Using Apple Cider Vinegar to Lower PH

[Vagrower]

I have read that you can use Apple Cider Vinegar to lower the PH in Soil ....
What would the mixture be for one gallon of Water ?

[Gingerbeard]

Yes. You can lower pH water with vinegar. However, it doesn't last long. I set a jar of ACV pH'd water on a counter and the pH was back up within an hour.
The amount to use depends on the water you start with. There isn't a dependable ratio between growers.

[Rwise]

Welcome to GWE
It is a variable amount that would be added to your water (which is different then mine). I see the same change with time and find that black strap molasses can lower PH and hold it. I still use the acid to kill chloramine in tap water.

[PaganRich]

I have used white vinegar and find 5-10 ml to 2 gals drops the ph down from 7.6 (my water out of tap) to low to mid 6`s but a little bit goes a long way in fluctuating readings so care is needed and a bit of experimenting...hope that helps mate

[TOKABIGONE]

PaganRich I just did this a few minutes ago and found very close to same. My tap is 7.8 and 2 tsp per gal brought it to about 6.4-6.5pH. I think about 8ml will be my mix target. I'm using Coco Loco with extras - more perlite, more castings and other amendments.

[PaganRich]

TOKABIGONE Hi mate...It works well enough for me and you`ve been smart checking this out as I initially thought I had a calmag deficiency for some time and just couldn`t understand why I was having so many lockout, etc issues til one day I just read up on my local tap water so you`ve been very smart mate...good stuff. I hope your grows go well my friend

[GuitboxTom]

Vagrower, I asked the some question re acidifiers. Good answers here sent me to research. What I found was ACV, white Distilled vinegar, and lemon juice have all been used without harm. I find it hard to get the H2O pH down from 7.3 and make it stay down. I’m using @ less than 1/4cup per gal. To take it down to @6.8, but it creeps back up to7. So I’m living with it as such since I’ve learned that pH fluctuation is not a good thing. I’ve also used a very little “organic” soil acidifier granules but don’t like the idea that it is sulphur based. Perhaps someone here knows better re. the Espoma granular acidifier.

[Rwise]

Nothing wrong with using sulfur in your soil, indeed the plant use sulfur, it also creates sulfuric acid to lower the PH.

[GuitboxTom]

Good to know. Thanks Rwise.
Not always but at certain times during the year, we get sulphur in our well water. Wondering if the combination of sulphur sources could be too much? We always have really high iron in our water as well.

[TOKABIGONE]

Say Rwise since you mention stove ash I have a question for you. I'm mixing a soil with a coco loco base, castings, guano, oyster shell crab meal and a few other amendments so am wondering if stove ash will help buffer my mix a bit more and how much would you use for 25 gal or about 3.5 cf? Maybe a cup or two? I made a slurry with soil and water then filtered so I could pH with drops and got 6.8 from the filtered tap water I'm using which starts at 7.8 so it is buffering some already. Maybe it needs to cook a bit more as I just mixed it up 3 days ago? Thanks, Toka

[Rwise]

LOL I use a shovel to measure, but my pots are large 130 gallon or so, if you put in to much ash, the soil will be clay like. To 25 gallons, about 1 shovel full, and though some say it need not be mixed in I mix it in. I dont use coco and dont know how that will affect things. I myself would also add blood meal and bone meal to your mix.

[TOKABIGONE]

Rwise I was just doing a little research and found I had my thinking cap on backwards! I was seeking to lower my pH slightly when wood ash will actually increase it so I'm glad I checked or I might have ruined $50 worth of soil. I'm going to let it work for a bit yet then test again. Thanks

[GuitboxTom]

Rwise, I suspect not bacterial but mineral. We’ve very high mineral content in the water. With loads of red iron we run a softener and carbon filters. We Use a zero water filter for drinking water. For growing, I’m using untreated well water with minerals and all, pH at @7.2 - 7.3. I’ve been trying a combination of lemon juice, white vinegar, 1/2 T pet gal. Molasses. It seems like it takes a lot to get down to 6.8 or so. But it usually creeps back up to 7 after @ 5min.
Ive been realizing that perhaps I need a better fluid pH tester like puglover said.
thank y’all for the info.

[Rwise]

Last year my PH meter failed and I tried to make the year without, my PH dropped to ~4.5 and my plants finish was poor. So I dropped $300 on a Blue Labs combo+ and I luv it. It does soil or liquids. For me this was money well spent as it showed me what was wrong, and prove to myself what the cause was.
I myself would add pelleted sulfur to the soil to help buffer down, not a lot and it dont work overnight.
Sulfuric acid (easy to get) can be used to lower PH fast, and may hold better than the acid in vinegar or lemons. I'll also suggest you adjust PH and let the water set and stabilize until the PH does not change.

[Puglover1]

Black strap molasses has several things our plants need, just saw this the other night. More KISS, less chems.