Ph problems for soil grow....3rd grow

So my question is how or what is the proper way to test my soil for ph or do i even need to?? I have been through the school of hard knocks on growing and just started using this site. I use a cheap 2 probe light, wet, and ph meter. when i put it in the soil it reads high 7 maybe 8 so i have been adjusting my water mixed with nuts with ph down to attempt to correct this, So i add 10 mils ph down per 2 gallons to get the mixture way down to around 5. I'm one week into flowering and plants overall look good except minor things that look like ph problems. is there a better way to test my soil and should i just adjust my water/nutrient mixture to the proper ph and let the soil do the rest?? any help would be greatly appreciated!!

A soil PH meter i the way to test. NOt sure what you are using.

My rule of thumb, PH everythng that goes in and no need to worry from there.

GrowinDad said:

A soil PH meter i the way to test. NOt sure what you are using.

My rule of thumb, PH everythng that goes in and no need to worry from there.

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Thank u sir! I have been using a cheap 2 probe thing u just stick in the dirt, and its not digital....it always reads high in the soil so adjust the mixture way low and it never fixes the soil so i figured something is wrong. I'm surprised i havent killed these girls yet..lol. I have been researching ph meters for ever and they never seem to be clear! Do u have one that u could recommend? then do i use that to test my mixture also or stick to the drops?

The soil should naturally be okay. I don't really test my soil. I do adjust all water or water/nutes to 6.5 PH before it goes to the girls.

I have a Blulabs PH pen.

GrowinDad said:

The soil should naturally be okay. I don't really test my soil. I do adjust all water or water/nutes to 6.5 PH before it goes to the girls.

I have a Blulabs PH pen.

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Thanks for the help! This should fix my problems!

bred said:

Thanks for the help! This should fix my problems!

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Mix 20mls dry soil with 40mls of ro water and let sit for 30 minutes then check the ph of the solution. That os your soil ph
Heres a link http://www.hightimes.com/read/grow-hack-checking-soil-ph

Thanks! Will do that today. This site is super helpful!

I like to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of dolomite lime per gallon of soil to stabilize my pH. I noticed sometimes late in flower if I didn't do this it would drop way low and cause me problems.

hotshotisdashit said:

I like to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of dolomite lime per gallon of soil to stabilize my pH. I noticed sometimes late in flower if I didn't do this it would drop way low and cause me problems.

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Thanks! Now is that added to the soil in the beginning, or in the nut solution, or on top of the soil now? After reading all day next time will defiantly use it at the beginning in my soil mix!

Its definitely better to add to the soil at the beginning but I've successfully added it as a top dress mid grow. With this method try and get the powdered version. It breaks dow n much faster that pelletized. You can find it on eBay or amazon.

This is where you need to know your soil as it may already have the lime in it... I add it to my neutral soil mix. But right now I hav some plants in FFOF for the first time and only ammended it with perlite.

I have seen some people say they up their feed/water PH to 6.8 or so late in flower once the lime has largely been used up, but have never done myself.