Organic Growing with Dr Earth. To PH or Not?

Phabio007

Phabio007

Well-Known Member
Hey guys. I've seen a lot of mixed reviews on this. I'm going to be running 3 photoperiods with dr earth pot of gold soil mixed with coco and perlite for aeration, amended with their dry amendments. Specifically the Homegrown Organic green bag and the Flower Girl Pink bag. The title says it all, Ph or not? I've been PHing with success in my mix of peat moss, coco, perlite, and dr earth dry amendments. My seedlings haven't seen ph'd down water yet, and are also okay. Posting in newbie central because I feel very newbish for asking. Thanks
 
NanoGadget

NanoGadget

Well-Known Member
Phabio007 said:
Hey guys. I've seen a lot of mixed reviews on this. I'm going to be running 3 photoperiods with dr earth pot of gold soil mixed with coco and perlite for aeration, amended with their dry amendments. Specifically the Homegrown Organic green bag and the Flower Girl Pink bag. The title says it all, Ph or not? I've been PHing with success in my mix of peat moss, coco, perlite, and dr earth dry amendments. My seedlings haven't seen ph'd down water yet, and are also okay. Posting in newbie central because I feel very newbish for asking. Thanks
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True soil, as opposed to a soil-less medium like coco or peat, typically contains buffers that make it unnecessary to worry
too much about the pH of the water going in. Understanding the specific composition of your medium is important in determining how well it will buffer the inputs you give it and for how long. Too tired to go look up what all is in the pot of gold soil mix at the moment, but if nobody has given you assistance on it by then I will look at in the morning.
 
myke

myke

Well-Known Member
The bagged stuff has lime,so no phing. If your peat is just plain it will have a low ph.

So mixing coco id assume it brings it up a little? The dry amendments (dr earth) has lime so again that brings it up.
Some peat like pro mix has lime so if thats what youve got you dont need to ph.
 
Phabio007

Phabio007

Well-Known Member
Part of me wants to believe mixing coco and soil is helping aerate the roots, and I don't like the fact that peat moss compacts.

If I don't have to PH with the Dr Earth soil I might just do the soil then without coco. Mixing them was good for starting seeds, as I've heard the soil could be too strong, but if PH is an aspect I won't have to worry about by just using the soil then I'm all for that.
 
Phabio007

Phabio007

Well-Known Member
Perlite helps to a point but peat moss still compacts and lumps regardless, it's gross.

Edit: The peat moss I've used lumped and compacted. I added perlite to the mix and even though it was added, the root system of the plant I had didn't get as complex and stunted growth. From that experience, I had moved on from peat moss. Along with the fact that I had to deal with thrips when I had peat moss, as well.
 
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Phabio007

Phabio007

Well-Known Member
Wizzlebiz said:
You can use pumice or perlite. I really don't understand the issue with peat. I have zero issues growing in a peat based soil. No stunting, no thrips and no problems.
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It was all user error, I can tell you that much. Lol. I was turned off after the fact that I saw my root system hadn't developed through the entire "pot." I used a 3.5 gallon bucket and drilled holes in the bottom for a pot. Started it (along with 40 others LOL) in my garage on my fridge, forgot about them for a week, then as seedlings time spent in my windowsill, then I got a really shitty cheap ass clip on desk blurple grow lamp thing from amazon, and then I got a tent. 1 survived. Bro I'm telling you the plant had a hard life. I did some stupid shit but learned a whole hell of a lot on the way. I put way too much peat moss, not enough soil, and definitely not enough perlite. I like how well aerated this soil is, and I like how coco is more forgiving on watering. I tend to have a heavy hand, is most of why I want to make the switch to soil and coco instead of peat moss and soil.
 
Wizzlebiz

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Phabio007 said:
It was all user error, I can tell you that much. Lol. I was turned off after the fact that I saw my root system hadn't developed through the entire "pot." I used a 3.5 gallon bucket and drilled holes in the bottom for a pot. Started it (along with 40 others LOL) in my garage on my fridge, forgot about them for a week, then as seedlings time spent in my windowsill, then I got a really shitty cheap ass clip on desk blurple grow lamp thing from amazon, and then I got a tent. 1 survived. Bro I'm telling you the plant had a hard life. I did some stupid shit but learned a whole hell of a lot on the way. I put way too much peat moss, not enough soil, and definitely not enough perlite. I like how well aerated this soil is, and I like how coco is more forgiving on watering. I tend to have a heavy hand, is most of why I want to make the switch to soil and coco instead of peat moss and soil.
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The soil I use has pumice, peat, and coco.
Screenshot_20201226-213430_Office.jpg

I dont have any issues using it.


When I used mother earth groundswell which is just soil, peat and perlite it sure did take a bit longer to grow the roots. But not by too much. I think you already know why those roots didn't fill out lol.

Shit happens. Plants get forgotten about or just not taken care of properly.
 
Phabio007

Phabio007

Well-Known Member
Actually looking at what's in the Dr earth soil, it has peat moss as well. Probably much smaller ratios than what I had poured in. Does the peat moss mixed with dolomite lime mean it buffers the water for me? = no PHing?
 
Wizzlebiz

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Phabio007 said:
Actually looking at what's in the Dr earth soil, it has peat moss as well. Probably much smaller ratios than what I had poured in. Does the peat moss mixed with dolomite lime mean it buffers the water for me? = no PHing?
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Its supposed to I suppose. When I dont pH my solution I seem to run into problems. However I use citric acid to adjust my pH down. My tap runs at a 8.2 or so. If I use veg nutes that goes to a 8.5 up to a 9.0 depending on how much im using.

Thats a huge difference from 6.5. So I just feel more comfortable pHing.
 
Phabio007

Phabio007

Well-Known Member
My tap runs around 7.5, I'm on well water but it changes with the rain. I don't add anything to my water in terms of nutrients besides supplements like recharge or molasses. I'm feeling skeptical. I may just keep PHing. I use the cheap blue PH pen from amazon and it's a pain having to keep recalibrating.
 
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