Hey @chillichump, I just wanted to say thank you I know this video came a little after you teaching me this but my plants have exploded since making such a simple change as treating the water I feed my babies. After only a week of you going over it with me we’re my plants looking and growing so much better. My season has been a little sucky and I couldn’t understand it to then see my water is 7.6ph I was like errrr that might have something to do with it. I hope this video too will help someone like me and save what’s left of the season. Thanks again mate!!!
I know is a different question but, since nutritional requirements differ depending on the growth stage of the plant, which also determines the overall development of it, and that different concentrations of sodium/potassium/phosphorus/etcetera will change the pH of the solution! Would you recommend a general recipe in ppm for the basic nutrients in relation to the developmental stage taking in consideration a fixed pH of 6,5? (I know is a tricky one, but haven’t been able to find a good answer for a beginners like me)
Found you from the Pepper Lovers group. I am going to be starting hydroponics soon, and excited to learn about how nutrients,water etc affect pepper growth and production. Going to be growing several new pepper varieties next year! Where are you based?
Hey Shaun,great vid as always and yes what most of the channels lack is the finer details,even pest control,like broad mites,the more severe stuff.RUclips doesnt have much info on that,ect.I think head more to what not to do or what to avoid will help allot of newbies.Keep up the great work,from SA.
Thanks Wayne. Finding a balance is challenging. When I do a more detailed videos, I end up getting comments telling me I talk too much! I think a lot of folks are used to watching 30 second videos, getting high level info...not used to people getting detailed.
I'm in N Tex we have high pH soil and water as well. I use rainwater and stilled tap water with a bit of vinegar to bring down the pH. Works a treat. About a week away from my 3rd harvest of Caribbean red hots. 1st time getting 3 harvests in a year and I have been gardening for 50 years.
Hi Shaun, thanks for all your fantastic content and making the time and effort to share all the knowledge you have learnt over the years. I think the science behind growing the healthiest plants is very interesting and your explanations make this easier to understand, it would be great to see a more in depth version on this in the future
@@ChilliChump sounds great... looking forward to it! I’ve started my first grow this year albeit way to late in the season. I will try and over winter and plant the ones I have indoors in the garden next year and be sure to buy your seed kit for next year. Don’t think I would have started without your channel so a huge thanks from Lancashire 👍🏻
Great video! Decided to check my tap water here and it came out as 6.6, so I feel like I'm right in the zone! It's been a rough season with the heat wave at the beginning of July in western Canada, and I thought I was going to lose most of my plants, but they're bounced back stronger than ever! Maybe it was our good water here.
Loved the way you gave the key information at the beginning of the video - really nice explanation. I learned on hydroponics. We've got reverse osmosis filtering for our fish tanks now, which gives you really precise control over everything that's in the water - but you do have to know what you're doing, so you add the right stuff back in - pure R/O water is no good for anything at all.
Once again, I learned something today! Thank you for the quick and simple explanation and the need for getting your PH correct. Great video and very informative. Love all the content Shaun! Your the Man! - v/r Shane
It didn't rain for 22 days this past June 2023 in southern Ontario, Canada. I had to use tap water - the leaves were yellow and the growth of my peppers was definitely stunted.
HI, yes I just checked my plants with DR.meter and some plants are ok after several readings other that get yellow leave often are at 5.0. but the healthier ones are around 6.5 I going to test my new mix that I am using which is based off of yours though using KELP Meal, ( mixture of 3 different Rockdusts ) and Fish,Bone,blood meal. Earth I am testing is 6: parts shrimp Compost ( Its not pure so I add 2 part of a potting mix to compensate ) 1: part Perlite 1: part Vermiculite 2 parts potting mix ( A little heavy on perlite for even better draining ) 1/2 TBSP Organic Rock Phosphate 1/2 TBSP Glacial Rock Dust 1/2 TBSP Azomite Volcanic Rock dust 2 TBSP Fish,blood, and Bone meal What have your tried to add to the top of a plant to bring UP the pH ?
Ooo, digging the new intro graphic! I've also noticed that my peppers in pots aren't growing quite as nicely as my peppers that are in cloth bag "pots". The cloth ones are bigger and a healthier shade of green. I don't think it's because of improper drainage of the pots, I'm wondering if it's because of the extra breathability of the cloth. That's my hunch atleast, as everything else that I've accounted for is identical besides their containers.
Interesting video, thank you! Maybe it makes sense that captured rainwater increases in pH… rainwater is acidic because CO2 is dissolved in it (becoming carbonic acid), so maybe after time the CO2 escapes like an open can of coke! It will want to reach an equilibrium with the air. Also, thanks again for the piri piri seeds, hoping to still get some despite the lack of sun in the UK this year…
Great Video! So when are you going to begin to make an autonomous PH balance for your solutions? (that would be very neat) Also from your last live stream you mentioned no liking Scotch Bonnet peppers. Scotch Bonnets are probably my favorite so far. I will have to send you a Jamaican jerk chicken recipe that is hands down the best way to do chicken. Undoubtedly worth trying! (you can sub in habs too)
I have considered automating pH.... Not necessarily for my soil plants, but for when I start with hydro again. Be happy to try your recipe, thank you! Like I mentioned in the livestream, I'm still trying to figure out a recipe with scotch bonnets that I enjoy. You can message through my website www.chillichump.com/contact
🌶 Loved that you “scienced the 💩” out of this episode! Definitely fascinated by this and had not realised the importance of pH. I reserve acidic 🌧 rainwater for my blueberry 🫐 plants, but have been using tap🚰 water when my water butts run dry, which they do all too quickly. More science episodes of huge interest here.
I use SeaChem Prime to remove chlorine+chloramines. It a liquid that works pretty much instantly, compared to waiting on camphor tablets to dissolve, and the dosing is something like 5mL per 200L so it's pretty cost effective. Also safe for aquaponics systems (obv since it's an aquarium product hahaha).
Interesting video (as always), thank you very much ^^ I would like to learn more about the subject in a more in-depth video I've been growing chilies for a couple of years on a small scale, but I live in a second-story flat which severely limits the number of plants I have room for, I got some nice big south-facing windows though P.S During the late spring this year, a few of my older chilies got leaf spot, so I moved them outside to my north-facing balcony access. I live in Denmark, so they only get an hour or two of sunlight in the morning and the same in the evening. I thought that the leaf spot would kill them for sure, but they bounced back and doing very well, much to my surprise
Could bottled spring water or bottled filtered water (or maybe even distilled water) purchased at a grocery store have a sufficiently low pH? Thanks! 🌶😀🌶
Distilled water should be a neutral pH (7.0). And spring water too. You could add a splash of lemon juice to the water if you don't want to get pH Down. Make sure you measure the pH though, you don't want it too acidic
Hello Mr.ChilliChump, thank you for more information about chilli, next year I will buy the Ph meter to have better control over feeding my plants :) You give me an advise about my balcony habaneros and they are really big with lot of fruit on it! But plants have also lot of flowers on them, so I am curious about to pinch those flowers of, so the plants can focus their energy on fruit... I am thinking right about it? Thank you for your time, sir :)
You can pinch some of the flowers off if you want. But you need to consider how long is left in your season. If you only have one more month, then it might be worthwhile letting the flowers go to fruit. Or maybe you just want fewer, bigger chillies?
@@ChilliChump I live in Czech Republic, where is little bit warmer than UK, so I think I have august and september :) I don´t think about bigger chillies, I am just worry if those fruits can ripen up in that time, but consider to your words, I can left them (flowers) on, right? :) I have like 30 unrippen peppers on each plant ( I have 3 plants ), so it´s enought for me I guess. I was just thinking about speed up the rippening by pinching of those flowers, but I let them on I guess :)
The chillies will continue to ripen even if the plant dies from the cold! Have a look at some of my update videos from previous years, you can see this with my plants.
Thank you for the video I would just like to know, how do you actually test the soil and fertilize? I would just like to see the info you just gave in action... Thank you for the informative video
Last few years growing chillies I've had varied success, last year I tried the whole nutrient/ pH thing.....was not that great. This year a completely different approach and its free, it's yellow and we flush it away all the time! Have to say I've had the healthiest chillies yet, deep green with loads of pods and no flower drop compared to previous years. Great strong tomato plants with plenty of fruit. Great aubergines coming along. Tomatoes are strong and healthy also outside the greenhouse. The yellow stuff is diluted roughly 1:10 with rain water. Also composting everything. Haven't spent a penny...excuse the pun, on nutrients this year.
I found this out the hard way. He is dead on. A $10 test kit would have saved me 2 months of trying to figure out what was wrong. If your PH is off nothing will help.
@@ChilliChump I have the generic yellow one but I don't use it often, only when testing pH for fermentations. Just want to make sure I can still rely on the readings
@davidfleb I would recommend storing it with a little tap water in the cap. Don't let the sensor dry out. And you should also calibrate the cheaper ones like that before each use. I calibrate my expensive one before each use too...it's part of my process when making my commercial sauces
Hope I'm not going to get too much flack for this. I've done an experiment with jelapeno where a slightly more alkaline environment made for hotter jelapenos. 4 seeds from the same pod was planted in 6.3 and 7.3. The 7.3 yielded hotter peppers, but not as much as the 6.3. The 6.3 really produced double the amount of pods.
Does anyone have a link to where Shaun goes over making the nutrient mix? I know everyones' plants' needs are different, but I wanted a good base to see if my current setup is too far off.
I talk about nutrients in this video ruclips.net/video/AwKmTPsy5nY/видео.html I am making some changes for next year though, instead of using premixed nutrients like chilli focus. Or are you asking about nutrients I use when I do hydro?
Hi ChilliChump. Great video, I'll go and check my water out in a minute. But first. I'm growing about 40 Mini Bell Pepper plants, because I'm not into hot stuff, and I am trying to find a nice oil to preserve them in, similar to what they do to the Stuffed Pepperdew Peppers you can buy in the shops? I've had a look around but worry that all I see are Hot Sauces etc! Have you got a video on this sort of thing, or can you offer a Recipe to suit my pallet? Many Thanks In Advance.
@@ChilliChumpWill they taste as nice as the ones you buy in the shop? Are preserved or pickled? You see I've really no idea what I want to do with them, except enjoy them! I'm open to any suggestions.
The problem with preserving in oil alone is that there is quite a process to ensure it is safe, especially if you are a beginner. Pickling is a little more foolproof. Here's a very simple yet tasty pickling recipe of mine ruclips.net/video/Gte7B2zP7WA/видео.html Also consider picking up my recipe book for some other ideas www.chillichump.com/shop
I feel magnesium is hardest mineral to get absorbed well. I add Epson salt to soil or create a spray with it. Plants always seem to respond well. Trying to manage soil ph is more of a headache and too hard on my wallet.
Is it possible to make tap water usable without adding nutrients every time? I have been guilty of over feeding them in the past. I will not be able to store enough rain water.
If the pH is too high...then add a little citirc acid, or pH down to get it to the right level. Also let the tap water sit for a few hours to allow any chlorine to evaporate. If you have chloramine in your water, then you will have to follow another process
Just wanted to say that I took your advice from a recent livestream about adding thickeners/binders to my sauce, and my newest batch is amazing. Thanks a million.
Hi Shaun, pH balancing was a disaster for me for DWC and hydro from not having time to check and adjust pH often enough. Would it be possible to monitor pH and ppm levels on an arduino or pi setup similar to your How To on temp/rH in your greenhouse and link it to something like a traffic light LED warning panel outside the reservoir/growtent?
Hi Brian, it is possible. However the sensor is not cheap! I am still trying to source one that is affordable and works well. Will do a video on it if I do!
Fruit trees and vegetables both benefit from acidic soil. Fruit trees around 6.2 to 6.8. and with vegetables, it just depends on the variety. But ultimately, like I mentioned in the video....6.5pH should cover most situations.
@@ChilliChump good to know. Might explain why I have such a difficult time growing anything at my home. I live in the midwest where most of the soil is clay. Even after mixing in loads of good nutrients the soil is still around 8-8.5 ph.
There is a link to a soil pH meter in the description. This will give an indication of whether it is acidic or alkaline. It won't be as accurate as the meters I show in the video though...
I have a link in the description to a soil pH meter. I use one similar. It isn't as accurate as these that I'm using to measure the water, but it does give an indication of whether it is acidic it alkaline.
I sadly don't have a garden and grow my chillis on my balkony, so i obviously dont have access to rain water and have to use tab water. What can i do to lower the ph of my water ?
You can use pH down. Or if you want to use something easier to get hold of, some lemon juice or citric acid. Just make sure to test it again after adding.
Where i am (Germany) a Solid pH Meter Costs 90 € . I think its from Blue Lab. But that is just me . I will rather buy once and high quality that lasts me for years . Also callibration and the ph Down and ph up solvents to callibrate the Meter and the cleaning solutions for the Metall parts are very important to keep your Meter accurate . Otherwise if u do not want to invest in all this too better not buy a cheap Meter. You could actually do more harm than good . Otherwise thank you for the Video. Greetings from Germany
This might be a (very) stupid question, but I gotta ask anyway. Would it help if I added citric acid powder to my tap water? Of course within reason, i would only use little, so the acid wouldn't be strong enouh to hurt the plants
@@ChilliChump Since that wasn't a no, I'll try it next year when the new plants are growing. All of mine are fruiting now, I wouldn't want to risk it now.
It would work...just make sure you are in the right pH zone. Also don't change it too quickly from what the plant is used to. So your instinct is correct, won't so a big change at this late stage of the season.
@@ChilliChump brilliant thanks. I've joined the free discord recently and want to join the subscription one, is there a different link or do I just join here on RUclips to get access?
@@PetesChilliHouse you can join as a member on RUclips or through Patreon. See you there! ruclips.net/user/chillichumpjoin OR www.patreon.com/chillichump
I always use plain tap water and rain water and my plants have never complained. There's no visible difference between my plants with and without tap water used
@@ChilliChump I've just checked the city's report. Tap water is medium hardness, pH between 6.66 and 7.64. I guess that's probably close enough that fertiliser and natural soil would stabilise it, along with any rainwater that's used. Apparently my city also has some of the most well regulated tap water in North America :))
I normally only sign for Patreons, but I will sign this one for you this time mate. Welcome to my channel! Just to confirm the order, your initials are FF?
Here's the full series playlist. I am rebooting this series this year, including my feeding one. I've already replaced a couple episodes. ruclips.net/p/PLuQ_ySnkV1en8UPfuoJVWCLT9dIZnKCQa
My soil mix ensures a perfect balance to start the season ruclips.net/video/hbcRpC7vG-c/видео.html I do test though the season with a meter like the one I linked in the description too
@@ChilliChump Well I'm not experiencing it, and I am an aspiring organic gardener mostly , no till, and amend with compost. After all it's in the water we drink....but I'm sure it doesn't do the soil any favors. I do grow most my peppers in earth boxes though, and that uses fertilizer strip...so not really organic there. I guess you could remove with potassium metabisfulite (like in brewing water).....but I use it from a hose that connects to municipal water, and don't really think it worth having to go thru all that in a holding tank.
I disagree with your statement you need to be on the acidic side with water. The reason it that not all chili plants have the same requirements in the PH department. I've used slightly acidic nutriant sollutions in the past and it has given me Noserot on the bigger pepper kinds and the ones with thicker skin (like big jim but also on jalapenos). The smaller peppers will tolerate it much better. For me personally tap water has given me best results, I have scaled down immensly and I only have 6 plants now. I use a 40 liter water vat for 6 plants and I use plant tablets in the soil with the autopot system. It's pretty much dummy proof and I've never gotten any deficiency problems. PH measurement when using soil is just too much work and not worth it in my opinion so I don't bother with it anymore. If you are using a hydroponic system than you should definitely measure your PH! Please note this is my personal opinion and experience and I find your videos highly informative and learned alot about fermenting and hot sauce recipes.
I welcome input of course mate. And you are correct...different chilli plants have different pH requirements. But ALL chilli plants need an acidic soil got optimal growth. This is why I mention 6.5pH as a generally acceptable measure. It is a decent middle ground. Some of my plants I drop the pH quite a bit more, and also change things depending on phase of growth.
Hey @chillichump, I just wanted to say thank you I know this video came a little after you teaching me this but my plants have exploded since making such a simple change as treating the water I feed my babies. After only a week of you going over it with me we’re my plants looking and growing so much better. My season has been a little sucky and I couldn’t understand it to then see my water is 7.6ph I was like errrr that might have something to do with it. I hope this video too will help someone like me and save what’s left of the season. Thanks again mate!!!
I'm glad it helped mate! It's all a learning experience, and when it all comes together successfully, it is very rewarding!
@@ChilliChump 100% mate. I was really shocked and I’m still shocked how much it’s done.
What did you treat your water with?
You can get something called pH down...a little goes a long way
I know is a different question but, since nutritional requirements differ depending on the growth stage of the plant, which also determines the overall development of it, and that different concentrations of sodium/potassium/phosphorus/etcetera will change the pH of the solution! Would you recommend a general recipe in ppm for the basic nutrients in relation to the developmental stage taking in consideration a fixed pH of 6,5? (I know is a tricky one, but haven’t been able to find a good answer for a beginners like me)
Finally a good video about PH in pepper plants. You're doing a service to your community
I'd love to see a more in depth video and more plant science type videos!
Me too, would love something more in depth
You nailed this episode pal and the greenhouse is looking stunning. 6.5 is perfect for most vegetables and chilies love it.
I've yet to become this precise on water, nutrition and soil preparation. So informative videos like these are very welcome. Thanks!
Yes yes yes! The more detailed - the better. I love to learn more about the chemistry of gardening.
Thanks Sean for this information keep up the great work 👍👍👍👍
New setup in the greenhouse looks awesome!
Found you from the Pepper Lovers group. I am going to be starting hydroponics soon, and excited to learn about how nutrients,water etc affect pepper growth and production. Going to be growing several new pepper varieties next year! Where are you based?
Hi there, and welcome to my channel! I'm in the UK
Hey Shaun,great vid as always and yes what most of the channels lack is the finer details,even pest control,like broad mites,the more severe stuff.RUclips doesnt have much info on that,ect.I think head more to what not to do or what to avoid will help allot of newbies.Keep up the great work,from SA.
Thanks Wayne. Finding a balance is challenging. When I do a more detailed videos, I end up getting comments telling me I talk too much! I think a lot of folks are used to watching 30 second videos, getting high level info...not used to people getting detailed.
A great video, as always!! Very interesting. I'd love to see how you can measure soil PH level and how you can raise/lower it.
I'm in N Tex we have high pH soil and water as well. I use rainwater and stilled tap water with a bit of vinegar to bring down the pH. Works a treat. About a week away from my 3rd harvest of Caribbean red hots. 1st time getting 3 harvests in a year and I have been gardening for 50 years.
logo @ 0:14 very cool. the logos on the bottles of hot sauce are cool too. You and your wife are awesome graphic artists.
Thanks Erik!
Hi Shaun, thanks for all your fantastic content and making the time and effort to share all the knowledge you have learnt over the years. I think the science behind growing the healthiest plants is very interesting and your explanations make this easier to understand, it would be great to see a more in depth version on this in the future
Thanks for the kind words Mike! I will be doing more in depth episodes on the topic for sure....quite a few folks are interested in that!
@@ChilliChump sounds great... looking forward to it! I’ve started my first grow this year albeit way to late in the season. I will try and over winter and plant the ones I have indoors in the garden next year and be sure to buy your seed kit for next year. Don’t think I would have started without your channel so a huge thanks from Lancashire 👍🏻
Great video! Decided to check my tap water here and it came out as 6.6, so I feel like I'm right in the zone! It's been a rough season with the heat wave at the beginning of July in western Canada, and I thought I was going to lose most of my plants, but they're bounced back stronger than ever! Maybe it was our good water here.
Loved the way you gave the key information at the beginning of the video - really nice explanation. I learned on hydroponics. We've got reverse osmosis filtering for our fish tanks now, which gives you really precise control over everything that's in the water - but you do have to know what you're doing, so you add the right stuff back in - pure R/O water is no good for anything at all.
I’d love to see how to test the ph of soil before and after watering.
Thanks for sharing .. Cheers
Incredibly useful, thank you.
Once again, I learned something today! Thank you for the quick and simple explanation and the need for getting your PH correct. Great video and very informative. Love all the content Shaun! Your the Man! - v/r Shane
It didn't rain for 22 days this past June 2023 in southern Ontario, Canada. I had to use tap water - the leaves were yellow and the growth of my peppers was definitely stunted.
Great video. I'd love to see a more in-depth video. Can you measure directly in soil (soil + water + amendments)?
HI, yes I just checked my plants with DR.meter and some plants are ok after several readings other that get yellow leave often are at 5.0. but the healthier ones are around 6.5
I going to test my new mix that I am using which is based off of yours though using KELP Meal, ( mixture of 3 different Rockdusts ) and Fish,Bone,blood meal.
Earth I am testing is
6: parts shrimp Compost ( Its not pure so I add 2 part of a potting mix to compensate )
1: part Perlite
1: part Vermiculite
2 parts potting mix ( A little heavy on perlite for even better draining )
1/2 TBSP Organic Rock Phosphate
1/2 TBSP Glacial Rock Dust
1/2 TBSP Azomite Volcanic Rock dust
2 TBSP Fish,blood, and Bone meal
What have your tried to add to the top of a plant to bring UP the pH ?
Really enjoyed this video. I'd love to see more in regards to ph levels and how to balance accordingly. Thank you!
Good stuff. Might have to give hydroponic chillies another go next season
Love your new greenhouse! Thanks 4 the info!
Useful info i didn't know thank you!
Emulating the conditions created by passing water through decaying leaf litter high in tannins. Thanks much for the awesome explanation.
That voice 🙌 Radio like voice.
Ooo, digging the new intro graphic! I've also noticed that my peppers in pots aren't growing quite as nicely as my peppers that are in cloth bag "pots". The cloth ones are bigger and a healthier shade of green.
I don't think it's because of improper drainage of the pots, I'm wondering if it's because of the extra breathability of the cloth. That's my hunch atleast, as everything else that I've accounted for is identical besides their containers.
Fantastic video, instructive as always.
Like the animated icon in the video introduction.
Greetings from the Galilee.
Thanks Ricky...been working on the intro for the last few days.
Interesting video, thank you! Maybe it makes sense that captured rainwater increases in pH… rainwater is acidic because CO2 is dissolved in it (becoming carbonic acid), so maybe after time the CO2 escapes like an open can of coke! It will want to reach an equilibrium with the air. Also, thanks again for the piri piri seeds, hoping to still get some despite the lack of sun in the UK this year…
Sorry if I've missed it in a previous video but I like the new intro!!
Thank you! This is the first time I've used it!
Great Video! So when are you going to begin to make an autonomous PH balance for your solutions? (that would be very neat)
Also from your last live stream you mentioned no liking Scotch Bonnet peppers. Scotch Bonnets are probably my favorite so far. I will have to send you a Jamaican jerk chicken recipe that is hands down the best way to do chicken. Undoubtedly worth trying! (you can sub in habs too)
I have considered automating pH.... Not necessarily for my soil plants, but for when I start with hydro again.
Be happy to try your recipe, thank you! Like I mentioned in the livestream, I'm still trying to figure out a recipe with scotch bonnets that I enjoy. You can message through my website www.chillichump.com/contact
@@ChilliChump Ill send it your way!
I believe it sent, but I am not sure. Hope you get it!
🌶 Loved that you “scienced the 💩” out of this episode! Definitely fascinated by this and had not realised the importance of pH. I reserve acidic 🌧 rainwater for my blueberry 🫐 plants, but have been using tap🚰 water when my water butts run dry, which they do all too quickly. More science episodes of huge interest here.
What do you put in your final pot size for chillies? I’ve been changing it up each year but haven’t found a winner yet!
I use SeaChem Prime to remove chlorine+chloramines. It a liquid that works pretty much instantly, compared to waiting on camphor tablets to dissolve, and the dosing is something like 5mL per 200L so it's pretty cost effective. Also safe for aquaponics systems (obv since it's an aquarium product hahaha).
Interesting video (as always), thank you very much ^^
I would like to learn more about the subject in a more in-depth video
I've been growing chilies for a couple of years on a small scale, but I live in a second-story flat which severely limits the number of plants I have room for, I got some nice big south-facing windows though
P.S During the late spring this year, a few of my older chilies got leaf spot, so I moved them outside to my north-facing balcony access. I live in Denmark, so they only get an hour or two of sunlight in the morning and the same in the evening. I thought that the leaf spot would kill them for sure, but they bounced back and doing very well, much to my surprise
There's others in the ChilliChump community that live in Denmark, so you're not alone! Take heart, it can be done in a small apartment.
I’m glad tap water in Germany usually does not contain any chlorine
Could bottled spring water or bottled filtered water (or maybe even distilled water) purchased at a grocery store have a sufficiently low pH? Thanks! 🌶😀🌶
Distilled water should be a neutral pH (7.0). And spring water too. You could add a splash of lemon juice to the water if you don't want to get pH Down. Make sure you measure the pH though, you don't want it too acidic
Hello Mr.ChilliChump, thank you for more information about chilli, next year I will buy the Ph meter to have better control over feeding my plants :) You give me an advise about my balcony habaneros and they are really big with lot of fruit on it! But plants have also lot of flowers on them, so I am curious about to pinch those flowers of, so the plants can focus their energy on fruit... I am thinking right about it? Thank you for your time, sir :)
You can pinch some of the flowers off if you want. But you need to consider how long is left in your season. If you only have one more month, then it might be worthwhile letting the flowers go to fruit. Or maybe you just want fewer, bigger chillies?
@@ChilliChump I live in Czech Republic, where is little bit warmer than UK, so I think I have august and september :) I don´t think about bigger chillies, I am just worry if those fruits can ripen up in that time, but consider to your words, I can left them (flowers) on, right? :) I have like 30 unrippen peppers on each plant ( I have 3 plants ), so it´s enought for me I guess. I was just thinking about speed up the rippening by pinching of those flowers, but I let them on I guess :)
The chillies will continue to ripen even if the plant dies from the cold! Have a look at some of my update videos from previous years, you can see this with my plants.
@@ChilliChump You are so kind, sir! Thank you so much, I will post some pictures lately, to show you those plants, if it doesn´t bother you :)
Thanks for the info, this is going to help alot
Thank you for the video
I would just like to know, how do you actually test the soil and fertilize?
I would just like to see the info you just gave in action...
Thank you for the informative video
I have just moved into a new property that has a bore so I will test the PH levels. Thankyou
Last few years growing chillies I've had varied success, last year I tried the whole nutrient/ pH thing.....was not that great. This year a completely different approach and its free, it's yellow and we flush it away all the time! Have to say I've had the healthiest chillies yet, deep green with loads of pods and no flower drop compared to previous years. Great strong tomato plants with plenty of fruit. Great aubergines coming along. Tomatoes are strong and healthy also outside the greenhouse. The yellow stuff is diluted roughly 1:10 with rain water. Also composting everything. Haven't spent a penny...excuse the pun, on nutrients this year.
I found this out the hard way. He is dead on. A $10 test kit would have saved me 2 months of trying to figure out what was wrong. If your PH is off nothing will help.
Very interesting video. Im thinking that wrong ph in my tap water could be the cause of me getting mostly tiny chillies
Love your sauce making videos, but tips and tricks on the growing side would be great!
Thanks for the info!!!!!!!!
Great little Wednesday video 👍
Hey Shaun, thanks for the video. Any tips on how to store the pH meter? Do I need to store it in a solution or is that not necessary
If you have a decent pH meter, then I would recommend a storage solution.
@@ChilliChump I have the generic yellow one but I don't use it often, only when testing pH for fermentations. Just want to make sure I can still rely on the readings
@davidfleb I would recommend storing it with a little tap water in the cap. Don't let the sensor dry out. And you should also calibrate the cheaper ones like that before each use. I calibrate my expensive one before each use too...it's part of my process when making my commercial sauces
@@ChilliChump thanks for the advice, I always calibrate it but I haven't been storing it with water.
Hope I'm not going to get too much flack for this.
I've done an experiment with jelapeno where a slightly more alkaline environment made for hotter jelapenos. 4 seeds from the same pod was planted in 6.3 and 7.3. The 7.3 yielded hotter peppers, but not as much as the 6.3. The 6.3 really produced double the amount of pods.
The trick is to move towards alkaline once pods are setting 😉
I’d happily watch a more in-depth guide. 👌
Wow...probably what's been my crux all along
hi, What is in your nutrients that you used in the demo? thanks
hello, is there a safe method - to avoid any harm to chillies - to make water more acidic? thank you very much!
You can use a little lemon juice or even citric acid. But if you are going to do that I would recommend testing the pH again after
@@ChilliChump thank you very much, sir
Hello, what nutrients do you use for your chili peppers?
I have my own mix I've created
How do I measure the ph of the soil and how do I change it?
Would love to see a more indepth video on this topic.
Does anyone have a link to where Shaun goes over making the nutrient mix? I know everyones' plants' needs are different, but I wanted a good base to see if my current setup is too far off.
I talk about nutrients in this video ruclips.net/video/AwKmTPsy5nY/видео.html
I am making some changes for next year though, instead of using premixed nutrients like chilli focus.
Or are you asking about nutrients I use when I do hydro?
Thank you so much.
Hi ChilliChump. Great video, I'll go and check my water out in a minute.
But first. I'm growing about 40 Mini Bell Pepper plants, because I'm not into hot stuff, and I am trying to find a nice oil to preserve them in,
similar to what they do to the Stuffed Pepperdew Peppers you can buy in the shops?
I've had a look around but worry that all I see are Hot Sauces etc!
Have you got a video on this sort of thing, or can you offer a Recipe to suit my pallet?
Many Thanks In Advance.
Have you considered pickling them?
@@ChilliChumpWill they taste as nice as the ones you buy in the shop?
Are preserved or pickled?
You see I've really no idea what I want to do with them, except enjoy them!
I'm open to any suggestions.
The problem with preserving in oil alone is that there is quite a process to ensure it is safe, especially if you are a beginner. Pickling is a little more foolproof. Here's a very simple yet tasty pickling recipe of mine ruclips.net/video/Gte7B2zP7WA/видео.html
Also consider picking up my recipe book for some other ideas www.chillichump.com/shop
@@ChilliChump Okay great! I'll Bookmark this until I need it!
I feel magnesium is hardest mineral to get absorbed well. I add Epson salt to soil or create a spray with it. Plants always seem to respond well. Trying to manage soil ph is more of a headache and too hard on my wallet.
Is it possible to make tap water usable without adding nutrients every time? I have been guilty of over feeding them in the past. I will not be able to store enough rain water.
If the pH is too high...then add a little citirc acid, or pH down to get it to the right level. Also let the tap water sit for a few hours to allow any chlorine to evaporate. If you have chloramine in your water, then you will have to follow another process
@@ChilliChump Citric acid. Thanks! Ps love your work.
Just wanted to say that I took your advice from a recent livestream about adding thickeners/binders to my sauce, and my newest batch is amazing. Thanks a million.
Excellent, I'm glad it helped David
ph is critical for plant growth. another critical measurement is e.c. i suggest a meter that reads ph and e.c/ppm.
I like using lemon juice to correct Ph.
Hi Shaun, pH balancing was a disaster for me for DWC and hydro from not having time to check and adjust pH often enough. Would it be possible to monitor pH and ppm levels on an arduino or pi setup similar to your How To on temp/rH in your greenhouse and link it to something like a traffic light LED warning panel outside the reservoir/growtent?
Hi Brian, it is possible. However the sensor is not cheap! I am still trying to source one that is affordable and works well. Will do a video on it if I do!
Is PH slightly on the acidic side better for most vegetables or fruit bearing plants?
Fruit trees and vegetables both benefit from acidic soil. Fruit trees around 6.2 to 6.8. and with vegetables, it just depends on the variety. But ultimately, like I mentioned in the video....6.5pH should cover most situations.
@@ChilliChump good to know. Might explain why I have such a difficult time growing anything at my home. I live in the midwest where most of the soil is clay. Even after mixing in loads of good nutrients the soil is still around 8-8.5 ph.
How do you check the soil / water / nutrient combo?
There is a link to a soil pH meter in the description. This will give an indication of whether it is acidic or alkaline. It won't be as accurate as the meters I show in the video though...
well how do i get rid of chloramine from my tap water? i'd really like to use that as a starting water source.
You can use Campden tablets
I probably need a pH meter for soil. Would be interesting to measure acidity of the soil, not only of water.
I have a link in the description to a soil pH meter. I use one similar. It isn't as accurate as these that I'm using to measure the water, but it does give an indication of whether it is acidic it alkaline.
Nice intro animation! Although I don't know if it's already older.
First time I used it in this video. Been busy building it the last few days.
I sadly don't have a garden and grow my chillis on my balkony, so i obviously dont have access to rain water and have to use tab water. What can i do to lower the ph of my water ?
You can use pH down. Or if you want to use something easier to get hold of, some lemon juice or citric acid. Just make sure to test it again after adding.
Where i am (Germany) a Solid pH Meter Costs 90 € .
I think its from Blue Lab.
But that is just me .
I will rather buy once and high quality that lasts me for years .
Also callibration and the ph Down and ph up solvents to callibrate the Meter and the cleaning solutions for the Metall parts are very important to keep your Meter accurate .
Otherwise if u do not want to invest in all this too better not buy a cheap Meter.
You could actually do more harm than good .
Otherwise thank you for the Video.
Greetings from Germany
I have a few Bird eyes and you have to spray roundup on them just to get rid of them.
Whats the story here?
To get rid of what?
If my water ph is 5.7 its bad to pepper plants?good day chili chump
That quite acidic. Are you sure that is correct? I would try adjust it to 6.2 - 6.5 if it is
This might be a (very) stupid question, but I gotta ask anyway.
Would it help if I added citric acid powder to my tap water? Of course within reason, i would only use little, so the acid wouldn't be strong enouh to hurt the plants
If you are going to do that, make sure you measure the pH after to ensure it is within range.
@@ChilliChump Since that wasn't a no, I'll try it next year when the new plants are growing.
All of mine are fruiting now, I wouldn't want to risk it now.
It would work...just make sure you are in the right pH zone. Also don't change it too quickly from what the plant is used to. So your instinct is correct, won't so a big change at this late stage of the season.
Hi Shaun,
How can I change the pH of the water I use when not feeding nutrients
A little lemon juice to drop the pH, works well.
@@ChilliChump brilliant thanks. I've joined the free discord recently and want to join the subscription one, is there a different link or do I just join here on RUclips to get access?
@@PetesChilliHouse you can join as a member on RUclips or through Patreon. See you there!
ruclips.net/user/chillichumpjoin OR
www.patreon.com/chillichump
@@ChilliChump done 👍
Can you please for typical nutricient mix for down ph
Can I dip a pH meter like that straight into the soil to get a reading?
It won't work with dry soil. Have a look in the description of my video, I link to a soil pH meter. It will give an indication of the pH for you
good stuff!
Hi good day
If my ph is high
its okay to use lime juice to down the ph of my water thank you.
Yes, some lemon juice will be ok. It's actually a good nutrient supplement for your plants
Thank you for response
Like your content 👍 subscribed
Thanks Paul. Just watched you eat a 7Pot Primo...without flinching. Impressive!
@@ChilliChump thank you...I admire guys like you who do it 👍
I always use plain tap water and rain water and my plants have never complained. There's no visible difference between my plants with and without tap water used
You may be fortunate enough to have tap water that is acidic.
@@ChilliChump I've just checked the city's report. Tap water is medium hardness, pH between 6.66 and 7.64. I guess that's probably close enough that fertiliser and natural soil would stabilise it, along with any rainwater that's used. Apparently my city also has some of the most well regulated tap water in North America :))
CC on Wednesday? Am I dreaming? Is it my birthday?
Lol....just trying something new my friend.
hi do you try use bio-char in your potting mix?
No, don't see a need for it
@@ChilliChump thank you for your reply godbless
Love your videos, been watching them nonstop. I just bought your book! Any chance you could sign it for me?
I normally only sign for Patreons, but I will sign this one for you this time mate. Welcome to my channel! Just to confirm the order, your initials are FF?
Yes sir! Thank you very much, I'll be a patreon soon!
are you related to that ufc fighter Bisbing?
make a full on video on what you feed your plants
I have already, as part of my seed to sauce, beginners guide series
@@ChilliChump ok il search it ... im currently feeding my chilli plants the same as my cannibas plants ( all organic )
Here's the full series playlist. I am rebooting this series this year, including my feeding one. I've already replaced a couple episodes. ruclips.net/p/PLuQ_ySnkV1en8UPfuoJVWCLT9dIZnKCQa
@@ChilliChump the plants are loving the feeding i give them now ... busy with making my own fermented fertilizer now (KNF) way
hi
it is okay if the ph level of water is around 6.0 to 6.5?
thank you
That will be fine
@@ChilliChump thank you for your reply
ive bin waiting too long for a new video!
It's been 4 days 🙂
@@ChilliChump 4 days to many for a addict. ;D
me to want more videos of thes kind
How do i measure soil ph?
I linked in the description to a soil pH meter. It isn't going to be as accurate as the meters I show in the video...but it will give an indication
are you testing the PH of your soil? if yes how?
My soil mix ensures a perfect balance to start the season ruclips.net/video/hbcRpC7vG-c/видео.html
I do test though the season with a meter like the one I linked in the description too
@@ChilliChump sorry for reviving an old thread but do you just place the Ph meter into a sample of soil to measure it?
Secrets, please.
Why bring up chloramine....it doesn't effect plants as far as I can tell, or read.
It kills a lot of the beneficial microbes that exist in the soil
@@ChilliChump Well I'm not experiencing it, and I am an aspiring organic gardener mostly , no till, and amend with compost. After all it's in the water we drink....but I'm sure it doesn't do the soil any favors.
I do grow most my peppers in earth boxes though, and that uses fertilizer strip...so not really organic there.
I guess you could remove with potassium metabisfulite (like in brewing water).....but I use it from a hose that connects to municipal water, and don't really think it worth having to go thru all that in a holding tank.
Tap water? Our Icelandic tap water is better than any bottled water out there. The lack of sun is where my problems are.
It's always something....
He said he prefers rain water, not bottled water. Using a few hundred gallons of bottled water a week would be cost prohibitive.
Got it
I disagree with your statement you need to be on the acidic side with water. The reason it that not all chili plants have the same requirements in the PH department. I've used slightly acidic nutriant sollutions in the past and it has given me Noserot on the bigger pepper kinds and the ones with thicker skin (like big jim but also on jalapenos). The smaller peppers will tolerate it much better. For me personally tap water has given me best results, I have scaled down immensly and I only have 6 plants now. I use a 40 liter water vat for 6 plants and I use plant tablets in the soil with the autopot system. It's pretty much dummy proof and I've never gotten any deficiency problems. PH measurement when using soil is just too much work and not worth it in my opinion so I don't bother with it anymore. If you are using a hydroponic system than you should definitely measure your PH! Please note this is my personal opinion and experience and I find your videos highly informative and learned alot about fermenting and hot sauce recipes.
I welcome input of course mate.
And you are correct...different chilli plants have different pH requirements. But ALL chilli plants need an acidic soil got optimal growth. This is why I mention 6.5pH as a generally acceptable measure. It is a decent middle ground. Some of my plants I drop the pH quite a bit more, and also change things depending on phase of growth.
@@ChilliChump And with that I fully agree! :)
are you sure that's tap water and rain water. Looks like vodka to me. there's are good sized glasses for you. cheers..