What's the best way to adjust pH?

Ok, I figured out the problem. Ph is off. I transplanted one plant into new soil because she was small enough to do so but this other one is too big and she has buds everywhere. Her Ph is in the range of 4.9-5.1. Way too low.

Two months ago I had transplanted her into a 5 gallon bucket. The soil I was to put her in was at 8.4 pH. So the lady at the nursery recommended how much sulfur to add in the mix to lower her pH before I put her in new soil. I had mixed a Ph adjuster to her soil (sulfur granuals) throughout the soil. So the granuals were not just sprinkled on top, they are all through the soil. The amount she suggested was too much. Now, two months later her pH is 5 and she has lock-up (turning yellow now). It's not like I can just scoop out the sulfur on top cause its all through the soil.

So my questions are, How much lime do I add, how is the best way to add it, and do I need to flush her afterwards. The box just says 4.5lbs per 1000sq ft which doesn't help me at all ( unless someone knows how many square feet of soil are in a 5 gallon bucket)

add 2 tablespoons per gallon of soil,mix it up as best you can in the top of your soil and water it in

You do also know they have pH up and down solutions right? I'm saying this because you might wanna give those a try too if you can find any.

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You do also know they have pH up and down solutions right? 


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I have seen those in one of the hydro stores I've been in but are'nt those just for hydroponics? Or can you use them for soil applications too?

You can use them for soil growing too, just mix it in with your water like you do with liquid nutes.

How far into flower is she????
U can flush her then have her back on the normal watering schedulle
Some pics would help to...either way u need to flush
Buy some ph adjuster, u can get them at any hydro or grow shop online

She's almost three weeks into flowering. I foliar fed her some iron booster which helped......a little, but singed/burnt alot of her hairs on her buds so I won't do that again! Aside from the poor picture quality, she is all lime green with the bottom half almost now all yellow from the nute lock-out. Her newer growth is now green though.

I heard in a video that I saw that Rain water has the right pH balance for the Cannabis plant, so when it rains, put a bucket or something to catch that rain and theres your solution :p ...

by far the best ph stuff that i have used is general hydroponics ph up and down, you dont have to wait for it to balance out at all, you add it stir it and check it thats it, and you use far far far less of it

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Originally Posted by BLaQLiGhT

I heard in a video that I saw that Rain water has the right pH balance for the Cannabis plant, so when it rains, put a bucket or something to catch that rain and theres your solution :p ...

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Rain water has the right pH for every plant :thumbsup:

What is the pH of your irrigation water? My well water is over 7 so that alone raises the pH in my soil. The goal is to water your plant with high pH water to raise the pH in the soil. I never used the pH up solutions, but if your water does not have a high pH, add some drops to your water to raise it and that should help you. Check to see if those pH drops are available at pet stores in the fish tank department. Just tell them you need to raise your water pH. They need not to know anything about your soil. :smokin:

Pet Store or Swimming Pool supply store should carry the water pH adjuster. It might even be available at most box stores, but I never looked for it.

the fish store ph up and down sucks, its cheap but blows really bad when it comes to lowering and raising the ph, it take alot of it and then the ph doesnt hold very long

OH my God! ph for soil plants should be 6.5 5.8 for hydro. This can vary, but it is pointless to vary if you don't know what you are doing...there are reason's and times to vary the ph.

buy bottles of ph up/down...mix with your water. let it sit for 20 minutes ...put the runoff in a glass and test the ph. but, I usually just keep my water at 6.5 and everything grows great.

as for lime. It is called crushed dolomitic lime...It is to be mixed somewhat like mention above. It buffers the soil ph to keep it consistent. You just mix in soil. once or 2wice if you repot.
It also adds needed magnesium to your soil.

hope this helps.

just to add, pre-packaged PH up and PH down solutions are designed for hydrophonics, and should be used very carefully in soil or hydro.

if you take PH to far in either way, you are better off scrapping the soil and starting over. in other words, you should never use PH down to compensate for adding too much PH up and vice-versa.

your better using a "softer" natural ph adjuster added to the water slowly over time.

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Originally Posted by Pass That Shit

Rain water has the right pH for every plant :thumbsup:

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Let´s just think about this for a minute,

Rain water has the right ph?
Yes in most cases it does have, but u should allways test it 1st...

What other elements can u find in rain water???
That really depends where u live doesnt it???I´m pretty sure that if u live in a very industrial area you will find lots of chems in the water that are not suitable for your plants, and the water ph might not be what u are looking for...

I have tested rain water ph many times and i can tell u the ph its not allways the same, i never had the chance to send it to a lab and test it but some users in the forum have and the results werent to good...

So this is what i allways do....

1st - Get tap water, let the water rest in a bucket for 24 hours so the clorine can evaporate.

2nd - After test the water ph (allways)

3rd - Use Ph up and Ph down solutions to get the Ph between 6.3 and 6.8.
Phosphoric acid to raise pH and potassium hydroxide to lower pH.

4th - Do not use fish chemicals to adjust pH.Toxic buildups can occur.

This method has been described in books such as:

Greg Green´s - "Cannabis Grow Bibble"
Todd McCormick´s - "How to grow Medical Marijuana"


So unless u have ur rain water properlly tested NEVER use it ... :D :D :D

good point,
of acid rain...it wont burn your skin off or anything that dramatic, but it is responsible for a lot of problems in northern european forrests.

that's not actually true...good point OmegaV...I forgot that one.
ph/up down is not made exclusively for hydroponics...and you never just dump it in the pot full of soil...You mix with ro/distilled water and ph it 1st.

and if you did screw up your soil...you can leach it...that means to flush it with 3-6 times tthe capacity of pot...If you are using 3 gallon pot, then you must use 6 gallons of ph'd water to flush it completely...some old schoolers put the whole plant in the shower for 20 minutes. If you do, make sure you do it early in the photoperiod, so that the buds have time to dry out..peace

I would take heed of the info you have here; Some of it is "WRONG".

goodluck read read read

whats "not actually" true?

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Originally Posted by BLaQLiGhT

I heard in a video that I saw that Rain water has the right pH balance for the Cannabis plant, so when it rains, put a bucket or something to catch that rain and theres your solution :p ...

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Yeah, it's ok I guess as long as you dont live in a place that has acid rain :p.

gerneral hydroponics ph up and down is not jsut for hydro, you can use it for any plant al l its doing is raising or lowering the ph

Just to be sure, I need to raise my pH from 5 to 6.5, so what should the pH be for the flush. Should the water I flush it with be at 6.5 or should it be higher? Remember, I still have sulfur granuals throughout the soil that I had mixed in a few months ago when I tried to lower my pH.

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Originally Posted by stinkbudd

Just to be sure, I need to raise my pH from 5 to 6.5, so what should the pH be for the flush. Should the water I flush it with be at 6.5 or should it be higher? Remember, I still have sulfur granuals throughout the soil that I had mixed in a few months ago when I tried to lower my pH.

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Do this
test ur tap water that will read about 7 or 8, if it does, flush it with tap water just like Latewood described and youre ready to go...:D

"Do this
test ur tap water that will read about 7 or 8, if it does, flush it with tap water just like Latewood described and youre ready to go..."


That's the same advice I gave above. I was not saying to use rain water even though you won't go wrong with it. I was adding to the guy who said that rain water had the proper ph for cannabis. The proper pH would not help in this case. You need to use water with a pH of 7.5 or higher to raise the pH in your soil since it's low right now. I don't only grow cannabis. I prepare my soil pH in my fruits and vegetables considering the pH in my irrigation water so the proper pH is available to my plants. Like I said, I don't use the pH up and down solutions, so I don't know how effective it is. But what I do know is that since your plants are flowering and you're not gonna mess with the soil right now, you need to feed your plants with high pH water.

Geez...You flush with ph'd water at 6.5 7.5 is way tohigh for you plants. you never just dump rain water or any other water in your plants unless you have ph'd it to between 6.5-7 I recommend the lower end...peace Most water is around 7...and some soil growers might use that, but for great results. always ph soil at 6.5

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Originally Posted by latewood

Geez...You flush with ph'd water at 6.5 7.5 is way tohigh for you plants. you never just dump rain water or any other water in your plants unless you have ph'd it to between 6.5-7 I recommend the lower end...peace Most water is around 7...and some soil growers might use that, but for great results. always ph soil at 6.5

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Follow the thread. I'm not the one asking the questions here. The poster has a low pH problem, that's why I'm suggesting to use high pH water. I HAVE NEVER USED RAIN WATER ON MY PLANTS. On the contrary, I was telling the poster that rain water would NOT correct his problem. Unless the rain water had a high pH.

I would repot the lady. IMHO its the only way man. Good luck with her:o

Well no offense...maybe it is your clarification, because I understand you, but to a new grower...it appears you were suggesting using untreated rainwater...I wasn't the only reader that thought that either...It's cool, just doing my best to keep people safe and on track for a good grow...no worries...pass the 'chitman...

we are glad to have new members that want to help, but we still have to watch over...welcome all you new members. peace
and, we do love healthy debate...just keep it general and not personal. that's all we ask. Thanks lw
good luck every one...

:thumbsup:

good point!!!