Can you lower the pH of living soil, without disrupting the microbiome, to reduce Nitrogen excess?

Switching to RO water at pH 6.2 is a good move if your soil's getting too alkaline from tap water (7.9 is pretty high). In living soil, the microbial life usually buffers pH pretty well, but consistently high-pH watering can still push things out of range over time. Just using RO water alone can gradually bring things back down, but it’s slow — adding a bit of humic/fulvic acid or even a compost tea can help speed things up and support microbial activity. I’d avoid anything too aggressive unless you’ve tested the soil pH and know it’s way off. If you see signs of N excess (dark, clawing leaves), it could be tied to high pH, boosting nitrate availability. Just keep the RO water consistent, add a light organic acid, and let the soil biology do its thing.

Tips not showing signs of osmotic stress, tips would become yellow brown right at the tip. So your mediums salt content is ok. Just you have tooooo much ratio of nitrogen. Generally living soil has microorganisms that break stuff down over time, even if you do flush there is no guarantee won't jist keep breaking down organic matter in form of nitrogen, not sure what you added. Kinda need to know, living soil can still work with synthetic fert you jist need to make sure your not overapplying. Don't fuck with ph 6.2 to 7.0 is primo 👌, as a plant grows the medium will naturally acidify over time slowly, your job is to bring her back to 6.8 every so often. Ph up when she gets close to 6.0, if she Evers dips into the 5's problems begin. Nitrogen uptake will increase 6.0-6.5 compared to a pH of 7. Not ideal but with just the dark green and its not getting worse I'd just power through, just make sure you don't use any more nitrogen at all for those next few weeks. She stores alot of nitro in the stems, not ideal but what is done is done. You could leech, the microorganisms would take a hit but would bounce back, I'd prefer not to unless.toxicity gets worse then you may have too. Adding brown organic matter, such as sawdust, can help to neutralize nitrogen.This can be particularly effective in soils where nitrogen toxicity is a concern. Tap water at 7.9 might as well be cal mag. Sheesh. The "big 3" cations (K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+) and ammonium (NH4+) play a crucial role in plant nitrogen uptake, impacting both the efficiency and the overall health of the plant. Nitrogen uptake is often influenced by these cations through interactions with soil properties, nutrient balance, and even the pH of the root zone. Elaboration: 1. Soil Properties and Cation Exchange: Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC): Soil's ability to hold cations, like K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and NH4+, is a critical factor. High CEC soils can retain more nutrients, potentially reducing their availability for plant uptake. Soil pH: Soil pH can influence CEC and the availability of different cations. For example, higher pH can increase the availability of some cations, which may impact nitrogen uptake. 2. Nutrient Balance and Competition: K+ and NH4+: Ammonium (NH4+) uptake can compete with potassium (K+) uptake, as they share some uptake mechanisms. NO3- and K+: The uptake of nitrate (NO3-) can be positively correlated with potassium (K+) uptake, potentially improving charge balance and activating enzymes involved in NO3- assimilation, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Ca2+ and DOM: Calcium (Ca2+) ions can affect the accessibility and processing of dissolved organic matter (DOM), which is important for nutrient cycling, including nitrogen. 3. Root Zone pH and Nitrogen Uptake: pH 5.0: Root zone pH of 5.0 seems to be optimal for biomass production, regardless of the nitrogen source (NO3- or NH4+). High pH and NO3-: High root zone pH and nitrate (NO3-) can drastically reduce biomass production. Low pH and NO3-: Low root zone pH can reduce root growth in plants supplied with nitrate. 4. Impact on Plant Growth and Stress: NH4+ and Drought Stress: Ammonium (NH4+) can reduce the effects of drought stress on plant development, while nitrate (NO3-) application can have the opposite effect. Nitrate and Other Stresses: Nitrate (NO3-) can influence plant responses to other stresses, such as the regulation of auxin uptake, according to a study published in Oxford Academic. In summary, the interplay between the "big 3" cations (K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) and ammonium (NH4+) significantly influences nitrogen uptake in plants. Understanding these interactions is crucial for optimizing nitrogen fertilization practices and ensuring healthy plant growth under various environmental conditions.

Ja, du kannst den pH-Wert living soil senken, ohne das Mikrobiom zu stören, um überschüssigen Stickstoff zu reduzieren. Es ist aber wichtig, den pH-Wert schrittweise anzupassen und die Bodenqualität regelmäßig zu überprüfen, um sicherzustellen, dass die nützlichen Mikroorganismen weiterhin gedeihen Hier sind einige effektive Methoden: -Organische Materialien hinzufügen: Kompost, Torfmoos oder Kiefernnadeln können den Boden langsam ansäuern und gleichzeitig das Bodenleben unterstützen. -Schwefelbasierte Bodenverbesserung: Elementarer Schwefel oder sulfatbasierte Düngemittel (z. B. Ammoniumsulfat) können den pH-Wert über Zeit senken, ohne nützliche Mikroben zu beeinträchtigen. -Ansäuernde Düngemittel: Ammoniumhaltige Düngemittel helfen, den Boden zu säuern und liefern gleichzeitig Stickstoff in pflanzenverfügbarer Form. -Mulchen mit sauren Materialien: Materialien wie Pinienrinde oder Kaffeesatz können den Boden langsam ansäuern, während sie die mikrobielle Vielfalt erhalten.