How to use pH for cannabis grass

How to detect cannabis using pH
 

The procedure takes less than 5 minutes, but is the key to the health of your growths.

Do you use quality fertilizers and stimulants, but the plants still lack nutrients? The most common reason for this is the wrong pH level in the root zone.

WHAT IS pH for grow cannabis? 

pH is a pH indicator that characterizes the concentration of free hydrogen ions in water. It is the logarithm of the concentration of hydrogen ions, taken with the opposite sign, i.e. pH = -log[H+].

Simply put, the pH value is determined by the quantitative ratio of H+ and OH- ions in water, which are formed during the dissociation of water. pH 7 is considered neutral, the pH of pure water.

You can measure the pH of water with a special pH tester or a digital pH pen .

WHY IS pH SO IMPORTANT?

Cannabis roots love a slightly acidic environment. Soil with a slightly acidic pH is exactly what makes cannabis thrive in the wild.

Proper pH at the roots helps plants absorb the nutrients they need. If the pH at the roots is too high or too low, the plant cannot properly absorb nutrients and becomes deficient.

Nutrients take on different forms (on a chemical level) depending on the pH of the environment in which they are found. Some forms are more easily absorbed by the roots than others. Therefore, in some cases, the plant may show signs of nutrient deficiency even when the nutrients are physically present in the roots. If your plant is growing perfectly, with no signs of nutrient deficiencies, then you can assume that the pH is in the optimal range for the plant.

Thus, with a stable and correct pH level, plants are less likely to suffer from diseases or lack of nutrients, and also develop faster, giving higher yields.

WHICH PH VALUE IS BEST FOR CANNABIS?

• Soil - 6.0–7.0 pH.
• Hydroponics / Coco - 5.5-6.5 pH

Due to too high or too low pH, cannabis can show signs of nutrient deficiencies, even if they are present in the substrate.

The following charts show how easy it is for a plant to absorb each nutrient at different pH levels.

EARTH, pH ~ 6.0–7.0

The pH level of the water should be 6-7.

First 5 days 5.8 -5.9

Vega 6 - 6.3

Pre-flower 6.3 - 6.5

Color 6.5 - 6.8

To Harv 6.8 - 7

See which nutrients are best absorbed at different pH levels:

If you are not using liquid nutrients, pH is not that important. But when using liquid fertilizers, you will almost always have to adjust the pH to prevent problems and get the best results.

HYDRAPONICS, COCONUT, pH ~ 5.5–6.5

For hydroponic setups and soilless growing media such as coconut, the optimum root zone pH is between 5.5 and 6.5. It is more acidic than the optimum pH for growing in soil.

See which nutrients are best absorbed at different pH levels:

When using hydroponics, it is especially important that the pH changes slightly. The diagram above shows that different nutrients can only be taken up by plants at higher or lower pH values.

A hydroponic setup almost always uses liquid nutrients, so save yourself a lot of trouble by monitoring and adjusting the pH as needed. It will naturally change over time and you will only need to adjust it when it starts to go outside the 5.5-6.5 range you want.

COCONUT FOR GROW CANNABIS

Most of the soilless substrates that are used to grow cannabis indoors  are completely inert, which means they don't add any nutrients to the plant. They provide support for the roots, and plant nutrients are brought in with the water.

Organics require a slightly higher pH level.

Liquid pH Test by GHE

The pH level can fluctuate up and down - there is nothing to worry about. Don't chase the ideal pH, just keep the pH in the right range to prevent it from being too high or too low in the root zone. As long as you stick to the recommended pH ranges above, you should be able to avoid most nutrient problems caused by too high or too low pH.

It is important to remember to add nutrients to the water before checking and adjusting the pH, as fertilizers and stimulants affect pH levels.

WHAT YOU NEED TO CORRECTION THE pH LEVEL

To check and adjust the pH level, you will need:

PH tester

• Digital pH knob
• pH test set with drops or strips

PH regulator

• PH Up and PH Down

PH Up and PH Down are great for adjusting pH in soil or hydroponics.

General Hydroponics products are the most common, but other brands, such as E-Mode , can also be used .

pH regulators from E-Mode

There are other pH adjustments out there, but PH Up and PH Down are great for growing cannabis and keep the pH more stable than alternatives like vinegar or baking soda.

HOW TO ADJUST pH

• 1️⃣Add fertilizer or other additives to the water. Always do this first because nutrients can change the pH of the water.

• 2️⃣ Gently mix the resulting solution.

• 3️⃣Check the pH with a digital tester, drops or strips.

• 4️⃣Adjust the pH by adding PH Up or PH Down solution. Your goal is to have your fertilizer water in the correct pH range for the growing medium you are using. If the pH is too low, add PH Up to correct the situation, if too high, PH Down.

• 5️⃣Recheck to make sure the pH is in the proper range.

• 6️⃣Many growers test the pH of their runoff water to make sure it's in the right range. Try to do the same. It is better to check the earliest stock. Hydroponics hobbyists can test the pH of the water by testing a small sample from the tank.

HOW MUCH PH UP / PH DOWN SHOULD I ADD?

If you are using very soft water, you will need a small amount of regulators to balance the pH. For hard water, you will need to add a little more.

• PH Down -1 ml / 10 L of water will generally lower the pH of the solution by about one unit. Of course, this is a very rough estimate, but it gives you a starting point for experimentation. If you are using reverse osmosis or soft water you will probably need less PH Down. But if you have very hard water, you may need more.
• PH UP - has a weaker effect compared to PH Down. Depending on how hard the water is, you will need to add 2-4 ml/10 L of PH Up to raise the pH by one unit.

TIPS

• ✅ Do not overdo it with liquid fertilizers, it is always better to underfeed than overfeed. After all, you can always add.
• ✅ Never mix nutrients or supplements with each other, always add them directly to the water. When mixed, nutrients can react with each other and become less available to plants.
• ✅First, add "Micro" to the water if you are using three-component fertilizers.
• ✅ Tap and mineral water has an additional buffer of minerals and other substances. This helps prevent a rapid rise or fall in pH and can make your life easier.
• ✅Shake the water and the pH will change. When checking and adjusting pH, some growers prefer to shake the container of water to evenly mix the contents. This is a working method and roots love the extra oxygen in the water, but it's important to understand that dissolved oxygen will raise the pH. Therefore, water should be mixed carefully.
• ✅ Try to keep the pH in the suggested range and you will be fine even if it is on the upper or lower limit.

FLUSHING Cannabis pH

pH problems are sometimes caused by over-fertilization (the plant was given too many nutrients and additives that accumulated in the substrate as a result). Flushing should only be done when you have no other choice because it flushes out extra nutrients and salts.

After washing, water the plants with a light nutrient solution. Plants may drop their leaves when they are washed (a sign of overwatering), but this will go away once the substrate begins to dry out. After the top layer of the substrate has dried, water the plant as usual and check the waste water to make sure the pH has changed to the level you want.

EARTH

If pH...

• 6-7 is the correct range, no change needed.
• Less than 6 - ensure next watering at pH 7
• More than 7 - ensure next watering at pH 6

Apply this rule every time you water.

COCONUT

The pH level of the water should be 5.5–6.5.

If pH...

• 5.5-6.5 is the correct range, no change needed.
• Less than 5.5 - ensure next watering at pH 6.5
• More than 6.5 - ensure next watering at pH 5.5

Apply this rule every time you water.

HYDRA

Maintaining the pH level is especially important in hydroponics. Luckily, this is really easy as you only have to worry about the water in the tank.

• If the pH is too high, add a small amount of PH Down solution to the tank.
• If the pH is too low, add a small amount of PH Up solution to the tank.

Important :

• The pH of water tends to rise when the water is oxygenated, such as by aeration, and this is normal;
• pH changes over time because plants take up nutrients from the water;
• it is a good idea to completely change the contents of the tank at least once a week, especially during the flowering stage when the plants are more demanding on the nutrient solution. This constant renewal helps prevent many pH problems as well as salt buildup in the tank;
• Check your tank water regularly to check for pH issues before it harms your plants. 

Digital tester vs drops and strips

The most common way to test the pH of water is with drops or strips. You simply compare the resulting color with the chart and this gives you a rough idea of ​​the pH level.

Digital pH Tester

This device is similar to a thermometer. You dip one end of the tester into water and a digital value appears on the screen.

Advantages of a digital pH tester:

• you immediately get the exact pH value without additional manipulations;
• The verification procedure is very simple and takes only a few seconds.

Cons of a digital pH tester:

• The instrument requires proper storage. Always put on the cap after use to prevent the electrode from oxidizing;
• the tester needs calibration to be sure of its accuracy;
• expensive compared to drops/strips

pH test kit with drops or strips

The way these testers work is simple: you take a small sample of water into the included test tube, add a few drops of the solution, and then compare the color of the water to a chart to determine the pH level.

ANSWERS TO BEGINNER QUESTIONS pH CANNABIS GROW

• ❓My pH keeps changing when I test

Remember that shaking the water temporarily raises the pH. So if you shake the water again and test again, you will notice that the pH readings are different.

If you are using strips, make sure you follow the directions exactly. Adding too much or too little liquid will make the test false.

If you are using a digital pH tester, make sure it works properly by testing it with 4.0 and 7.0 calibration fluid.

• ❓Is it difficult to maintain pH?

Maintaining the pH level for cannabis in principle cannot be a simple and intuitive task. Measuring and regulating pH is as important as mixing the nutrients themselves. Checking the pH level can take less than a minute, but the impact of this check on the final result you get when harvesting can be huge.

SO THINGS TO REMEMBER ph Cannabis:
 

• ❗Always check the pH of the water you give your plants.
• ❗ First add fertilizers - then adjust the psh. THIS IS THE LAW.
• ❗If you are using liquid fertilizers but are experiencing nutrient deficiencies in your plants, the first thing to do is to check your pH levels, as an incorrect pH level can prevent your plants from absorbing the fertilizer efficiently.

You may need to flush the plants if the pH is out of order.

Everything is fine as long as the pH stays in the right range. Soil pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0, hydroponic pH between 5.5 and 6.5.

You can order cannabis seeds and test the operation of a pH meter by experience at the  Prosto Rasta cannabis seed store

All information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a guide or call to action. All materials are taken from the Internet.