HELP! Just found out Composted Pine Bark in my soil is a bad thing

[Cheesy]

I've spent a ton of time reading this website and forum, but I never saw the bit about bark being bad until today. Apparently, it's acidic which explains why my runoff is in the pH 5 range. It's Day 39, so probably too late for a transplant. What can I do to salvage this grow??? My degassed tap water is around pH 8. Thanks for your help...ya'll rock!!

Here are my three White Widow Autos on Day 38. I spotted the first pistils on Day 27. I've got more blooms than I can count but none have many pistils. They're 23" tall and the light is 24" away. I've had Veg+Bloom on since day 10. 24/0 at first and 20/4 since day 30. I have to harvest them by day 85, so I'm a bit on edge. I don't need a big yield, but I gotta get 'em done!

 

[crucialbunny]

It can be really difficult to find soil mediums that do not contain pine or redwood bark. I have found that if I run it through my compost bin for a few months it mellows out substantially. Your plants don't seem to showing any ill-effects and look very healthy. I don't understand why you feel you have to harvest on day 85?

 

[Cheesy]

Thanks for the reply. On or before day 85, 'cuz we're packing up the RV and leaving town the third week of October. How do my autos look for day 38? Eleven days since the first pistils. Lotsa bud sites but not many pistils per site. I've backed off nutes. Now I'm doing 1/4 strength bloom every other watering...every 4 or 5 days. More? Less? Should I water with unadjusted tap water...pH 8 to try to get the runoff up into the 6 range?? Thanks for any input...cheers...

 

[crucialbunny]

That would explain it all right. there isn't anything that I am aware of that would speed things up maturity wise. Harvest when you have to and hopefully it will be long enough.

 

[Cheesy]

What should my pH strategy be? Water with 8 to try get the runoff up to 6? Thanks...

 

[crucialbunny]

I'm not the right person to make recommendations on chasing PH problems. I switched a few years ago to living soils so I wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. I water and organically fertilize now and the soil takes care of itself.

 

[Cheesy]

OK, lesson learned. Weird tho, I tested the soil before I used it and it had a pH of 6.3. What's my best course of action at this point?

 

[crucialbunny]

Honestly Cheezy I don't think there is anything wrong with your soil. It may contain bark but after composting and repeated watering it mellows out. Your plants look like they aren't suffering any ill effects at all. I doubt that it has any bearing on when it will mature.

 

[CaptainWiese91]

Next time just buy soil for tomatoes.
At totally normal soil. But it has the right Ph for cannabis. And even the right nutrients. Haven’t fed my plants in the first 10 weeks of veg.
Your plants look fine, I wouldn’t worry so much

 

[Rwise]

Add pelleted dolomite lime to the soil so the plant can buffer it (I would also add pelleted sulfur, but only half dose). Another bad with wood chips is while they decompose they suck Nitrogen out of the soil, then when they rot it is released back into the soil. Just the opposite of what we want.
I also agree your plant is tolerating it well.

 

[Cheesy]

Appreciate the input folks. I saw the bit about the dolomite lime yesterday and I ordered some just now. I probably have to water tomorrow. Should I water with unadjusted water (~pH 8) or adjust it down to pH 7?