Using a pH pen in Soil

algebraist

algebraist

Well-Known Member
I just got a Hanna pH pen, calibrated it, watered my plants, and stuck it in the soil to take a reading. Which worked fine, but the soil (and especially bits of perlite) gets jammed up in opening that holds the electrode, and it was a real pain to clean. It's hard to imagine the pen can stand up to much more of that. Does everyone just test the runoff, and if so how accurate a representation of the soil pH is that? Thanks.
 
Boatguy

Boatguy

Well-Known Member
Put a spoonful of soil in a glass, add distilled water, after a minute or two check the ph.
 
Boatguy

Boatguy

Well-Known Member
I've only ever check the ph of my outdoor garden in the spring before planting. Potting soil is typically ph'd fine out of the bag.
 
S

sponge

Well-Known Member
algebraist said:
I just got a Hanna pH pen, calibrated it, watered my plants, and stuck it in the soil to take a reading. Which worked fine, but the soil (and especially bits of perlite) gets jammed up in opening that holds the electrode, and it was a real pain to clean. It's hard to imagine the pen can stand up to much more of that. Does everyone just test the runoff, and if so how accurate a representation of the soil pH is that? Thanks.
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I test the runoff. I have FFOF with 15% perlite in 5 gallon buckets, 12" saucers underneath to catch. Watering with 1 gallon of Poland spring water gives me about a pint of runoff to PH when I'm done.

I use store bought Poland spring water. Any spring water from the store is extremely pliable to whatever you run it through, so running a gallon through 5 gallons of soil will give you a very good indication of your root zone PH. Distilled is even more pliable and will give you an even better indication, but both are perfectly adequate for the purpose.

I definitely wouldn'tjam my PH meter in the soil, although there are some devices designed to operate that way I believe.

Just to give you an idea, Poland Springs comes to me at about 7PH. If I put one drop of PH down in a gallon of it, the PH will drop to around 5.5 or so.
 
Boatguy

Boatguy

Well-Known Member
sponge said:
I test the runoff. I have FFOF with 15% perlite in 5 gallon buckets, 12" saucers underneath to catch. Watering with 1 gallon of Poland spring water gives me about a pint of runoff to PH when I'm done.

I use store bought Poland spring water. Any spring water from the store is extremely pliable to whatever you run it through, so running a gallon through 5 gallons of soil will give you a very good indication of your root zone PH. Distilled is even more pliable and will give you an even better indication, but both are perfectly adequate for the purpose.

I definitely wouldn'tjam my PH meter in the soil, although there are some devices designed to operate that way I believe.

Just to give you an idea, Poland Springs comes to me at about 7PH. If I put one drop of PH down in a gallon of it, the PH will drop to around 5.5 or so.
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Im curious how any adjustment to that quantity of soil would even be possible with a plant growing in it.
Do you find adjustments necessary at all or often?
If so, how do you make adjustments?

I figured with the buffering effect of the soil, attempting to control ph would be an exercise in futility. Always made sure mine was right to start and never looked at it again
 
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