Dolomite Lime hardened on top of my Soil

Fox Farm Ocean forest Medium. My soil runoff was at 5.6 so I used some Dolomite lime to bring it back up. It worked, but last time I watered the surface was dry and stiff and was barely letting any water in. I used a soil meter and the soil is still pretty wet underneath. I'm in week 7 of my grow. Any advice would be appreciated

peterk426 said:

Fox Farm Ocean forest Medium. My soil runoff was at 5.6 so I used some Dolomite lime to bring it back up. It worked, but last time I watered the surface was dry and stiff and was barely letting any water in. I used a soil meter and the soil is still pretty wet underneath. I'm in week 7 of my grow. Any advice would be appreciated

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That just means your medium is evenly wet. Thats a good thing! Now instead of checking with your finger for dryness , you can just lift them up and check if they need it or not. Its not a problem at all unless they cant breathe.
You can always replant them into a new mix but you are probably fine where your at. just feed and water normal. Now if it takes 30 seconds for the water to break the surface then you have a problem.....

I think people make a big deal out of ph. Ive never paid attention to it in well, forever. Get air pots and lift to see weight full watered and about 5-7 days later notice how light it is ready for water. watch lower leaves when the drop you know its kinda past time to water but won't kill it if you don't let it get to that point often. That way you keep knats in check. go with this batch and all will be fine.

3 parts Ocean forest
1 part perlite
if you us approx gallon size add a heaping table spoon lime.

every 3 weeks add seabird or nuts of choice and I am telling you simple is better then...overkill

its just a plant not rocket science

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Relaxed said:

I think people make a big deal out of ph. Ive never paid attention to it in well, forever. Get air pots and lift to see weight full watered and about 5-7 days later notice how light it is ready for water. watch lower leaves when the drop you know its kinda past time to water but won't kill it if you don't let it get to that point often. That way you keep knats in check. go with this batch and all will be fine.

3 parts Ocean forest
1 part perlite
if you us approx gallon size add a heaping table spoon lime.

every 3 weeks add seabird or nuts of choice and I am telling you simple is better then...overkill

its just a plant not rocket science

Click to expand...

Its my first grow, and I the reason I checked the Runoff PH was because I had leaves turning yellow and brown, which I suspected to be nutrient burn or nutrient lockout. So I was trying this method to get the Runoff PH to where it needs to be in order for the plant to keep growing.
I have a 3 gallon pot and used around 1 cup of dolomite lime as per instructions on the bag, and now the top is hard. I havent watered in 36 hours but am thinking of breaking it up with a chopstick or something to help water get thru

peterk426 said:

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Its my first grow, and I the reason I checked the Runoff PH was because I had leaves turning yellow and brown, which I suspected to be nutrient burn or nutrient lockout. So I was trying this method to get the Runoff PH to where it needs to be in order for the plant to keep growing.
I have a 3 gallon pot and used around 1 cup of dolomite lime as per instructions on the bag, and now the top is hard. I havent watered in 36 hours but am thinking of breaking it up with a chopstick or something to help water get thru

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Ok I hear ya on the 1st timer. Don';t take personally but you are killing the plant. See if I can help ya as my first was a disaster as well but after that all is well learning. Just by the note from you. STOP watering that plant except day 5-7. you are over everything this plant. a day and a half between water is BAD in soil. Lay off it. That is way too much lime for a 3 or 5 gallon pot. See my direction mix here....less please is more and better. At this point based on your notes over watering, lime and or nuts is killing this plant just give it some time. Starting out the soil mix I gave you is enough for the 1st month of its life. After that every 3/4 weeks add a tiny bit of nuts and after several grows increase a bit...less is more pal.

reiterate the hard top is due to way too much lime. you read wrong on the amount lime. that's why is hard I would guess. For a young plant you may have killed it by now over doing lime and water but it may improve IF you lay off it but id guess if its a month old plant or less it wont recover from the beating you gave it.

peterk426 said:

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Its my first grow, and I the reason I checked the Runoff PH was because I had leaves turning yellow and brown, which I suspected to be nutrient burn or nutrient lockout. So I was trying this method to get the Runoff PH to where it needs to be in order for the plant to keep growing.
I have a 3 gallon pot and used around 1 cup of dolomite lime as per instructions on the bag, and now the top is hard. I havent watered in 36 hours but am thinking of breaking it up with a chopstick or something to help water get thru

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Better take it off and add new mix instead. It takes weeks to rise pH and years to break down. Do you have some pics of the plant?

peterk426 said:

Fox Farm Ocean forest Medium. My soil runoff was at 5.6 so I used some Dolomite lime to bring it back up. It worked, but last time I watered the surface was dry and stiff and was barely letting any water in. I used a soil meter and the soil is still pretty wet underneath. I'm in week 7 of my grow. Any advice would be appreciated

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When I top dress with dolomite lime I usually lightly rake the top soil with a fork each day to loosen it up when it clumps together.

Kushash said:

When I top dress with dolomite lime I usually lightly rake the top soil with a fork each day to loosen it up when it clumps together.

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What he said. Try and mix it in. Or add a little soil with the lime next time.

FFOF has oyster shell for pH. Soil runoff pH means nothing.

Is there a problem with your plants are are you trying to fix something that doesn't need to be fixed? If you are having issues adding dolomite lime based off of the runoff pH readings isn't going to fix it.

What does the plant look like? You never said you were having any issues just that you added lime because of the runoff pH.

Just broke the hardtop lime and removed.it. added water, flooded, tried to loosen up the soil even more. Gonna try adding some soil hopefully it'll help

Relaxed said:

I think people make a big deal out of ph. Ive never paid attention to it in well, forever. Get air pots and lift to see weight full watered and about 5-7 days later notice how light it is ready for water. watch lower leaves when the drop you know its kinda past time to water but won't kill it if you don't let it get to that point often. That way you keep knats in check. go with this batch and all will be fine.

3 parts Ocean forest
1 part perlite
if you us approx gallon size add a heaping table spoon lime.

every 3 weeks add seabird or nuts of choice and I am telling you simple is better then...overkill

its just a plant not rocket science

Click to expand...

10-4 on this pH business.