Getting pH right so your plants can actually eat

You can run the best nutrient on the shelf and still starve a plant. If the pH is wrong, the elements are in the water but locked away from the roots.

The band you are aiming for

In hydro and coco, most growers sit between 5.5 and 6.3 and let it drift gently across that range. In soil, aim a little higher - 6.0 to 6.8.

Why drifting is good

Different elements are most available at slightly different points in that band. Letting pH move across the range instead of pinning it to one number gives the plant access to all of them.

Practical routine

• Mix nutrients first, then adjust pH - never the other way around.
• Check the reservoir daily for the first few days after a change.
• Calibrate your pen monthly, and always after it has been left dry.
• Keep pH Up and pH Down where you can reach them, not under the bench.