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run-off water help

johnb1963

johnb1963

New member
hello my friends, my plants are still babies, 2 weeks old. I planted the seeds in a 3 gal fabric pot, with FFOF/25% perlite. I ph my water with vinegar to 6.5, i watered with no run-off for the first 12 days,(everyother day) then I watered them until i had about 20% run-off, and when i tested the run-off water the PH was 7.8, so today, i watered again, and lowered the water PH to 6.25, and when i tested the run-off it was 8.7. how can that be? do you think it could have something to do with the vinegar? shouldn't my run-off be in the 6-7 range? what should I do?
 
Good morning johnb1963 1963
no need to water to runoff in a soil grow, you're just washing away nutrient.
water enough to saturate the whole pot and make sure your pots dry out within 2-3 days.
Keep feeding your plant at the proper pH level around 6 5 and don't Focus so much on the Run in soil
 
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When fabric pots dry out, they leave residue on the outside of the pots. After a couple of waterings the residue builds up. I have never pHed my runoff, never will.
 
Canuck147 is right. Although I never water to run off, it's more of a personal preference...Some people do, and some don't. As long as the plant is getting enough water, but not too much, life if good. The nice thing about fabric pots, is that yes, the excess drains off, making the whole process idiot proof (sort of). BUT, like Canuck147 said (which by the way, it's nice to know there's another member of the Great White North here, hats off to you good sir), nutrients tend to build up a residue on the fabric, which is leeched out by the run off...thereby making it appear that the pH is way out of whack. The more nutrients and possible contaminants are in the fabric, when you pH the runoff, it won't give a true reading. Get a soil pH tester (they're super cheap), it'll give off a better and more accurate reading. I can't say yay or nay to using vinegar because in truth yes, it works...but it's unstable...meaning it will break down eventually. Anyway, use it, don't use it, its always up to you. Just have fun with it...that's always the most important...Nice thing with weed is you can always fix a screw up
 
Adding liquid fertilizers and watering to runoff is fine as you are replacing what you are depleting. If you are trying to add just water and no liquid fertilizers it makes sense to not create excessive runoff.
Just my 2cents.
 
I don't think 1/4 to 1/2 cup of runoff is excessive. I just watch the waterline coming down on the outside of the pot and slow down as it reaches the bottom.
 
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