Getting the right PH

Posted on December 11, 2012 by EddieS

One of the most important considerations in growing plants is getting the right PH. PH stands
for, Probable Hydrogen. I know what you are thinking, Ah. Now it all makes sense. Probable
Hydrogen, yeah!
If the significance of that escapes you, Ill explain more fully. PH is vital, whether you are
growing in soil or hydroponics. If the PH is too high or too low, the plant loses its ability to
absorb nutrients through the roots.
A PH of 7 is considered PH-neutral. Anything from 7.1 to 14 is alkaline. Anything from 6.9 to 1 is
considered acidic.

Anything outside of a plants acceptable range will create what is called, nutrient lockup. Just
think of it as if the unbalanced PH has locked the roots from being able to acquire the nutrients
in the soil or in the hydroponic solution.
Many nutrient deficiencies are the result of poor PH. The symptoms the plant exhibits indicates
a lack of nutrition, but the actual problem could be that the plant cannot get the available
nutrients into its roots. You can have perfect lighting, perfectly balanced nutrition, and still have
nutrient deficient plants. Whats more, plants can even have symptoms that would normally
indicate a specific deficiency in one nutrient, but the actual problem is that the PH is preventing
the plant from absorbing that mineral. Or the symptoms can indicate toxicity from an over
abundance of one nutrient, but the problem is that the plant can only absorb that mineral, but
not the other nutrients.
Different nutrients require slightly different PH levels in order to be absorbed. This is why some
plants thrive in acidic soil, while others require alkaline soil. Blocking out certain nutrients helps
some plants, while others need more balanced nutrition. Here is a chart that might help explain

this better.

As you can see, plants that need higher nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, sulphur, calcium,
and magnesium need a higher PH. Plants that need to absorb more iron, manganese, boron,
copper, and zinc need a lower PH. Below is a chart of common vegetable plants and the PH
needed for optimal growth.

Plant

Recommended PH

Asparagus

6.0-8.0

Beets

6.0-8.0

Broccoli

6.0 6.5

Cabbage

6.5 7.5

Cantaloupe

6.5 6.8

Carrots

5.8 6.4

Cauliflower

6.0-7.0

Celery

6.0-7.0

Chives

6.0 6.5

Cucumbers

5.8 6.0

Garlic

6.0 6.5

Green beans

6.0 6.5

Eggplant

5.5-6.5

Endive

6.0-7.0

Horseradish

6.0-7.0

Lettuce

6.0 6.5

Lima Beans

5.5-7.0

Muskmelon

6.0-8.0

Onions

6.5 7.0

Parsnip

5.5-7.0

Peas

6.0 6.8

Peppers

5.5-7.0

Potatoes

5.0-6.5

Pumpkins

5.0 6.5

Radishes

6.0 7.0

Rhubarb

6.0-7.0

Rutabagas

5.5-7.0

Spinach

6.0-7.5

Strawberries

5.5 6.5

Sweet Corn

5.5-7.5

Summer Squash

6.0-7.5

Tomatoes

5.5 6.5

Watermelon

5.5-6.5

Winter Squash

6.0-7.0