water pH and Protekt

[orchids3]

If you look at a chart that shows the best nutrient uptake for plants you should see that 7 is the best overall. Higher - some nutrients are taken up less. Lower other nutrients are taken up less. Some plants like it less others much less. Some plants dont seem to care about the differances others do. Plants "do" adapt. Personally I like pH between 6.2 and 7.. None of my plants have said anything yet.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Plants do adapt.

But there are some that cannot be forced to, in certain aspects of their cultural requirements.

One perfect example is Cyp. acaule. There is no way around this one. It likes very acidic soils and water. This is what makes this Cyp different from the rest.

Just sayin'.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by orchids3

If you look at a chart that shows the best nutrient uptake for plants you should see that 7 is the best overall. Higher - some nutrients are taken up less. Lower other nutrients are taken up less. Some plants like it less others much less. Some plants dont seem to care about the differances others do. Plants "do" adapt. Personally I like pH between 6.2 and 7.. None of my plants have said anything yet.

I'm afraid that study does not really apply to epiphytic orchids, and not universally to terrestrial plants: pH & Nutrient Availabilty

[FrankP999]

Originally Posted by Ray

I'm afraid that study does not really apply to epiphytic orchids, and not universally to terrestrial plants: pH & Nutrient Availabilty

Thanks Ray
Here is the heart of my question. If I use Protekt which has a high pH when mixed as directed, should I NOT use the MSU fertilizer in the same mix? Is the best practice to use Protekt alone?

Thanks

[Ray]

Personally, I would mix it with the fertilizer, and adjust the pH down. By the way, the D-G website recommends 1/4-1/2 tsp/gal.

[FrankP999]

Originally Posted by Ray

Personally, I would mix it with the fertilizer, and adjust the pH down. By the way, the D-G website recommends 1/4-1/2 tsp/gal.

Ray,
Thank you for your simple and direct answer I will go the local aquarium shop and get some pH Down. By the way, I had a pH of 8.0 when I mixed 3/4 tsp of MSU/RO and 1/2 tsp of Proteck per gallon.

Frank

[penfold2]

Back when I used Pro-tekt, I simply added an equivalent amount of vinegar to bring the pH back down. I don't remember if an equivalent amount perfectly negated the pH change, but it got me in the ballpark. It's probably significantly cheaper than pH Down.

[orchids3]

Ray I have read Dr Argo's 5 Articles and think his summary of the MSU growing experiments should be the cornerstone of all fertilizer programs. That said, my own esperience is that the pH of 5.8 to 6.2 that he recommends is a little too low for "What I grow". I used his recomendations explicitly measuring pH religously for several years and found that I lost a lot of roots. At the higher pH with 6.8 to 7 being my norm at this time I do not loose roots?. Could there be some other factor at work - I just dont know. One thing that I dont buy completely is the need of silicone by plants. Have listened to the local prof at University of North Florida and he cant see any reason for it either. Do add a few spoon fulls of diatomite to my mixes but its purposes is a"mechanical insecticide" against snails and roaches and water retention - not plant nutrition. It does appear to help for this reason. I would rather use a spoonful of granular dolomite lime as a top dressing than all the pH up and downs that I could buy. If I do find low pH when I check for pH in the pot then I know that the media is getting rotten. The in pot pH is a lot more important than worring contiually about the pH of what I apply be it water or fertilizer solution. The lime also releases small quantities of Ca and Mg when it encounters an acid solution but the buffering is the important thing.

[purpleplantman]

Yes, search for my reply on Pro tek use in the forum.