Salt/Calcium Accumulating

[LawyerNinja]

Hello All,

I have not had a problem with my cacti growing, but I am wishing to improve my care and perfect their growth rate. I feel the tap water I am using my have have a high calcium (or salt) content.

I have read the pinned post in this forum on testing water alkalinity and have purchased the necessary equipment to begin doing so.

My main question is, when I begin watering with water with a higher alkalinity will this remove the salt/calcium build up that appears on the top of the soil of some of my plants?

Picture below is an example of what the top soil looks like on some of my plants. A white dust, this is ultimately harmful to my plants, yes?

[MikeInOz]

Your EC is (0.26) That's the dissolved salt index. Not too bad but could be better. Mine in Melbourne Australia is (0.04)
Ok for horticulture generally expect for sensitive plants. Cacti and succulents are not that sensitive.
You total alkalinity is 63 CaCo3. (calcium carbonate) That's getting up there. I would suggest you check your local water for pH and reduce it to about 6 with citric acid or similar. Also, when you water, water well. Every now and then on a hot windy day, you can flush the pot with about three volumes of the pot worth of water.
The white encrustations will be a mix of various salts including fertilizer added.
https://www.google.com/search?source=un ... SKtpISYQ7M

[LawyerNinja]

I've got white vinegar, reading that thread it appears to work the same.

I would add a little to my watering can and measure the PH before watering? Aiming for around 6?

[Old Lefty]

I generally use rain water during the growing season.

“Every now and then on a hot windy day, you can flush the pot with about three volumes of the pot worth of water” - MikeInOz.

[greenknight]

See: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/watering ... ouseplants

[LawyerNinja]

See: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/watering ... ouseplants

I have a de-humidifier in my grow tent... i've just been dumping the water.. welp now I know. Thank you!

[greenknight]

See: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/watering ... ouseplants

I have a de-humidifier in my grow tent... i've just been dumping the water.. welp now I know. Thank you!

That'll work great. Still need to leach out the soil - not now, but when the plants are ready for a good watering in the spring. Start saving up de-humidifier water.

[7george]

Salty subject explained.