Lime question. StinkyAttic?

[JohnHerer]

Is it bad to put lime in my potting soil, which contains a germinated seed? So I can lower my PH to like 6.5 or so.

When I PH tested the soil it was like in the about 7.8.

I don't know if I am correct because I mixed manure & humus, which is like 6.8 with 68%-72% SPHAGNUM PEAT MOSS, VERMUCULITE, AND PERLITE AND LESS THAN 1% FERTILIZER AND LIME FOR PH BALANCE.

So I flushed the mixed soil and the next day I placed some of the soil in a ph tester and I got about 7.8

JohnHerer Reviewed by JohnHerer on 09-19-2007. Lime question. StinkyAttic? Is it bad to put lime in my potting soil, which contains a germinated seed? So I can lower my PH to like 6.5 or so. When I PH tested the soil it was like in the about 7.8. I don't know if I am correct because I mixed manure & humus, which is like 6.8 with 68%-72% SPHAGNUM PEAT MOSS, VERMUCULITE, AND PERLITE AND LESS THAN 1% FERTILIZER AND LIME FOR PH BALANCE. So I flushed the mixed soil and the next day I placed some of the soil in a ph tester and I got about 7.8 Rating: 5

[the image reaper]

I don't think Stinky will mind if I answer this one :wtf: ... you're going the wrong direction, bub ... you need to LOWER your pH, which means adding acid to the soil, you already are too high-alkaline, lime will make it worse ... when you add nitrogen nutes, that will add some acid, also, using Reverse-Osmosis water will acidify further ... you must have added a lot of lime, for it to be alkaline, even with peat moss added (peatmoss BAD, too acidic) ... :smokin:

[texas grass]

when you lower the ph you are making it more acidic
i think im having problem with my ph, mine is reading 7+ with a cheap soil meter
i bought some lime and did not use, its used to raise ph levels
from what i understand most people using peat need lime though, im stumped with you

[stinkyattic]

Reaper is exactly correct.
What you want to do is water your plant next time to the point of runoff with water at about 6.0, then check the runoff. You should notice it is coming down. In a pinch, you can use vinegar to do this (white vinegar is fine but cider vinegar is actually beneficial to some soil microorganisms from what I have read), but get some proper pH up/down next time you are at the grow shop, and really a small bottle of GH liquid pH indicator, about $7 USD, is nice to have... The meter- is it a soil meter or are you testing the runoff water? Those soil meter can be wildly inaccurate, especially when used on dry soil. I have been happy for years with a liquid kit.