Hi guys. I'm new to the site, just started my first auto grow outside in 4gal pots and I've already made some mistakes that I'm trying to make the best of, so please bear with me. I'm in south Florida and my grow is on a flat rooftop (access through a window). The grow is on day 30, no plant is showing sex yet, but I'll check again tomorrow when its light - last checked 3 days ago they weren't showing. It's been raining steady for a week. It's not really hot yet, but it will get there soon, and it's a southern exposure that gets full sun all day long, 13 hours. I've got 5 Short Ryders from BDS in Miracle Grow and Scotts (I know, ugh!) high-moisture content soils - because I thought I needed the extra moisture content (did this before I got on this site and saw the great lengths you guys go to to get the best soil mixtures. I thought any good potting soil would be OK. 4 of my 5 are looking a little scraggly (good color, but slow growth, small leaves, thin main stem, no side stems yet), but one is growing very nicely (I didn't mess with the pH of that plant, figured it liked the soil I'd leave it do its thing). A few days ago I measured the pH of the runoff for the first time and it was about 5.2 from the 4 others. The tap water was pH8, but flushing it through didn't change the pH of the runoff at all. When I added 2T baking soda (bicarb) to the water the pH was still 8 but it was able to get the pH of the runoff up to 6.5 after flushing through about 3 pot volumes.
Will I have to add bicarb to the water the entire grow? Will the rain return the pH to too low levels? Is there a better way to deal with this now that the plants are established (other than bicarb?) Last year I grew photos up there and had to water a few times a day, but this year my schedule doesn't let me do that. Seems the photos weren't as soil-intolerant.
What's the best way to make this work the best it can (I think my plants are looking a little more robust since I made the soil pH adjustment, but its only been 3 days). I'd appreciate all advice anyone can give me - I don't want to have to grow too often - my wife isn't very understanding when it comes to this, so I'm trying this stealth grow to get me through the next few months while I am waiting to plant some photos late in the summer so they finish small in the fall.
So please be nice, and kind, and give me your best advice as to how you would deal with this situation as it is now. I can't re-pot, I have to make the current soil work better than it has been working up to now. One thing I will say for it, it holds a lot of water!
Thanks,
Autodoc
Will I have to add bicarb to the water the entire grow? Will the rain return the pH to too low levels? Is there a better way to deal with this now that the plants are established (other than bicarb?) Last year I grew photos up there and had to water a few times a day, but this year my schedule doesn't let me do that. Seems the photos weren't as soil-intolerant.
What's the best way to make this work the best it can (I think my plants are looking a little more robust since I made the soil pH adjustment, but its only been 3 days). I'd appreciate all advice anyone can give me - I don't want to have to grow too often - my wife isn't very understanding when it comes to this, so I'm trying this stealth grow to get me through the next few months while I am waiting to plant some photos late in the summer so they finish small in the fall.
So please be nice, and kind, and give me your best advice as to how you would deal with this situation as it is now. I can't re-pot, I have to make the current soil work better than it has been working up to now. One thing I will say for it, it holds a lot of water!
Thanks,
Autodoc
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