It could just be a mineral in your soil that is finally breaking down and becoming available and the plant is just adjusting to it.
2 Likes
My plants are still stripey but growing fine and still no burnt tips.
I’ve been reading a bit more about excess lime and it fits the bill. Causes the soil to be too alkaline. I’m certain I mixed in too much by accident, like 2-3X normal amount. It was one of those dumb assumptions like, “whoops…well, can’t have too much lime”.
I’ve been watering with more acidic pH water (like 5.5 - 6) and they seem to like it. New growth looks great and has been staying nice a little longer.
2 Likes
I wanted to update this thread after having cleared up the issue. I made up new batches of recycled soil and this time I left out the dolomite lime completely, figuring I can water it in later if needed.
The old fan leaves never cleared it up but all the new growth is happy and healthy green again.
9 Likes
Looking excellent. Very nice work!
2 Likes
RO water should be slightly acidic. Water at equilibrium is always acidic.
2 Likes
This is an accurate observation. Deionized water is actually corrosive in nature as it seeks to dissolve anything it can, including gas. Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is the culprit. If you’re RO water is reading pH higher than 7 there is a problem to sort out.
On that note; It’s important to keep your aerators outside of any area receiving C02 enrichment for you hydroponic guys.
3 Likes
I know I’m late to the show here but from my experience formulating substrates from scratch, and recycling for a very long time now, what had happened was due to an accumulated bicarbonate from the tap water. Allowing tap water to off gas doesn’t address any mineral content it containes.
Simple solution to accumulated bicarbonate is to water in an acid and neutralizing it, thus freeing up the element that’s bound. In this case it was Magnesium but calcium goes hand in hand. Apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar or even a strong dilution of Lactic Acid bacterial serum will work.
6 Likes
That’s incredibly insightful. Thank you. It’s never too late to lay down some knowledge! I actually just finished making my first batch of LABS. Looking forward to trying it in many different applications.
3 Likes
Don’t be shy with the LAB, it’s a miracle microbe for soil and hydro. Foliar tho, ehh… I’d rather use PSB for the light spectrum enhancement it provides.
2 Likes
I developed an L. acidophilus fermentum culture years ago when I worked in probiotic RnD. It produced CO2 as well as lactic acid, used to bubble up breads and pasta. I need to work that into a soil application imagine all your mulch pumping out CO2
2 Likes
That would be very interesting and quite a challenge I’d imagine. From my understanding of microbes, it would be hard to maintain a consistent and regulated presence of one particular, especially in a high diversity like what organics rely on. Inevitably the LAB would sucumb to the microbial loop. Keeping in mind Lactobacillus is a flaculative anerobe and only generates C02 in an anaerobic environment. As an aerob it helps break down organic matter and becomes food for protozoa, because of this it need to be re-populated as it multiplies best in anaerobic conditions.
I would think the continuous production of C02 could only happen at the mulch level as anything below would negatively impact the roots over time. But what nutrient source would be used? Ideally a grain right? Something with gluten possibly?
Definitely an interesting suggestion, could prove ground breaking if applicable.
It would likely need to be applied in some type of pod or dense nutrient ball to give it an anaerobic environment. But it may be possible to trick a cover crop legume into housing it in the roots like azobacter.
I may run some trials for shits and giggles with a cap mat. That would be just as effective with a continuous dose of C02 off gassing from it. I use them in sub irrigation often. Lactose would be the preferred carb source, but I’m curious about inulin found naturally in chicory root I believe. I’ve used it in broths and teas to get things moving and those buggers love it.
1 Like
You may be onto something here! Very interesting to say the least. I culture my own LAB but I know that my serum isn’t an isolated monoculture. It seems like you’d have to have a mono for any successful outcome.
Please keep me up to date on any findings.