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market-farming - [Market-farming] pH adjustment for irrigating tomatoes with high pH well water.

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  • From: "Marlin & Christine Burkholder" <burkholders AT glenecofarm.com>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] pH adjustment for irrigating tomatoes with high pH well water.
  • Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2011 22:48:30 -0400

For the past few seasons I have been running into difficulties with irrigating hoophouse tomatoes from our well.  Last summer we did not have tomatoes in a hoophouse but there was a drought  and all tomatoes had to be irrigated.  The problem is that our well water is above 7 pH and irrigation raises the soil pH in the root zone too high for good tomato production.  This results in interference with adequate uptake of potassium (even though soil K levels are in the very high range) and causes greywall, a nutritional deficiency that damages marketability of the crop.  I have tried foliar feeding with potassium but this is still not adequate.

 

My question is, what is the better product to add acid to the irrigation water to lower pH?  I have heard that some use battery acid (not very appealing to me) or vinegar (maybe I could handle that).  I have bought something called “Boraplex” but haven’t used it yet and wonder what experiences others have had with it.

 

The other question relates to the tools used to meter the material into the water.  I have several Syphonjects (gotten very economically at an auction) that might work if I can figure out the proper dilution.  Other wise I am considering either Mazzie, Ez-Flo, or Dosatron systems, (more expensive but possibly easier to control) options.  Again I am interested in other’s experiences.  I have about  38 PSI at water hydrants and run water through 12 PSI pressure regulators at my irrigation header lines.

 

Marlin Burkholder

Virginia

 




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