pH stands for Potential Hydrogen. It’s a measurement used for growing in both soil and soil-less gardening. A balanced pH for water is 7. Anything below 7 is acidic and anything above is alkaline. Most plants do best with a slightly acidic pH of 6, but anywhere between 5 and 7 is good for most plants in your Tower Garden.
A balanced pH helps plants to take up the nutrients in the water. If the pH isn’t correct plants won’t be able to use the Mineral Blend (nutrient) you put in your Tower Garden. Plants won’t wither and die overnight if the pH isn’t correct. The affects will be gradual. Growth will slow. Leaves might wither over time and you might get brown spots on the leaves.
What to do if pH isn’t correct
Don’t stress out if your pH doesn’t adjust after a few tries. Just wait a day or two and try again. Your plants won’t die overnight. If you get it close to 7, then wait another week and check it again. Since the plants tend to raise the level of the pH, it’s better if the pH is a little low then a little high.
My article Weekly Maintenance of the Tower Garden will give you tips on adjusting the pH. Once the pH is correct, snip off leaves that don’t look good. New, healthy leaves should grow back.
For more on the importance of pH in plants, here’s a good article. (External link).
If you need Tower Garden supplies and don’t have a distributor you can order rockwool, mineral blend, Tower Gardens, and more from us. Go to our How to Buy a Tower Garden page for more info. If you need help, email me at steve@keepitwatered.com. I’ve been supporting teachers and individuals who use Tower Gardens since 2015.
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