Thanks! I'll remember the apple cider vinegar if I decide I need to lower
the pH. I think for now, I'm just going to switch to tap water...

"Mark Prout" wrote in message
...
We have pretty basic water here in KC. Nearly pH 9. No problem with salts
if
I flush well when watering. I used bottled distilled for my brachys
though.
For all else, I just lower the pH of the tap water with apple cider
vinegar,
a natural acid with some bonus micronutrients as well. The phals love it.

On 1/29/03 12:49 AM, in article APKZ9.76097$rM2.43834@rwcrnsc53, "Jerry
Hoffmeister" wrote:

Not really trying to escape anything except chlorine. It's more that
the
dehumidifier is "making" water so I might as well use it. I remember
when I
was a kid, my mother would use it in her iron thinking it was
essentially
distilled or pure water. I figured the same but was suprised when it
read
higher on the TDS meter than the tap water. And yes, we're blessed here
in
Seattle with great water! In the greenhouse, I simply use a hozon
thingy to
add fert to the tap water.

"Clare Sleeter" wrote in message
...
What is in the Seattle water that you are trying to escape? I ask the
same. The
water up here is so wondxerful compared to Southern CA.

Susan Erickson wrote:

On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 02:37:33 GMT, "Jerry Hoffmeister"
wrote:

I have an RO water / pH question - I'm watering w/ "distilled" water
from
the dehumidifier
that ----------------clipped -----------------------------
The other interesting thing is that the dissolved salts in the
"distilled"
water reads more than the water straight out of the tap - 40 ppm vs
33
ppm
here in Seattle.

So, Why are you using RO water? And DEHUMIDIFIER water is NOT
RO. It is, in my experience, not very clean or chemical safe
water. What metals are in the pipes in your dehumidifier?

What is in Seattle's water you are trying to escape?
What is in the new water?

SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

--
-----------------------------------------------------
Click here for Free Video!!
http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/

Interesting Mark? How much Apple Cider Vinegar do you use in proportion to
water?
Cheers Wendy
"Mark Prout" wrote in message
...
| We have pretty basic water here in KC. Nearly pH 9. No problem with salts
if
| I flush well when watering. I used bottled distilled for my brachys
though.
| For all else, I just lower the pH of the tap water with apple cider
vinegar,
| a natural acid with some bonus micronutrients as well. The phals love it.
|
| On 1/29/03 12:49 AM, in article APKZ9.76097$rM2.43834@rwcrnsc53, "Jerry
| Hoffmeister" wrote:
|
| Not really trying to escape anything except chlorine. It's more that
the
| dehumidifier is "making" water so I might as well use it. I remember
when I
| was a kid, my mother would use it in her iron thinking it was
essentially
| distilled or pure water. I figured the same but was suprised when it
read
| higher on the TDS meter than the tap water. And yes, we're blessed here
in
| Seattle with great water! In the greenhouse, I simply use a hozon
thingy to
| add fert to the tap water.
|
| "Clare Sleeter" wrote in message
| ...
| What is in the Seattle water that you are trying to escape? I ask the
| same. The
| water up here is so wondxerful compared to Southern CA.
|
| Susan Erickson wrote:
|
| On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 02:37:33 GMT, "Jerry Hoffmeister"
| wrote:
|
| I have an RO water / pH question - I'm watering w/ "distilled" water
| from
| the dehumidifier
| that ----------------clipped -----------------------------
| The other interesting thing is that the dissolved salts in the
| "distilled"
| water reads more than the water straight out of the tap - 40 ppm vs
33
| ppm
| here in Seattle.
|
| So, Why are you using RO water? And DEHUMIDIFIER water is NOT
| RO. It is, in my experience, not very clean or chemical safe
| water. What metals are in the pipes in your dehumidifier?
|
| What is in Seattle's water you are trying to escape?
| What is in the new water?
|
| SuE
| http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php
|
| --
| -----------------------------------------------------
| Click here for Free Video!!
| http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/
|
|
|
|
|

That's a good question, Wendy, as straight vinegar is a marvelous herbicide!
I use it to keep weeds out of my brick walkway.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Wendy" wrote in message
...
Interesting Mark? How much Apple Cider Vinegar do you use in proportion to
water?
Cheers Wendy
"Mark Prout" wrote in message
...
| We have pretty basic water here in KC. Nearly pH 9. No problem with
salts
if
| I flush well when watering. I used bottled distilled for my brachys
though.
| For all else, I just lower the pH of the tap water with apple cider
vinegar,
| a natural acid with some bonus micronutrients as well. The phals love
it.
|
| On 1/29/03 12:49 AM, in article APKZ9.76097$rM2.43834@rwcrnsc53, "Jerry
| Hoffmeister" wrote:
|
| Not really trying to escape anything except chlorine. It's more that
the
| dehumidifier is "making" water so I might as well use it. I remember
when I
| was a kid, my mother would use it in her iron thinking it was
essentially
| distilled or pure water. I figured the same but was suprised when it
read
| higher on the TDS meter than the tap water. And yes, we're blessed
here
in
| Seattle with great water! In the greenhouse, I simply use a hozon
thingy to
| add fert to the tap water.
|
| "Clare Sleeter" wrote in message
| ...
| What is in the Seattle water that you are trying to escape? I ask the
| same. The
| water up here is so wondxerful compared to Southern CA.
|
| Susan Erickson wrote:
|
| On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 02:37:33 GMT, "Jerry Hoffmeister"
| wrote:
|
| I have an RO water / pH question - I'm watering w/ "distilled"
water
| from
| the dehumidifier
| that ----------------clipped -----------------------------
| The other interesting thing is that the dissolved salts in the
| "distilled"
| water reads more than the water straight out of the tap - 40 ppm vs
33
| ppm
| here in Seattle.
|
| So, Why are you using RO water? And DEHUMIDIFIER water is NOT
| RO. It is, in my experience, not very clean or chemical safe
| water. What metals are in the pipes in your dehumidifier?
|
| What is in Seattle's water you are trying to escape?
| What is in the new water?
|
| SuE
| http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php
|
| --
| -----------------------------------------------------
| Click here for Free Video!!
| http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/
|
|
|
|
|

I'm curious as well...

And Ray, if vinegar is a bad choice (to lower pH) what would u suggest?

"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
That's a good question, Wendy, as straight vinegar is a marvelous
herbicide!
I use it to keep weeds out of my brick walkway.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Wendy" wrote in message
...
Interesting Mark? How much Apple Cider Vinegar do you use in proportion
to
water?
Cheers Wendy
"Mark Prout" wrote in message
...
| We have pretty basic water here in KC. Nearly pH 9. No problem with
salts
if
| I flush well when watering. I used bottled distilled for my brachys
though.
| For all else, I just lower the pH of the tap water with apple cider
vinegar,
| a natural acid with some bonus micronutrients as well. The phals love
it.
|
| On 1/29/03 12:49 AM, in article APKZ9.76097$rM2.43834@rwcrnsc53,
"Jerry
| Hoffmeister" wrote:
|
| Not really trying to escape anything except chlorine. It's more
that
the
| dehumidifier is "making" water so I might as well use it. I
remember
when I
| was a kid, my mother would use it in her iron thinking it was
essentially
| distilled or pure water. I figured the same but was suprised when
it
read
| higher on the TDS meter than the tap water. And yes, we're blessed
here
in
| Seattle with great water! In the greenhouse, I simply use a hozon
thingy to
| add fert to the tap water.
|
| "Clare Sleeter" wrote in message
| ...
| What is in the Seattle water that you are trying to escape? I ask
the
| same. The
| water up here is so wondxerful compared to Southern CA.
|
| Susan Erickson wrote:
|
| On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 02:37:33 GMT, "Jerry Hoffmeister"
| wrote:
|
| I have an RO water / pH question - I'm watering w/ "distilled"
water
| from
| the dehumidifier
| that ----------------clipped -----------------------------
| The other interesting thing is that the dissolved salts in the
| "distilled"
| water reads more than the water straight out of the tap - 40 ppm
vs
33
| ppm
| here in Seattle.
|
| So, Why are you using RO water? And DEHUMIDIFIER water is NOT
| RO. It is, in my experience, not very clean or chemical safe
| water. What metals are in the pipes in your dehumidifier?
|
| What is in Seattle's water you are trying to escape?
| What is in the new water?
|
| SuE
| http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php
|
| --
| -----------------------------------------------------
| Click here for Free Video!!
| http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/
|
|
|
|
|

Sorry, I've been away from the desk awhile. I've been using a tablespoon to
the gallon to get a pH of 6.

On 1/29/03 5:44 PM, in article , "Jerry
Hoffmeister" wrote:

I'm curious as well...

And Ray, if vinegar is a bad choice (to lower pH) what would u suggest?

"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
That's a good question, Wendy, as straight vinegar is a marvelous
herbicide!
I use it to keep weeds out of my brick walkway.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Wendy" wrote in message
...
Interesting Mark? How much Apple Cider Vinegar do you use in proportion
to
water?
Cheers Wendy
"Mark Prout" wrote in message
...
| We have pretty basic water here in KC. Nearly pH 9. No problem with
salts
if
| I flush well when watering. I used bottled distilled for my brachys
though.
| For all else, I just lower the pH of the tap water with apple cider
vinegar,
| a natural acid with some bonus micronutrients as well. The phals love
it.
|
| On 1/29/03 12:49 AM, in article APKZ9.76097$rM2.43834@rwcrnsc53,
"Jerry
| Hoffmeister" wrote:
|
| Not really trying to escape anything except chlorine. It's more
that
the
| dehumidifier is "making" water so I might as well use it. I
remember
when I
| was a kid, my mother would use it in her iron thinking it was
essentially
| distilled or pure water. I figured the same but was suprised when
it
read
| higher on the TDS meter than the tap water. And yes, we're blessed
here
in
| Seattle with great water! In the greenhouse, I simply use a hozon
thingy to
| add fert to the tap water.
|
| "Clare Sleeter" wrote in message
| ...
| What is in the Seattle water that you are trying to escape? I ask
the
| same. The
| water up here is so wondxerful compared to Southern CA.
|
| Susan Erickson wrote:
|
| On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 02:37:33 GMT, "Jerry Hoffmeister"
| wrote:
|
| I have an RO water / pH question - I'm watering w/ "distilled"
water
| from
| the dehumidifier
| that ----------------clipped -----------------------------
| The other interesting thing is that the dissolved salts in the
| "distilled"
| water reads more than the water straight out of the tap - 40 ppm
vs
33
| ppm
| here in Seattle.
|
| So, Why are you using RO water? And DEHUMIDIFIER water is NOT
| RO. It is, in my experience, not very clean or chemical safe
| water. What metals are in the pipes in your dehumidifier?
|
| What is in Seattle's water you are trying to escape?
| What is in the new water?
|
| SuE
| http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php
|
| --
| -----------------------------------------------------
| Click here for Free Video!!
| http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/
|
|
|
|
|

Oh, and before vinegar, I used to use a couple of drops of muriatic acid per
gallon ... also otherwise deadly.

On 1/29/03 5:44 PM, in article , "Jerry
Hoffmeister" wrote:

I'm curious as well...

And Ray, if vinegar is a bad choice (to lower pH) what would u suggest?

"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
That's a good question, Wendy, as straight vinegar is a marvelous
herbicide!
I use it to keep weeds out of my brick walkway.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Wendy" wrote in message
...
Interesting Mark? How much Apple Cider Vinegar do you use in proportion
to
water?
Cheers Wendy
"Mark Prout" wrote in message
...
| We have pretty basic water here in KC. Nearly pH 9. No problem with
salts
if
| I flush well when watering. I used bottled distilled for my brachys
though.
| For all else, I just lower the pH of the tap water with apple cider
vinegar,
| a natural acid with some bonus micronutrients as well. The phals love
it.
|
| On 1/29/03 12:49 AM, in article APKZ9.76097$rM2.43834@rwcrnsc53,
"Jerry
| Hoffmeister" wrote:
|
| Not really trying to escape anything except chlorine. It's more
that
the
| dehumidifier is "making" water so I might as well use it. I
remember
when I
| was a kid, my mother would use it in her iron thinking it was
essentially
| distilled or pure water. I figured the same but was suprised when
it
read
| higher on the TDS meter than the tap water. And yes, we're blessed
here
in
| Seattle with great water! In the greenhouse, I simply use a hozon
thingy to
| add fert to the tap water.
|
| "Clare Sleeter" wrote in message
| ...
| What is in the Seattle water that you are trying to escape? I ask
the
| same. The
| water up here is so wondxerful compared to Southern CA.
|
| Susan Erickson wrote:
|
| On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 02:37:33 GMT, "Jerry Hoffmeister"
| wrote:
|
| I have an RO water / pH question - I'm watering w/ "distilled"
water
| from
| the dehumidifier
| that ----------------clipped -----------------------------
| The other interesting thing is that the dissolved salts in the
| "distilled"
| water reads more than the water straight out of the tap - 40 ppm
vs
33
| ppm
| here in Seattle.
|
| So, Why are you using RO water? And DEHUMIDIFIER water is NOT
| RO. It is, in my experience, not very clean or chemical safe
| water. What metals are in the pipes in your dehumidifier?
|
| What is in Seattle's water you are trying to escape?
| What is in the new water?
|
| SuE
| http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php
|
| --
| -----------------------------------------------------
| Click here for Free Video!!
| http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/
|
|
|
|
|

I must try that! It's cheap too! *g* Thanks, Cheers Wendy
"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
| That's a good question, Wendy, as straight vinegar is a marvelous
herbicide!
| I use it to keep weeds out of my brick walkway.
|
| --
|
| Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
| http://www.firstrays.com
| Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!
|
|
| "Wendy" wrote in message
| ...
| Interesting Mark? How much Apple Cider Vinegar do you use in proportion
to
| water?
| Cheers Wendy
| "Mark Prout" wrote in message
| ...
| | We have pretty basic water here in KC. Nearly pH 9. No problem with
| salts
| if
| | I flush well when watering. I used bottled distilled for my brachys
| though.
| | For all else, I just lower the pH of the tap water with apple cider
| vinegar,
| | a natural acid with some bonus micronutrients as well. The phals love
| it.
| |
| | On 1/29/03 12:49 AM, in article APKZ9.76097$rM2.43834@rwcrnsc53,
"Jerry
| | Hoffmeister" wrote:
| |
| | Not really trying to escape anything except chlorine. It's more
that
| the
| | dehumidifier is "making" water so I might as well use it. I
remember
| when I
| | was a kid, my mother would use it in her iron thinking it was
| essentially
| | distilled or pure water. I figured the same but was suprised when
it
| read
| | higher on the TDS meter than the tap water. And yes, we're blessed
| here
| in
| | Seattle with great water! In the greenhouse, I simply use a hozon
| thingy to
| | add fert to the tap water.
| |
| | "Clare Sleeter" wrote in message
| | ...
| | What is in the Seattle water that you are trying to escape? I ask
the
| | same. The
| | water up here is so wondxerful compared to Southern CA.
| |
| | Susan Erickson wrote:
| |
| | On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 02:37:33 GMT, "Jerry Hoffmeister"
| | wrote:
| |
| | I have an RO water / pH question - I'm watering w/ "distilled"
| water
| | from
| | the dehumidifier
| | that ----------------clipped -----------------------------
| | The other interesting thing is that the dissolved salts in the
| | "distilled"
| | water reads more than the water straight out of the tap - 40 ppm
vs
| 33
| | ppm
| | here in Seattle.
| |
| | So, Why are you using RO water? And DEHUMIDIFIER water is NOT
| | RO. It is, in my experience, not very clean or chemical safe
| | water. What metals are in the pipes in your dehumidifier?
| |
| | What is in Seattle's water you are trying to escape?
| | What is in the new water?
| |
| | SuE
| | http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php
| |
| | --
| | -----------------------------------------------------
| | Click here for Free Video!!
| | http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|

I didn't say it was bad... unless we're talking "pure" vinegar.

I really don't have a recommendations as my well water is extremely acidic
in the first place, and once I pass it through my RO unit and add the
Dyna-Gro, I use ProTekt to raise the pH.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Jerry Hoffmeister" wrote in message
...
I'm curious as well...

And Ray, if vinegar is a bad choice (to lower pH) what would u suggest?

"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
That's a good question, Wendy, as straight vinegar is a marvelous
herbicide!
I use it to keep weeds out of my brick walkway.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Wendy" wrote in message
...
Interesting Mark? How much Apple Cider Vinegar do you use in
proportion
to
water?
Cheers Wendy
"Mark Prout" wrote in message
...
| We have pretty basic water here in KC. Nearly pH 9. No problem with
salts
if
| I flush well when watering. I used bottled distilled for my brachys
though.
| For all else, I just lower the pH of the tap water with apple cider
vinegar,
| a natural acid with some bonus micronutrients as well. The phals
love
it.
|
| On 1/29/03 12:49 AM, in article APKZ9.76097$rM2.43834@rwcrnsc53,
"Jerry
| Hoffmeister" wrote:
|
| Not really trying to escape anything except chlorine. It's more
that
the
| dehumidifier is "making" water so I might as well use it. I
remember
when I
| was a kid, my mother would use it in her iron thinking it was
essentially
| distilled or pure water. I figured the same but was suprised when
it
read
| higher on the TDS meter than the tap water. And yes, we're
blessed
here
in
| Seattle with great water! In the greenhouse, I simply use a hozon
thingy to
| add fert to the tap water.
|
| "Clare Sleeter" wrote in message
| ...
| What is in the Seattle water that you are trying to escape? I ask
the
| same. The
| water up here is so wondxerful compared to Southern CA.
|
| Susan Erickson wrote:
|
| On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 02:37:33 GMT, "Jerry Hoffmeister"
| wrote:
|
| I have an RO water / pH question - I'm watering w/ "distilled"
water
| from
| the dehumidifier
| that ----------------clipped -----------------------------
| The other interesting thing is that the dissolved salts in the
| "distilled"
| water reads more than the water straight out of the tap - 40
ppm
vs
33
| ppm
| here in Seattle.
|
| So, Why are you using RO water? And DEHUMIDIFIER water is NOT
| RO. It is, in my experience, not very clean or chemical safe
| water. What metals are in the pipes in your dehumidifier?
|
| What is in Seattle's water you are trying to escape?
| What is in the new water?
|
| SuE
| http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php
|
| --
| -----------------------------------------------------
| Click here for Free Video!!
| http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/
|
|
|
|
|

So if I wanted to try this, I would first check to see what the pH is. Would
I do this after adding the fertilizer?
Is 6 a good number for orchids? Cheers Wendy
"Mark Prout" wrote in message
...
| Sorry, I've been away from the desk awhile. I've been using a tablespoon
to
| the gallon to get a pH of 6.
|
| On 1/29/03 5:44 PM, in article , "Jerry
| Hoffmeister" wrote:
|
| I'm curious as well...
|
| And Ray, if vinegar is a bad choice (to lower pH) what would u suggest?
|
| "Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
| ...
| That's a good question, Wendy, as straight vinegar is a marvelous
| herbicide!
| I use it to keep weeds out of my brick walkway.
|
| --
|
| Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
| http://www.firstrays.com
| Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!
|
|
| "Wendy" wrote in message
| ...
| Interesting Mark? How much Apple Cider Vinegar do you use in
proportion
| to
| water?
| Cheers Wendy
| "Mark Prout" wrote in message
| ...
| | We have pretty basic water here in KC. Nearly pH 9. No problem with
| salts
| if
| | I flush well when watering. I used bottled distilled for my brachys
| though.
| | For all else, I just lower the pH of the tap water with apple cider
| vinegar,
| | a natural acid with some bonus micronutrients as well. The phals
love
| it.
| |
| | On 1/29/03 12:49 AM, in article APKZ9.76097$rM2.43834@rwcrnsc53,
| "Jerry
| | Hoffmeister" wrote:
| |
| | Not really trying to escape anything except chlorine. It's more
| that
| the
| | dehumidifier is "making" water so I might as well use it. I
| remember
| when I
| | was a kid, my mother would use it in her iron thinking it was
| essentially
| | distilled or pure water. I figured the same but was suprised when
| it
| read
| | higher on the TDS meter than the tap water. And yes, we're
blessed
| here
| in
| | Seattle with great water! In the greenhouse, I simply use a hozon
| thingy to
| | add fert to the tap water.
| |
| | "Clare Sleeter" wrote in message
| | ...
| | What is in the Seattle water that you are trying to escape? I ask
| the
| | same. The
| | water up here is so wondxerful compared to Southern CA.
| |
| | Susan Erickson wrote:
| |
| | On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 02:37:33 GMT, "Jerry Hoffmeister"
| | wrote:
| |
| | I have an RO water / pH question - I'm watering w/ "distilled"
| water
| | from
| | the dehumidifier
| | that ----------------clipped -----------------------------
| | The other interesting thing is that the dissolved salts in the
| | "distilled"
| | water reads more than the water straight out of the tap - 40
ppm
| vs
| 33
| | ppm
| | here in Seattle.
| |
| | So, Why are you using RO water? And DEHUMIDIFIER water is NOT
| | RO. It is, in my experience, not very clean or chemical safe
| | water. What metals are in the pipes in your dehumidifier?
| |
| | What is in Seattle's water you are trying to escape?
| | What is in the new water?
| |
| | SuE
| | http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php
| |
| | --
| | -----------------------------------------------------
| | Click here for Free Video!!
| | http://www.gohip.com/freevideo/
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Wendy wrote:

So if I wanted to try this, I would first check to see what the pH is. Would
I do this after adding the fertilizer?
Is 6 a good number for orchids? Cheers Wendy


Always check the pH both before you add acids (or bases), and after.
pH test strips or a cheap meter are a necessity for growing orchids. I
wouldn't ever rely on set amount of acid, it depends on the
concentration and composition of the fertilizer and the water. Check
before - so you have an idea of how much to add. Check after - so you
know if you over or under corrected.

For what it is worth, vinegar (If I recall about 8% acetic acid) is
fine to lower pH. White or cider makes no difference. Lemon juice
(containing citric acid) works fine too, and smells nice. You need more
lemon juice... Muriatic (hydrochloric) acid is fine but a little too
concentrated to be safe. You can safely drink or touch vinegar and
lemon juice (although you should probably not bathe in it or spend too
much time soaking in it...).

When I used Dynagro, I always had raise my pH. I used 10N NaOH
(sodium hydroxide) - but it didn't take much. Most people probably
don't have access to pure NaOH, but lye would work. Or you can just buy
the various 'pH-up' and 'pH-down' products on the market.

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
4) Repot! (by popular request)

Don't know what more I can add, but to agree with Rob. But I have read that
apple cider vinegar has some micronutrients as well as the acid. The vinegar
I buy says it's 5% acid.

On 1/30/03 10:38 AM, in article , "Rob
Halgren" wrote:

Wendy wrote:

So if I wanted to try this, I would first check to see what the pH is. Would
I do this after adding the fertilizer?
Is 6 a good number for orchids? Cheers Wendy


Always check the pH both before you add acids (or bases), and after.
pH test strips or a cheap meter are a necessity for growing orchids. I
wouldn't ever rely on set amount of acid, it depends on the
concentration and composition of the fertilizer and the water. Check
before - so you have an idea of how much to add. Check after - so you
know if you over or under corrected.

For what it is worth, vinegar (If I recall about 8% acetic acid) is
fine to lower pH. White or cider makes no difference. Lemon juice
(containing citric acid) works fine too, and smells nice. You need more
lemon juice... Muriatic (hydrochloric) acid is fine but a little too
concentrated to be safe. You can safely drink or touch vinegar and
lemon juice (although you should probably not bathe in it or spend too
much time soaking in it...).

When I used Dynagro, I always had raise my pH. I used 10N NaOH
(sodium hydroxide) - but it didn't take much. Most people probably
don't have access to pure NaOH, but lye would work. Or you can just buy
the various 'pH-up' and 'pH-down' products on the market.

Mark Prout wrote:

Don't know what more I can add, but to agree with Rob. But I have read that
apple cider vinegar has some micronutrients as well as the acid. The vinegar
I buy says it's 5% acid.



I wanted to say 5%... But it just didn't sound right. I think the
difference between white and cider vinegar is that white vinegar is
distilled. But I could be wrong. So it makes sense that cider vinegar
has more stuff in it. Whether or not any of those things are plant
nutrients I have no idea. Can't hurt, I'd guess.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit

Rob spaketh thusly with great wisdom:

When I used Dynagro, I always had raise my pH. I used 10N NaOH
(sodium hydroxide) - but it didn't take much. Most people probably
don't have access to pure NaOH, but lye would work. Or you can just buy
the various 'pH-up' and 'pH-down' products on the market.

Sodium hydroxide is very effective at raising the pH; potassium
hydroxide would have the added benefit of adding potassium, which plants
use at a much higher rate than sodium (if they use sodium at all).

HOWEVER, sodium hydroxide is very dangerous- toxic, caustic, you
name it. Drain cleaner. With this in mind, use the proper safety
precautions (gloves, eye protection, shoes and long pants) if you use it:
Red Devil Lye. Pure enough to make soap with. A solution of this may be
added dropwise to your water to raise the pH.

Solutions should be stored in tightly sealed bottles. The solution
absorbs carbon dioxide, reducing its strength over time.

-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ

On Thu, 30 Jan 2003 11:38:21 -0500, Rob Halgren
wrote:
lots of clipping ahead

For what it is worth, vinegar (If I recall about 8% acetic acid) is
fine to lower pH. White or cider makes no difference. ..................
You can safely drink or touch vinegar and
lemon juice (although you should probably not bathe in it or spend too
much time soaking in it...).


Grandma always said Apple Cider vinegar would stop a sunburn from
burning deeper or help ease a sliver back out if you soak it long
enough. It will also drain an infected cut. One of those that,
because you were in the gh when you nicked yourself, you were
too busy to treat. So now it is infected. Always works for me,
although my son (redhead and sunburn) says he does not want to
smell like a pickle.


SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php