PH problems with Roots Organics Poting Soil straight out the bag

I just ran a test with a bag of brand new Aurora Roots Organics Soil. I am flushing a two gallon pot of fresh soil with nothing else added or even a plant it. I am using PH 6.5 water and my run off is measuring at 5.5. My pen is calibrated and I even took it to the Hydro store to make sure it was calibrated perfectly. How could this be? Has anyone else had runoff this low when using brand new Roots Org soil? Should I add some dolomite and go back to FFOF? I was told that this was good soil and totally complete without needing any nutes or amendments for 3-4 weeks? I tested the plants I just transplanted into this soil as I am typing and the runoff is 5.5 too? WTF is going on?

Thanks in advance

crap, just transplanted about 40 babies into 1 gal pots full of roots!!! Ill do a run-off test soon and let you know!! Ive got some supersoil cooking that I adjusted with lime so Im hoping once i transplant into that in a few weeks I should be fine...I hope...

Seems like ALL bagged soils need dolomite lime added, no matter the cost of the soil. FFOF needs it also.

Wet

yeah im adding lime today. At what rate per gallon can i water my seedlings with lime added in? I made the mistake of plant some seeds directly into Roots soil.

You might jump to Subcools 2010 Super Soil Recipe thread and ask him. Im sure you guys probaly know thats what he recomends for his recipe. He apparently loves it along wiyh alot of others but they dont use the Roots as a base they use bio bizz and use the SS on the bottom. Does anybody know where to get Roots organics in Indiana? I cant afford the shipping online.
Thanks
BigBudE

Check your closest major hydroponic store. You'll probably pay a hefty price, but it'll beat shipping costs.

Who cares about run off PH? I your soil PH is 6.5 like you say that is optimum for organic growing. Worry about the PH of what the plant eats not its excess. I have been using roots for years and it is damn near perfect uptake PH. I personally have never measured my runoff PH, and dudes like Subcool dont either. My advice dont worry about a thing. Roots is an awsome base to start out and plant. You can always ammend it to give it more kick. And you have to love the fact thtas its an all around bas soil! You can put the plant in the bag, throw it outside n let it go. Or follow the gallon of soil per month of growth rule for indoors.

Peace,
StickeeGreens

I grow in a homemade mix at 5.5 and I havent had a problem. however everything i have in roots has went from really good the first 4 weeks, to unhappy color turning crap and there 3 weeks into flower. f*** Roots Organics

Agree with all the "ignore the pH" comments. Also agree on the lime. It's soil. Also, once it get's rocking with roots, fungus and bacteria, the plant will control it's own pH. You can't change it and shouldn't try. The beauty of soil

I thought i would post up a quick question here. I have roots organic soil in my scrog box, approx 3 gal, and recently my growth has stopped. A little discoloration, but i believe that was nute burn early on. Anyway i thought I would check the runoff ph, as the last batch of plants i grew in roots all had deficiency issues while their coco (roots as well) sisters were superb.

So here is where my batch seems different. My water goes in 6.5 (usually 6.0, this time I upped) and came out at 7.5-7.7! So even low 7s is pushing lockout for different minerals but 7.5 is a joke. Has anyone else had problems with ro soil being this alkaline?
I am flushing with 5.6 right now to see if i can work out a bit of that buildup.

Ideas?

Did you use a fast acting lime?

Mine was right out of the bag. Nothing added. A small layer of hydrotron at the bottom.

For the last hour i have been progressively lowering the ph of the water and no matter what it comes out at about 7.5. The roots are pretty well through all the soil, so not sure how i could really amend it as it's in the maximum size container it can have for the area.

Cooter@666 said:

If you have any of the Roots soil left over measure the runoff of that(by itself)....and if you have any hydrotron left water those separately as well and measure the run off...i think you'll need to isolate the two mediums to find out which one is fucking with you.

Click to expand...

The best way to truly test the pH of any soil is to take one cup of soil, mix with equal volume distilled water (or good RO water), stir it up and let sit for 20 minutes. Allow particulates to settle and pour off a sample to test. But all of this is moot if you're growing organically.

Where can you find cheap dolomite or lime?

Dolomite lime is available at any hydro store locally or online. You can just search those words and it should come right up. I don't think the price fluctuates a whole lot.

Hye guys testing soil PH with a Digital one like from Hanna or something.... its going to Give u wrong results..That reason being...When you flsuh the Roots soil...Your draining the Amendments into a concentrated spot and collecting the water from "that" spot..I have a Hanna Pen... the one that dose a lot o shit IE Ph/Ec/TDS/water temp compensation/Does your laundry/makes u breakfast....And i was taking reading from my Ro soil and Sunshine Mix #4 with the runoff...was giving me the readings you were talking about...But I got some advice to get a Soil Ph meeter...N i aint talking about the $14 one either...this bastard was $70 or w/e took a reading with the Ro soil 6.2 -6.4...then the SSM #4 6.0 -6.2....Now to answer ur question I used RO water with 5 ML's of Calmg+ and my Ph was about 6.5...I used this water to moisten the soil before i took my readings....Moral of the story Buy a soil Ph tester If your trying to measure the Ph of your soil...cuzz it kinda just makes sense if you ask me ^_^


ALSO point numbah 2 Roots Organic soil is Organic...No need to PH dick as long as your Microherd is doing deyz Job....Unless you bought a Organic medium to Grow synthetically Which doesn't make much sense..Anyway so yea dont worry about Ph with organics...To all the trolls Dont say "yes u do gota worry about Ph even with organics" to that comment I suggest you read Teaming with microbes sir ...and prepare to have your world rocked

keep putting myco and dont fuck with ph ? rite LOL !

Start with a properly amended soil to make sure you have a living soil, and there's no more worrying about pH. pH considerations and real soil are a myth. A holdover from hydro days. IF the soil is alive and not killed off / diminished by bottled ferts, then you have no control of the pH. The plant does. This is a fundamental organic fact that is best to cement into our heads up front if you want your grow to be as successful as possible.