[TIP] Correctly taking a pH reading of soil

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Hi all,

Doing my second organic grow. I have been studying pH and trying to ensure my pH is dialled in

I've read various places you don't need to worry about pH with soil (another discussion, but partly true).

However, I've been taking pH readings of my soil with a soil pH probe (Lurton 212) and have always found it to be 5.0 pH or low 5's never been 6.
(My feed is always ~6.3 pH)

I just read this:
"Simply mix a soil sample from your growing container with enough dechlorinated water (pure water is pH neutral – a 7 on the pH scale) to make wet mud. Insert whichever testing material you’ve purchased. "

So I did no more and voilà! The pH meter reading 6.4!!

So just a little tip for anyone who it may help.

Cheers
SS

EDIT:
I know the distilled water had no effect on the reading as my pH probe storage solution is pH 4.0. I took the probe out of its container, reading 4.0, put it in the distilled water and the there was no change in the reading, still 4.0 (as you would expect)
 
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What you want to use is distilled water as its pure and has 0 impurities so its lets what ever is in the soil buffer properly without interference,So don't add anything to ph your water before hand lol
 
What you want to use is distilled water as its pure and has 0 impurities so its lets what ever is in the soil buffer properly without interference,So don't add anything to ph your water before hand lol
Exactly what I did. Used distilled water and mixed in a handful of soil
 
Just went through it all trying to get a bag of promix right :nono: Testing the crap for almost two weeks straight before i said screw it and was close enough lol
 
Just went through it all trying to get a bag of promix right :nono: Testing the crap for almost two weeks straight before i said screw it and was close enough lol

Was you testing it the same way as described above? Did you manage to get it right?

I'd like to think as long as my feed is a consistent pH the soil will do the rest.
 
I didn't test my soil before feeding. I've got some left over so will have a look at what it is tomorrow. But definitely after the first few feeds (on week 2 from germination right now) the pH is solid.

I use biobizz light mix. Who makes promix? Canna?

Edit:
What was you using to buffer your soil?
I've been lowering my feeds with a cictric acid solution to get the feed to 6.3
 
pthorticulture makes pro-mix,Just a simple peat mix widely available in north america

Just used fine dolomite lime to raise it up but was adding it slow here and there after i drenched the soil some as i still had to let what ever was in the soil do its thing too,Was a pretty dry bag so their buffers dissolved slow as hell
 
Great slurry test method!

I’ve been using a Accurate 8 soil pH probe that Waira recommended and it matched a couple slurry tests I did to compare. Now I just stick it into some soil, wait a couple minutes and read the gauge. Easy-peasy.
 
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