What Is Best Soil pH?

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
I would offer this friendly suggestion, you should have your soil tested before you start adding all kinds of amendments. If you really want to know what your plants need you might want to do a tissue analysis before flipping.

None of that costs very much through Logan Labs, full on soil test is like $60 and I think the tissue is $40. Of course you'll need to be able to read those tests and know the amounts to amend. You can get both done for under $100.

Maybe it's not worth the money for some folks and I can understand that. It is for me because I got tired of guessing what the problems were, tired of guessing what the solutions were.
I'm glad to see others getting their soil tested. I used to get ridiculed for it on here lol. Yes, the soil tests are very hard to read w/o target values. I started hiring a soil agronomist for recommendations. Spectrum Analytic has a bar graph with their test, but most people use Logan Labs. It's $40 for a recommendation.
 

Hairybuds

Well-Known Member
I'm glad to see others getting their soil tested. I used to get ridiculed for it on here lol. Yes, the soil tests are very hard to read w/o target values. I started hiring a soil agronomist for recommendations. Spectrum Analytic has a bar graph with their test, but most people use Logan Labs. It's $40 for a recommendation.
Thats pretty cheap compared to all the other costs to get set up.
 

Rufus T. Firefly

Well-Known Member
I'm glad to see others getting their soil tested. I used to get ridiculed for it on here lol. Yes, the soil tests are very hard to read w/o target values. I started hiring a soil agronomist for recommendations. Spectrum Analytic has a bar graph with their test, but most people use Logan Labs. It's $40 for a recommendation.
I learned the hard way.

Build a soil will read it for free if you buy their amendments. I like the company but they have that Hydo store premium price and I think it's probably cheaper to pay the consultant $40 and buy the stuff online.
 

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
I learned the hard way.

Build a soil will read it for free if you buy their amendments. I like the company but they have that Hydo store premium price and I think it's probably cheaper to pay the consultant $40 and buy the stuff online.
BAS seems like they sell products like a hydro store, like there is an unlimited amount of stuff that you are supposed to add and people buy ALL of their products because they don't know better, the hydro mentality... I still listen to Jeremy's podcasts, even if he's pushing products. I was let down when I bought their Comfrey FPJ because it was really JADAM and not FPJ. I dropped $1k on a pallet of their Oly Mnt mix V1 a few years ago and it wasn't any better than the nutrient lockout soil I had. I realized that you cannot buy soil that is actually balanced. However, there is now a store in OKC that has their soil tested. I just used their seedling mix and was impressed but I never got that from a store brand or even BaS.
 

Week4@inCharge

Well-Known Member
BAS seems like they sell products like a hydro store, like there is an unlimited amount of stuff that you are supposed to add and people buy ALL of their products because they don't know better, the hydro mentality... I still listen to Jeremy's podcasts, even if he's pushing products. I was let down when I bought their Comfrey FPJ because it was really JADAM and not FPJ. I dropped $1k on a pallet of their Oly Mnt mix V1 a few years ago and it wasn't any better than the nutrient lockout soil I had. I realized that you cannot buy soil that is actually balanced. However, there is now a store in OKC that has their soil tested. I just used their seedling mix and was impressed but I never got that from a store brand or even BaS.
I'm quoting a member here...

"next time you grow go to lowes or home depot get a bag of topsoil, a bag of composted manure, small bag of worm castings and a couple bags of perlite throw them all together then add either veg or flowering nutes and you got some damn good soil to grow in."

Too easy?
 

myke

Well-Known Member
I'm quoting a member here...

"next time you grow go to lowes or home depot get a bag of topsoil, a bag of composted manure, small bag of worm castings and a couple bags of perlite throw them all together then add either veg or flowering nutes and you got some damn good soil to grow in."

Too easy?
Switch that topsoil for promix and it's even better. Plants need to breathe.
 

Hairybuds

Well-Known Member
I'm quoting a member here...

"next time you grow go to lowes or home depot get a bag of topsoil, a bag of composted manure, small bag of worm castings and a couple bags of perlite throw them all together then add either veg or flowering nutes and you got some damn good soil to grow in."

Too easy?
Yup that’s what I do, use rice hulls for aeration.
 

Week4@inCharge

Well-Known Member
Great book. I'm glad someone is actually buying his stuff. I cheated and downloaded a free copy.
I've gotten to the preface ..lol. Liking that it's in laymans terms. Last book I tried to read was a Bob Marley bio, got to chapter 3.. need to dig that book out. The only book I've ever read cover to cover was Star Wars. Best book ever.
 

Week4@inCharge

Well-Known Member
People used to Raz me for using those tests, but I just ordered more today lol...
I'd razz you right now but, don't know much about it. Still don't get it. Test your soil to see if it's soil? We add amendments to it anyways, So is there a before and after test? and what's the best pH of a tested soil vs a non tested soil?
 

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
I remember, I always like seeing soil tests people have done. I got the idea to use soil savvy from your posts.
The next step is to hire a soil agronomist like Bryant Mason and have your stuff tested at Logan Labs. He gives soil recommendations in organic inputs. Its $140 for Mehlich 3, saturated paste, and recommendations. The test alone are $100 but my plants always look awesome after!
 

Rufus T. Firefly

Well-Known Member
I'm quoting a member here...

"next time you grow go to lowes or home depot get a bag of topsoil, a bag of composted manure, small bag of worm castings and a couple bags of perlite throw them all together then add either veg or flowering nutes and you got some damn good soil to grow in."

Too easy?
If you are going to use nutes you could just use coco?
 

Rufus T. Firefly

Well-Known Member
I'd razz you right now but, don't know much about it. Still don't get it. Test your soil to see if it's soil? We add amendments to it anyways, So is there a before and after test? and what's the best pH of a tested soil vs a non tested soil?
You measure the nutrients in the soil so you know what amendments you need to add.
 

Rufus T. Firefly

Well-Known Member
The next step is to hire a soil agronomist like Bryant Mason and have your stuff tested at Logan Labs. He gives soil recommendations in organic inputs. Its $140 for Mehlich 3, saturated paste, and recommendations. The test alone are $100 but my plants always look awesome after!
Did I get his name from you? I got it from somebody here. I saw him and another guy, Scott Skamnes (Cresive) on FCP and initially tried to hire Scott but I had some problems getting him to be responsive.

Bryant is awesome though, great service and my plants look awesome as well. Money well spent IMHO.
 

Week4@inCharge

Well-Known Member
You measure the nutrients in the soil so you know what amendments you need to add.
I'll get there, still on first base with this stuff, appreciate the help. And the nutrients already in the soil, do they not get used up eventually? And what does a organic grower do when that happens. I can only imagine testing the soil will tell you what you "need" and then the grower can decide for themselves what they "want" to add.
 

Rufus T. Firefly

Well-Known Member
I'll get there, still on first base with this stuff, appreciate the help. And the nutrients already in the soil, do they not get used up eventually? And what does a organic grower do when that happens. I can only imagine testing the soil will tell you what you "need" and then the grower can decide for themselves what they "want" to add.
Ideally you would have a mulch layer, because you are correct if you are constantly taking out and not putting back you will have nutrient deficits. I take almost all of my defol leaves and make a mulch. I also have worms in my soil so they are constantly adding a source of nutrient.

But if you do it right you will have the right balance of life in your soil in terms of bacteria and fungi that will allow the soil to provide a canvas for cannabinoids and terpenes to express themselves more freely than a soilless grow. Like why does the Emerald Triangle produce superior product...the terroir/soil of old growth forest.
 

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
Did I get his name from you? I got it from somebody here. I saw him and another guy, Scott Skamnes (Cresive) on FCP and initially tried to hire Scott but I had some problems getting him to be responsive.

Bryant is awesome though, great service and my plants look awesome as well. Money well spent IMHO.
It turns out that a lot of people use him. I found him on a YouTube podcast "Future Cannabis Project" or something similar. I was intrigued when he was talking about elevated levels of Manganese. I kept trying to make posts about it on here, but got mocked more than anything lol.
 
Top