pH, a term frequently mentioned in discussions about potting mixes and plant health, is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity in a given potting medium, but what exactly does it mean? Simply put – pH is the measure of acidity or alkalinity in a given potting medium. Why is measuring pH important? Because a plant’s ability to absorb nutrients depends on the pH level of the medium it’s potted in! If pH levels are off, it won’t matter how many nutrients are in the potting mix…the plant won’t be able to absorb them. So, what are the ideal pH levels for our potting mediums?
- Nutrients are most available to plants when the pH level is around 6.0 (the measurement scale is 0-14)
- So anything between 5.5 and 6.5 is usually good.
- Potting mediums are considered to be acidic as pH levels drop below 7.0 and alkaline as pH levels rise above 7.0.
Plants generally prefer a slightly more acidic potting medium which increases a plant’s ability to absorb nutrients. If you want to test the pH of your potting medium, there are lots of home testing kits online which you can use, and the tests are easy to do, so don’t be intimidated 🙂!
I’ve used another super popular aroid mix but this one is FAR superior to it and contains much less FILLERS than that one does. This is a beautifully chunky mix that is IMPOSSIBLE to overwater and I absolutely love it. Also, it’s cheaper per quart than the other is. Molly’s all day!
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I absolutely love this mix! I learned about it on a YouTube channel and thought I’d try it out with the multitude of jade plants I have. What is immediately amazing– I don’t need to use extra support to hold these top-heavy, dense plants up!! We will see with time, how the plants react, but so far– love it.