Some people have used honey and got pretty good results. Aloe gel seems to work too.
OP:
First of all, if you want to lower the pH of your soil, lime (which is alkaline) is exactly opposite of what you would use. It would RAISE pH, not lower it. Lowering your pH means making it more acidic. The lower your pH number is, the more acidic it is. The higher the number, the more alkaline. Ideally, you want your soil in the 6.3-6.5 range. No less than 6 and no higher than 7.
The best way to test soil pH is with a lab test. Second best is an Accurate 8 soil pH probe, which is available on Amazon for $50-$60USD. This is what I use at home. All the other probes for less are unreliable. The Accurate 8 has been nearly identical to the lab tests, in my experience and no other, less expensive probe has been. There are more expensive probes but they aren’t necessary. Slurry tests with a pH are not as reliable and are only as good as your liquid pH pen - a DIFFERENT unit than the Accurate 8 mentioned above. For testing liquid pH, invest in a GOOD pH pen if you can. The least expensive one I’d recommend is an Apera PH60. They are also available on Amazon for around $70USD. Might seem like a lot but, when you grow cannabis, you have a LOT riding on pH. The cheap pens may work at first but they are notorious for going out or giving bad readings after a while. If you can’t Apera or a Blue Lab pen, start saving up for one and order a cheap liquid drop and test vial from Amazon!
IF your soil pH is out of whack it’s very hard to adjust. Your best bet is to put your plant into new soil with a proper pH. There are many ways to adjust soil pH. Sulphur, for one, will lower soil pH as will adding things like sphagnum peat, which is acidic. If you want to raise your soil pH, use various forms of lime like agricultural lime or oyster shell flour. If this is not possible for your current grow, you can try adjusting your water. This is NOT a great solution but it can work. If your soil is to acidic (lower number) pH your water slightly HIGHER (more alkaline) than you would under ideal conditions. If your soil is too alkaline (higher number) then pH your water a little lower (more acidic) than you would under perfect conditions. The idea here is to balance or offset the soil with the water. If your soil is 6.3 and you want 6.5, try watering with 6.7 water. Hopefully the result will be the 6 5 you want when it contacts the roots of your plants.
I am growing all organic and don’t use the bottled chemical pH adjusters. Instead, I use organic raw and organic Apple Cider Vinegar with “the mother” included. However, any vinegar will work. 2ml of this vinegar takes my 7.6 water down to the 6.3 I want. To raise you pH, use baking soda - it’s available world wide and is dirt cheap.
Fertilizers:
Yes, we use different types of fertilizers in the growth stage and the flower/‘bud’ stage. Cannabis prefers a balanced fertilizer in the “vegetative” growth stage. Look for 3 numbers on your fertilizer that look like this: X-X-X or 7-4-5. The first number should be the largest. The 2nd number should be the lowest. All three should be fairly close though. Something like 50% - 20% - 30%. The first number is Nitrogen (N), the 2nd number represents Phosphorous (P) andvthe 3rd number represents how much Potassium (K).
During the flowering or ‘budding’ stage of life, cannabis uses mostly Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) but it still requires a small amount of Nitrogen. Look for a fertilizer with numbers like 5-20-20 or 10%-45%-45%
This is a VERY simplified instruction but it should help you get started. Good luck growing and join the community so you can easily get help when you need it!
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I am having the same problem my soil ph is 8+. Im using some cheap organic soil this year since no shops are nearby. I added earthworm castings, a little blood & bone meal and used espoma bulb tone since it had low dose of sulfur. My seedlings are atleast 3 weeks old in 7 gallon fab pots, they are finally dryin out enough. Now ive noticed the leaves are starting to get a pale yellow which has me worried bc they have been stunted do to high moisture content in soil and maybe overwatering. So how can i flush them? What should I do? Ive been reading up and it says sulfur. Im tryin to find something organic. Any suggestions?
buy some quality good soil and transplant them but give them a quick dunking in fresh water to wash the roots and pray…good luck