. Also grow potatoes in containers but can’t get the pH below 7.0. Any tips please?
So, how would you solve the opposite problem? How would you bring a soil Ph down from say 7.8 to 7.5?
dun dun dunnn. in your peat?
Thank you great advice.
Anytime!
Thank you, like your channel. I'd like a diy PH tester video. I'd like to ask is it a good idea to add used ethylene absorber to the soil? It's suggested on the package of the ethylene absorber.
I’ve never heard of that method!
(SE Michigan, USA, 6a) my lawn is full of field strawberries, dandelion, and clover. Neighbors likely do not appreciate that I dont spray. I will not spray. That said, I have clay and alkaline soil. I am collecting and piling leaves to raise my gardens in the spring. Should I be doing anything else? Like apply lime? I'm a newbie, btw.
Can the same affect be achieved by adjusting the ph of the water being used for our houseplants?
I read that coffee and tea grinds raise ph. Ash from fire lower it. Is that true? I try to leave those things out of my gardens bc I don't want to raise or lower it. But I have buried tea leaves in my soil around acidic loving plants.
Low pH is acidic. High pH is basic. It looks like you wrote the opposite. Increasing acidity is decreasing pH
@@thomasswainston2821 no I wrote it the way I understood it 😂 I know very little about it. I usually have to ask friends to break it down. Even still it goes way over my head.
@@thomasswainston2821 oh wait I think I knew this!! Both ends of the ph system are acidic. I meant to make it more acidic then.
It definitely can in a small container setuo
I READ that calcitic lime works quicker than dolemetic lime to raise PH
Hi, Ashley. I had a quick question in the video you mention using Lime for adjusting media pH. But you said not to use Hydrated Lime why is that? I have Dolomite Lime and Hydrated Lime and I have been using both for my soilless media mix (Peat Moss, Vermiculite and Rice Hulls). I want to reuse my media and right now I'm trying to figure out how to test my media's pH and measure how much Lime I need to add. What are the negatives to using Hydrated Lime?
Some have additions to it that all. If the labelling is clear on it being lime and nothing added you are good
@@GardeningInCanada okay. Thank you for the response.
Good job
You have some pretty red hair naturally streaked. My wife and son are the same. Question; I've been a sunshine promix/ added perlite synthetic gardener. And in my circle I'd probably get shunned and have been shunned on my question. I'm very interested in switching to organic. Most people talk about fox farm, happy frog bat guano all these fancy things. I've decided to do my own thing I started with good quality 1/3 cattle manure 1/3 sheep and 1/3 organic compost mixed in a large tote in basement. I have added orange peel bananas egg shells some veggies scraps coffee grinds loose teas plant trimmings paper bags spent wine yeast some fertilizer miracle grow granules that chicken poo stuff, some extra micro like miicrobial mass and micariza. Every thing I add I put in a kitchen blender with water and basically make a smoothie. I mix it in with a old garden claw and it heats up fast a few days and then cools every time I add to it. Is there really any difference between these fancy things and what I'm doing? I know the soil I've made its probably pretty strong. So I think I would mix it 40% perlite/40%my mix/20% promix. Any suggestions on mix ratio? As I would like to drop bottle fertilizers all together. Any ideas or suggestions much appreciated. 😉
couple questions: 1) what are you mostly growing (aroid, orchids, veggies. cannabis, etc) 2) Are you aiming for organic or conventional?
@@GardeningInCanadamedical cannabis. I'd like to avoid chemical fertilizers if possible. I'd call myself near master with advanced nutrients line. I'm just sick of mixing up a bunch of different waters cause I do a perpetual monthly rotation so 4 different ages and different needs. I would recognize problems that may arise And would feed if its seem absolutely necessary. But I've heard of transplanting up when they seem hungry makes sense. I'd like to just straight water all the time and don't want to pour run off down the drain anymore. I'm in Saskatchewan and saw 100s of carp dieing in echo lake because of algae bloom from farms. Couldn't swim with kids there anyway. I dont want to be part of the problem anymore. I do lawncare as well and am planning to try and push my clients towards lower fertilizing cause heavy fertilizer lawns are screwing the eco system too.
In my eyes I'm really just trying to do the right thing and teach others as well. And not sure what you mean conventional probably synthetic I'm guessing. Any suggestions on it would be much appreciated. And God bless 10 fold for your reply.
You will want to increase microbe activity in that case. And use a manure or compost mixed in with your potting soil.
@@GardeningInCanada perfect thanks you so much. It's a question alot of people who grow cannabis wont touch. Especially hydro store owners. I just like to try my own ideas sometimes. I have a one month old in a 1 liter pot with the mix already and it seems very happy.
I've been learning tons about this micros stuff it's so interesting. And that no till garden scene cool. I hope conventional agriculture catches on to creating healthy diverse soil. I'm hoping to sell my house and get out of the city and move somewhere a little more rural to start my own diverse farm. Gardening is really moving into cutting edge understanding. And I thank you for your willingness to help others no matter the type of gardener.
@@GardeningInCanada I did an experiment with some grass seed in Dixie cups. #1 I used expensive miicrobial mass and #2 with spent wine yeast #3 with flat beer. All same water and were given bottle miracle grow. The wine yeast came in 1st the miicrobial mass came 2nd and 3rd was the beer. For fastest growth. As a soil scientist does this sound about right. Or is yeasts bad? I used a product for lawns called sr71. I think it's a type of microbes and it smells like a brewery. The hydro store sold it to me when I was asking about spraying beer on lawns. He said the sr71 would be alot cheaper in the long run. This thing's are so interesting.
Sorry to bother you so much.
I will check the PH of some of the landladies plants first of course, but the water here in Calgary is already above 7 in Alkilinity but I am not sure which type of limestone is affecting this. If you know by soil map or other please let me know to satisfy my curiosity.
Thank you again for sharing your knowledge...how about the high ph soil alkaline soil..
I will make a video on this as well
Hey there!
I started growing trichocereus cactus kinda recently. They like the PH lower than 7. I’m in humid South Florida so I’m mixing: 3 parts pumice, 1 coir, 1 EWC, and a dash of bone meal. I tested the rainwater I collected at 6.5 . I’m not sure if the next test I did is a good method but I mixed roughly equal parts potting mix and rainwater, shook vigorously, left overnight so solids could settle and tested the water at the top. That showed PH 7. I was looking for ways to lower the PH but if I understand correctly, I just need to add compost and other organic materials and let the microbes do the work for me? I love that because other ways of achieving a lower PH I’ve read about have seemed dubious or possibly risky.
Since I’ve been collecting trichos I’ve spent a lot of time on the Reddit subs. I’ve recommended your videos several times. Certain topics always seem to come up that people have strong opinions on. After I read the comments arguing back and forth, I’m always grateful I found an actual soil scientist that probably has a video that can help me make sense of the topic.
Thank you for your excellent videos… Science rocks!!! You rock!!!
what soil ph test meter would you recommend ??? i have a mid range ph meter for my water but do not have a soil ph meter iv looked at BLUELAB soil/water ph meter is there a less expensive Quality combo meter
Maybe you have addressed this in another video but thus far I haven't found it but how would you go about testing the pH level in approximately 50 various house plants?
I am developing a plant sensor with a pH meter that works. It is going to be ready end of July!
You are seeing huge demands for science based stuff on container gardening for one reason: the hobby/industry is full of pseudoscience and old wives tale. People just add stuff or do stuff based on what they heard/read/was told and all of it is purposely vague. Also, almost no one in houseplant TH-cam is approaching it from a science background perspective.
Things like "bright indirect light", "water only when dry", "use soil that is moist but well draining" etc says so much yet mean so little.
I am one of those people.
I started watching your channel because I want specifics based on hard science. Would he awesome if you can do houseplant lighting next, talk about foot candles and DLIs and how most houseplants can actually thrive with direct sunlight (up to a point). it's a view numbers gold mine.
yea absolutely I can do that!
@@GardeningInCanada one thing I would add, or perhaps a future video is how ph is affected by how hard or soft your water is. Also, how you can test the pH of your container soil or soilless media. If you Google "test pH of potting soil" it's almost always talking about garden soil instead. You'd think it would be straightforward but its a bit more involved than I first thought. You can't just stick your pH meter into the potting soil. there are so many techniques that I'm sure you can simplify or at least give a simple explanation. Basically have a channel similar to ELI5 subreddit, but for houseplants. Pour through method, etc. It's TH-cam viewing gold mine! Most people don't realize that container gardening is essentially semi-hydroponics already.
That’s an awesome idea
would you by chance be able to do a review of common fertilizer brands/ph up/down fertilizers commonly found out homedepot or lowes? not sure if they have many of them in Canada, or whatever your equivalent is? thx in advance!
Interesting can you send me a link as to what those products are
I have espoma garden lime and build a soil oyster shell flour and have been trying to go totally organic do you think i should try different brand of lime thanks for your advice and help ‼️‼️💯✅🙏🙏
Our well water is 400ppm and has a relatively high PH. By watering with this water will it lower the PH within peat moss and thus negate the acidification of this 'soil'?
It might a little but once the water is gone the pH will likely drop agian
So how does this interact with water and the pH of water? My tap water is very alkaline so I use pH down to adjust after I’ve added fert/nutrients. Maybe I should not be doing that? Or does the soil and the water need to be different? Like will alkaline water raise the ph of soil or no?
Sorry,
I am not a scientist and maybe are not using the terms all correctly 😅
soil ph (and, in extension, cation exchange) is unfortunately barely discussed and learnt by houseplant-keeping folks around me, that's why when i heard what soil ph is, i thought it wasn't important. even some people said they only need 'green thumbs' or 'lots and lots of positive vibes and prayers' to make their plants grow, while dunking a uniform potting/soil mix to a ridiculously diverse range of plants (yes, that includes *using peat-based clay soil to cacti and other desert plants.*
this kind of knowledge shall be at least mandatory in basic gardening. i know it's hard, but imagine how much budget we can save and how diverse our collections can be if we master this science. no more rebuying failed plants or avoiding certain species (i still have a grudge towards begonias tho)
Is citric acid safe either sprinkled in the soil or dissolved in water and used to water the plant?
There is people who do it that important part is getting the Concentration correct
@@GardeningInCanada thank you! You are awesome!
Absolutely anytime!
How about pulverized eggshells? They are calcium carbonate, which is essentially garden lime, is it not? They are naturally quite inert, but I am guessing that if the soil is acidifying, it would react with the eggshells to break them down gradually and maintain a healthy pH. Or am I out to lunch on this one? Grade 12 chemistry was a long time ago 😁
it can but you would need alot
@@GardeningInCanada Thanks! I'm dealing with mostly small pots here, so hopefully it won't be too bad
#Botanist #Ph #Soil #GardenSoil #Cannabis #HealingSoil
You know that part where you talk about passive and active diffusion mechanisms being a thing you could spend a whole video on? Yes please.
Haha okay! good to know
i have a question. is potting soil ph balanced? the potting soil for houseplants
Whater bocket heater could work to do some speeiments with microbes
With a pymeter thermostat
Would this work for adjusting ph? Using baking soda or vinegar to adjust ph up or down
What about adding aged hardwater overtime? Can that replace lime?
I mean technically haha that’s kind of a neat idea
How can I lower my ph from 7 to 6 in container plants?
Elemental sulphur and pH adjusted water. th-cam.com/video/JViMtM_q2Kc/w-d-xo.html
How to decrease the soil pH if you have a potting medium which is alkaline? I've tried finding out but there's no clear answer to this. Vinegar, aluminium sulphate were suggested but many people say that it's toxic to the plants. I'm trying Sulphur currently but it seems like it'll take a few months to fully take effect.
You can buy "pH down" which contains diluted phosphoric acid. You'll also need a pH meter to test it. Most plants like pH in the range of 5.8 to 6.4. Six is a good baseline. You can flush the soil with the 6 pH water and text the flushed liquid to see where your soil is currently.
Can we use baking soda to increase PH (acidic soil to alkaline)
Ya, but there are better solutions. Not cheaper, just better. Long term better.
I do not see your link for the lime?
Are you in Canada or the USA? This is for Canada only geni.us/ynSzi4
USA & Canada geni.us/XB0QajT
Ok so ima be honest..when you said lime I thought sour lime. And just now realized when people say lime for your garden they aren't talking about the food. Wow I feel really stupid rn.😂
Lol I mean not opposed to sour lime in my tonic water
All my indoor plants are already potted but I’d love to sprinkle some dolamite lime on top and water it in - as you recommended. Is there such thing as too much? How can I measure the pH of my soil with strips (I find the meter difficult)?
Unless you're using water that has low pH (eg. distilled, ro, rainwater) your potteds are likely in the mid to mid-high pH range. Adding lime to this environment would be counter-productive. And ya, there is such thing as too much. There's countless factors that influence the pH of potting substrates over time so the best approach is to start w a test. And yes strips can help. Wat you want is a clean, empty jar to hold a sample of the potting mix that you will add water to. Enough to create a slurry with. Slurry=thicker than chocolate milk and thinner than pudding. Best type of water is gonna be deionized. Spring/drinking and your filtered h-two-ohhs will work as will tap water, but will themselves factor into the results to differing degrees. To help mitigate this grab the smallest bottle of pHdown you can find (garden centers, nurseries, hydroponic supplies) and adjust your water beforehand. Mix vigorously in jar and then let rest for a day to stratify. Test strip the clear layer in your jar and there's your baseline. Here's when you realize your passion, or lack thereof, for horticulture. Repeat this for every plant! Check back in w results.
Is the vid about home remedies up jet 😅
Thx! #AgronomerHere
How do I lower my soil ph? You only addressed if it's too acidic, but mine is too basic.
Sulphur! So you can get elemental sulphur for example.
@@GardeningInCanada Thanks, I'll look into it
Can we use eggshells intead of lime?
You can but you’ll need alot
@@GardeningInCanada thankyou so much for the valuable information.
Great video explanation, so when is the fighting gopher video coming up?
haha do you have a gopher issue?
Yes, mostly during the months of march-july
Oh no! Do they sell gophinators where you are?
In southern california the desert
I havent seen them in stores
I started seeds with jiffy seed starting soil and I thought I could add some compost to it to up pot my starts. I could not figure out why none of my plants were dark green. I just bought a ph meter and it says the soil is at 4.5 💀
*potting mix
On the topic of freshness of this video: me googling what lime is
Lmao
HAHA that’s awesome
@@GardeningInCanada even more awesome is the fact that I bought a bag of lime half a year ago, now that I know what it translates to from english xD
I honestly have no clue why tho. I guess I must have found somewhere the info about acidity, but rather in a written form, hmmm. Anyways thanks for the informations, now I'm gonna finally use it!
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