PH, soil grow , nightmare!

[Subflex]

HELP! Having a real issue at the minute. I've done about 10 grows with autos and the first 4 went without a hitch. But my last few grows even though I haven't anything changed anything, I've had a real problem with nutrient lock out, about 5 weeks in. So I bought a blue lab ph pen to see what was going on, and I was getting a run off PH of below 4.8. I was using canna terra pro with bio bizz nutrients. So this time I thought I would change soil and nutrients to something that would hopefully compliment each other; plant magic supreme with the plant magic soil nutrients. But I'm totally baffled....... I tested the water with the nutrients in before and it's 6.5.....perfect right? But when I tested the run off its at 4.8! How is this possible, this is the first time I've fed them now as they only a few weeks old, but surely I'm heading for another nutrient lockout if I carry on. Any help much appreciated

[Viz]

Hello mate sorry to hear you are having some grief.

As you are growing with soil don't stress the Ph thing mate. The soil will buffer for you.

The key with soil is not to over feed the nutrients, less is most certainly more. Soil and Plant Magic old timers grow only when the plants look like they need it. There will be more than enough nutrient in the soil for the first few week to be feed free. And as you plant searches for moister and nutrients it will fill out the entire pot with happy roots. Water only when the pot is fairly dry, you want the roots to work for you mate. Pick up the pot to judge how much moisture is in the pot still, of stick your finger into the top surface and see how moist the first inch or two still is.

Too much feeding will cause your medium to become so saturated that it is unable to actually feed the plant as you know. So less is more with soil.

[ERBURT]

Use the pm grow and bloom great stuff!
Try swapping soil to bnq verve also great stuff.
Watch your feeding as above.
No feed for first cuple/few weeks.wait for the plant
To pale in color before you feed.you shouldn't
Be getting lockout at week 5 you must be feeding
Too much to get that.dont let your pots sit in run off
Either.

[M_C]

What is it that you actually think you are measuring when measuring the PH of soil run off?

[Subflex]

Yo thanks for everyone that's replied! Yes I think I must of been feeding too much in my last one, but the bio bizz says to feed with every water, but obviously now know its not that simple and that I need to read what my plants are doing this time. Also it's not the old timer I'm using its there newer plant magic soil grow and bloom product, the one that u can get to different versions for soft or hard water. Has anyone used this before? I'll make sure I'm a lot more sparing with the feed this time. Also MC I was lead to believe that testing your run off gave you the ph of you soil? Or is this not true?

[Viz]

When growing in coco the testing of your run off is part of the grow yes. Not so sure I would ever water so much that I had run off in my soil.

[M_C]

I was lead to believe that testing your run off gave you the ph of you soil? Or is this not true?

Only a slurry test will give the PH of soil....

What you are measuring is an approximation of the PH of the fluid in the soil in the same way that a hydro grower would do... but you then interpret the results in an odd way that the hydro grower would not

[M_C]

When growing in coco the testing of your run off is part of the grow yes. Not so sure I would ever water so much that I had run off in my soil.

You will learn that run off is a needed thing, especially with non organic nutes, otherwise salt build up will cripple the grow

[Viz]

You will learn that run off is a needed thing, especially with non organic nutes, otherwise salt build up will cripple the grow

Ah nutrient lock in other words. Right got you.

[M_C]

Ah nutrient lock in other words. Right got you.

It often masquerades as a calcium deficiency that refuses to be corrected