Most people do not understand pH in Hydroponics.
In all facets of growing plants, the most important success factor is disregarded. Regardless of whether you are growing plants in ground soil, containers or using hydroponics pH is very important. Knowing the range of pH level that each plant does well in is a grower’s key to success in any growing situation.
The secret to ultimate growth and bumper harvests is simple.
PH is measured on a scale of 1 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Below 7pH is acidic soil and above 7pH is alkaline soil. Many plants adapt to lower pH levels. Others turn a sickly yellowish green and begin declining, and some will die quite rapidly. While many plants adapt to a varying range of pH, each performs most robustly at the pH level it prefers. A crop’s ultimate pH can vary between plant types you want to grow.
You can’t get blood out of a rock.
Nor can a plant find nutrients in the rock wool you are housing its roots in. Your pH level is extremely important to hydroponic growing. With no soil present to provide naturally available nutrients, your crop is totally dependent on you to provide its every need. pH is the key element in maintaining balanced nutrients in every growing media utilized in modern growing.
 As a rule of thumb, most plants like a slightly acidic pH nutrient level.
It is very easy to check your pH levels with a pH meter. Making the needed adjustments in hydroponic growing is done very simply with either a light addition of pH up or pH down solution to the system reservoir. Most plants will tolerate a pH level between 5.0-7.5, but the majority of them would prefer a pH range of 6.0-6.5. It is much easier to adjust your pH level in hydroponic growing than it is for plants grown in container production or ground soil.
Total control over your growing environment makes hydroponics easy.
Compared to the great outdoors and the unpredictable effects of the elements, a hydroponic grower has the best advantage. Grasping the importance of pH is your key to certain success. You can predetermine the level you need to maintain and each step you need to take to achieve that balance. Whereas gardening in your yard can at times be like running against the wind … with your eyes closed.
Your plants roots take up nutrients when they need them.
A pH imbalance can make a needed nutrient less or even completely unavailable. Micronutrient imbalances cause a lack of chlorophyll because your plant cannot take up available iron it becomes more yellow leaved than green. Nutrients being out of balance cause yellowed leaves, small buds and vegetables, stunted growth and a crop without good flavor.
Taking the first step toward complete control of your growing system.
Learning how to use a pH meter is the first thing you need to do. If you are using a growing media instead of rock wool, you will need to check both the media and your solution. You will need to regularly check your pH to optimize plant growth by keeping a watchful eye on available nutrient for uptake.
Related items
|
Testing and Measuring 