Brown thumb grow

[Brwnthmb]

I’m seeing the ph of the input water drop at least 2 points when I add the bloom nutrients (pictured). Is this normal?
- before nutrients, ph=6.82
- after nutrients added, ph=4.27
And of course the stronger I mix it, the bigger the drop.

[Brwnthmb]

I am very happy with my plants and I hesitate to do anything, but they are just starting flowering and are ready for bloom supplements.
I just received the bloom supplement (pictured). This brand was one of the ones recommended. Therefore I feel sure that I can make it work in the ratio that you are specifying.
Thank you for your help.
[the (2) 3 gallon fabric pots are the main ones. The two clay pots started flowering at the equinox, and I just brought them in for frost protection.]

[Bluey]

Best to watch it closely and keep your pH on point. First sign of deficiency I'd recommend adding bloom nutes at quarter strength, an NPK ratio of 1.1.2 from memory and maybe 2 to 5 weeks in a PK suppliment around 0.12.13 at half strength. That should keep you going pretty well. You shouldn't need to suppliment PK for more than a few weeks and every second feed probably fine. Don't give runoff every feed. A bit of runoff twice a week is plenty most of the time.

Watch your leaves closely and keep pH in a range of 6.5 to 6.8 once flowers appear. Increase nutes a little each week until maybe at 3/4 strength. I've never had to go higher than that in coco.

Edit. I have had to start PK prior to flowers appearing but it will vary depending on how your plants are travelling.

[Brwnthmb]

Bluey
However; based on what you just said, I think it is wise to go ahead and add bloom nutrients. It will be the end of the week until I get an instrument to measure nutrients in the soil anyway and I received bloom nutrients this morning.
I have other plants that I plan to keep in vegetative state longer than normal, and I feel sure that they will deplete their nutrients. That is mainly what the instrument is for.
I have only grown outside before this.

[Brwnthmb]

@Bluey
I suspect that I need to add nutrients for the bloom phase (and subtract nitrogen), but I don’t really know what nutrients I have left in the pot of soil. So, I thought it best to test the soil for nutrients (and ph) before I make adjustments.

[Bluey]

I don't know anything about the approach you're taking.

I grew in soil outdoors for over 30 years and the last half made my own soil and soil amendments by composting and cooking it. Mostly grew in garden beds but sometimes large pots,nothing smaller than 13 gal which required amending in flower.

I never once measured its constituents. Properly composted mixes of a range of organic materials with a bit of lime & ash worked great, just a bit hot on its own so always mixed with the rubbish local soil that had very few nutes in it.

I now grow in coco with synthetic nutes indoors. It's easier to manage indoors (no bugs, enviromental control) and brings further benefits I couldn't achieve with soil outdoors.

[Brwnthmb]

@Bluey
I found a NPK meter and I am hoping that it works.

[Bluey]

Measuring NPK in your soil

[Brwnthmb]

Bluey
Do you mean asking apera by email or measuring nutrients?

[Bluey]

Good luck with that approach.

[Brwnthmb]

You measure the pH inputs. Easy as. Don't bother with measuring runoff pH.

Don't ask me how to use a pH meter that is +/- 0.25. I'd bin it.

Apera have an Amazon store. Get storage fluid and calibration fluid in the same order.

If you are giving nutes also consider the PC60 instead of the PH60.

Don't bother with the Bluetooth model.

I reconsidered and am going to use nutrients. You suggested the PC60 vs PH60 if using nutrients. Does the PC60 measure NPK as well as ph? (The apera website doesn’t say specifically.)

edit: the apera website does provide an email address and I sent the question to them. The PC60 measures TDS but the website doesn’t specify what the total dissolved solids are. [i’m looking for an instrument that measures nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in the soil.]

[Brwnthmb]

Bluey thanks for the guidance. I wasn’t planning to add nutrients, but after learning more about it, I think I will. And adjusting the ph is needed. And I definitely need a meter.
I feel certain that a lot of nutrients have been used up in the plants (which are) blooming, plus I was planning to keep some other plants in the vegetative state for longer than normal. These will definitely need help. Thanks

[Bluey]

You can't remove an excess of nitrogen from a plant by flushing the soil.

Your flushing the soil to remove the excess N from the soil as you don't want that going into flower.

Your plant is packed with N and if it needs some it can't get from the soil it will scavenge it from the lower leaves.

Edut. Yes flushing the soil will stress the plant. You do it once properly, not 6 times half hearted. It will recover quickly.

[Bluey]

He says the leaves are curly like a claw now, not shown on picture, but with that color I'd say too much N is the cause and he has flipped it so really need to get it out of the soil. That's my take on it anyway.

[Bluey]

Ok. Once it starts to flower (you see flowers) raise your pH slowly from what it should be in veg 6.2 to 6.5 to flower pH of 6.5 to 6.8.

Give it another flush. You want very little N in that soil heading into flower. You may need to suppliment some PK at ¼ to ½ strength at about 3 to 4 weeks into flower and keep that up for a bit.