Using rain water

[Ordphien]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

If you are new to blueberries, be sure to use iron to lower the soil pH instead of aluminum sulfate. If you have robins in your yard, buy bird netting, too. Robins do not share.
Camellias have a society and they have a really great web site that offers tons of info on planting, pruning, hardiness, etc. I grow one in a pot (indoors in the winter) and this site was great.
Good luck!

I am new... I just got several dwarf ones called peach sorbet. 2 feet tall.
Actually I just dug out the whole planter.... I dug it 4 feet deep and its about 6 feet wide... I filled it with azalea camellia soil mixed with oak leaf mold, and composted horse manure... It's got nice low pH naturally now... I'm hoping the hydrangea I'm planting has had enough time to leech out the aluminium in its soil... I've been trying everyday.

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[Ordphien]

I've realised a flaw to test my fertiliser water and my test kit. My test kit it's colour coded and the fertilizer dyes the water.

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[james mickelso]

San Diego show is March 9, 10, and 11. Great show.

[ALToronto]

You can buy a TDS meter for about $20 on Amazon, just do a search on "tds meter". An essential tool for growing orchids. PH meters are also in the $15-20 price range. I bought both and got free shipping, too!

[Ordphien]

Originally Posted by ALToronto

You can buy a TDS meter for about $20 on Amazon, just do a search on "tds meter". An essential tool for growing orchids. PH meters are also in the $15-20 price range. I bought both and got free shipping, too!

I know.... I've been meaning to order one for a while now... It's essential for my planted fish tanks as well.
I have a few thing to measure pH. I actually tested the fertilizer water with them last night.
The results... No good... they were all over they place.I got very different pH readings from each test. So I tried each one again and the results were different from the first test. So I tried them all again and they came out different.. again!
I thought that they were expired or broken.. but no.. they all gave consistent and accurate readings of 3 known pH sources.
I'm confused and worried.
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[AuGrower]

Interesting discussion, thanks for making this thread. I was actually wondering the same thing as I've noticed some major flaws in my watering processes. I have a free standing rain barrel that does not get roof water and a fine mesh screen over the opening. However the water has been sitting and most likely has some nasty things in there, would I be able to disinfect the water by using some physan 20 or other virus fungicide? Obviously it doesn't kill everything but I would think enough of what I would be dealing with here. I also have a ro/di unit that I use for my salt water tank that I could use. Part of the problem is I have MSU for well water not RO/DI. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated especially since when I get my greenhouse I was planning on using said barrel as a watering source (after thoroughly cleaning it of course)

[Ray]

There are basically 2 issues with using MSU WW in RO water, and both can be easily remedied:

1) pH way too low, but can be adjusted through the addition of basic chemicals used for that purpose, or stuff like Dyna-Gro Protekt.

2) Insufficient calcium and magnesium can be fixed with the addition of calcium-rich medium components, or added to the fertilizer via calcium nitrate. With both, the addition of Epsom salts to the fertilizer will take care of magnesium issues.

Personally, I recommend doing that until you run out, then switch to the RO formula. It's just easier.


Ray Barkalow
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