jaja

I have looked everywhere for that simple question. I am sorry its a silly one.....can anyone help?
JJ

Dirty Urine

If you wanna lower the pH put a little coffee grounds in your soil. If you wanna raise it throw in a little wood ash.

selene35

Hey jaja -- I just got my soil test results back today, and this is what the laboratory recommended (based on my request for organic solutions to any found deficiencies).

My soil turned out to be surprisingly low , so here's the results:

"COMMENTS (Low pH):
The soil pH of (my) sample is low (6.2; acidic soil).

General Explanation:
SOIL pH: The expressed measure of the soil acidity is called pH.
Values range from 1.0 (acid) to 14 (alkaline) with a pH of 7.0 being neutral.

Most plants including annuals, perennials as well as lawns, vegetables, trees, shrubs, small fruit and tree fruit will do well in the pH range of 6.3 to 7.1.
Soil test results on this sample
recommend the addition of lime or lime-based material
in order to adjust the pH into a more desirable range for plant growth.
(I) can do this now and incorporate it or where that is not possible, surface apply.

Raising the pH will take a period of months --depending on the soil type and initial pH.
During the growing season, never apply more than 50 pounds of lime per 1,000 sq. ft. at one time.
If more is required, space applications about two weeks apart.
After the growing season, more than 50 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. may be applied at one time.

The pH should be checked at 12 month intervals to monitor the change in pH level."

Hope this helps with what you were looking for -- I am very very glad I had a professional test done -- in a day or two, I hope to have the entire report added to my journal. So come by and check it out if you are interested.

best regards,

selene

__________________
West Coast Outdoor and Organic:2002

Cops and Robbers - the end of 2003's Grow

organic

Selene, your soil is ideal for growing mj as is. It prefers a mildly acidic soil, anywhere between 6 and 7, with roughly 6.2 - 6.4 being generally recognized as optimal.

If you want to grow vegetables though, you'll want to get it bumped up closer to 7.

O

__________________

Hie thee hence to The Library
__________________

selene35

Thanks organic!

It is a comfort to know I don't need to do too much to bring the soil (as a whole) into as optimal a state as possible.
I was surprised at how low the pH had become in one season (my first season of growing mj, coincidentally).

As always, I am glad to be a part of a this community of experienced gardeners -- everyone's input helps put this kind of stuff in perspective!

Thanks again, organic!

selene