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#1
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Potted plant pH too high -- how to adjust?
I have a plant that has been getting lighter green as it gets bigger. I
thought the problem was nitrogen so I added some Miracle-Gro to the water. It didn't seem to have any effect. Today I tested the pH of my soil, and it's 9. Recommended value is 5-7. How can I safely acidify a potted plant? (Pointers to a FAQ page welcome ... if this is a FAQ.) -- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer. |
#2
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Potted plant pH too high -- how to adjust?
On 2005-11-30 12:10:34 -0500, (Spud Demon) said:
I have a plant that has been getting lighter green as it gets bigger. I thought the problem was nitrogen so I added some Miracle-Gro to the water. It didn't seem to have any effect. Today I tested the pH of my soil, and it's 9. Recommended value is 5-7. How can I safely acidify a potted plant? (Pointers to a FAQ page welcome ... if this is a FAQ.) http://www.savvygardener.com/Features/soil_ph.html Google is your friend! -- Chris: "Dad, what's a blowhole for?" Peter: "I'll tell you what it's NOT for and then you'll know why I can never go back to Sea World." |
#4
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Potted plant pH too high -- how to adjust?
The best remedy for a potted plant is to change the potting soil. What
could you have put in the pot to go pH 9. I don't know of any potting soils that are more than neutral. I f you have an acid loving plant requiring a pH below 6. there are specific potting mixtures for that situation. |
#5
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Potted plant pH too high -- how to adjust?
Thanks to all who replied, especially Stephen -- lots of useful info!
" writes in article . com dated 1 Dec 2005 07:48:56 -0800: The best remedy for a potted plant is to change the potting soil. What could you have put in the pot to go pH 9. I don't know of any potting soils that are more than neutral. I f you have an acid loving plant requiring a pH below 6. there are specific potting mixtures for that situation. The plant has been in the same soil for over a year but the problem is more recent. All I added was water (through a new hose) and fertilizer. But it's an undrained pot, maybe that has something to do with the pH going crazy. Anyway, last night I added half a cup of Epsom salt (Magnesium Sulfate) mixed with a gallon of water. Later today I will re-check the pH. I don't want to mess up the root ball by transplanting it in different soil, but I might rinse it (overwater and then dump out the excess) if the chemical/bacterial route doesn't work. That should bring the pH close to 7. -- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer. |
#6
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Potted plant pH too high -- how to adjust?
Spud Demon wrote:
Thanks to all who replied, especially Stephen -- lots of useful info! " writes in article . com dated 1 Dec 2005 07:48:56 -0800: The best remedy for a potted plant is to change the potting soil. What could you have put in the pot to go pH 9. I don't know of any potting soils that are more than neutral. I f you have an acid loving plant requiring a pH below 6. there are specific potting mixtures for that situation. The plant has been in the same soil for over a year but the problem is more recent. All I added was water (through a new hose) and fertilizer. But it's an undrained pot, maybe that has something to do with the pH going crazy. Anyway, last night I added half a cup of Epsom salt (Magnesium Sulfate) mixed with a gallon of water. Later today I will re-check the pH. I don't want to mess up the root ball by transplanting it in different soil, but I might rinse it (overwater and then dump out the excess) if the chemical/bacterial route doesn't work. That should bring the pH close to 7. -- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer. Plants should *never* be planted in a pot without drainage. -- Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 5 |
#7
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Potted plant pH too high -- how to adjust?
On Thu, 1 Dec 2005 16:50:31 +0000 (UTC), Spud Demon wrote:
The plant has been in the same soil for over a year but the problem is more recent. All I added was water (through a new hose) and fertilizer. But it's an undrained pot, maybe that has something to do with the pH going crazy. Anyway, last night I added half a cup of Epsom salt (Magnesium Sulfate) mixed with a gallon of water. Later today I will re-check the pH. I don't want to mess up the root ball by transplanting it in different soil, but I might rinse it (overwater and then dump out the excess) if the In my opinion and experience, you'd be far better off getting that plant out of the pot, soil rinsed from the roots, and then repotted into fresh medium in a pot with proper drainage. Put the drained pot into the undrained one, if you want to show it off -- and consider looking up "double potting", where the space between the clay pot and the display pot is packed with a fibrous, water-retentive medium like long strand sphagnum. Plants experience many more stresses in a pot than they do planted outside. The root volume is restricted, the soil tends to collapse and become oxygen deficient as organic matter is depleted, the plant tends to experience drought-and-drown watering (especially a problem in an undrained container) and salts tend to accumulate in teh soil, leading to tip burn of leaves and eventually to the plant being unable to get adequate moisture from the soil. Adding that half cup of mag sulfate (a salt) is going to accelerate that salinization problem. I don't know the specimen size you're dealing with here... I've repotted lots of big plants myself, up to about 60 gallon containers, and borrowed muscles for bigger containers. It's definitely work. But the plant will do better in better growing conditions. Kay |
#8
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Potted plant pH too high -- how to adjust?
(Spud Demon) wrote:
The plant has been in the same soil for over a year but the problem is more recent. All I added was water (through a new hose) and fertilizer. But it's an undrained pot, maybe that has something to do with the pH going crazy. An undrained pot is going to kill the plant. First, salts in the water build up to toxic levels. Second, the roots drown in the water in the pot. Unless you have a bog plant, the plant is doomed. If it is a bog plant, it will take a little longer to kill. Either drill a hole in the bottom or move to a pot with a hole. -- Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman |
#9
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Potted plant pH too high -- how to adjust?
Quit screwing around, repot with fresh soil and provide pore space and
drainage. Spud Demon wrote: I have a plant that has been getting lighter green as it gets bigger. I thought the problem was nitrogen so I added some Miracle-Gro to the water. It didn't seem to have any effect. Today I tested the pH of my soil, and it's 9. Recommended value is 5-7. How can I safely acidify a potted plant? (Pointers to a FAQ page welcome ... if this is a FAQ.) -- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer. |
#10
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Potted plant pH too high -- how to adjust?
My experience with high pH says to check the water you are watering with.
The soil tends to take on the pH of the water used. In my case my well water tends to run with a pH 8 and pretty soon so is the soil in my house plants. About once a month I use a acid type fertilizer (miracle grow for acid plants). Seems to balance everything out over time. Put some holes in the pot too. Using a fertilizer will build up salts real fast. Watering with rain water is also helpful. "Spud Demon" wrote in message ... I have a plant that has been getting lighter green as it gets bigger. I thought the problem was nitrogen so I added some Miracle-Gro to the water. It didn't seem to have any effect. Today I tested the pH of my soil, and it's 9. Recommended value is 5-7. How can I safely acidify a potted plant? (Pointers to a FAQ page welcome ... if this is a FAQ.) -- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer. |
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