Can I use baking soda to raise pH in hydroponics? Sadly, no.

When we wrote about not using vinegar to lower your pH, we said that nutrient management is one of the biggest things to wrap your head around when getting started with hydroponics.

Enter: baking soda. 

If vinegar is the questionable hero for lowering pH, baking soda is its equally questionable sidekick for raising it.

When your pH creeps too high, it can be tempting to look around the kitchen and think, “baking soda is alkaline. Baking soda is cheap! Problem solved!”

Well... not exactly. We did that with our plants, and left leaf burn on the tips of our lettuce leaves. 

So, can I use baking soda to raise pH in hydroponics?

Baking soda can raise pH, but it probably shouldn't be your go-to solution for hydroponics.  Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is alkaline and can raise the pH of your hydroponic solution.

The biggest issue is sodium.

Baking soda adds sodium to your nutrient solution, and while your plants need some micronutrients to thrive, sodium isn't something you want piling up in your hydroponic system. Too much sodium can interfere with nutrient uptake and eventually create problems for your plants.

Baking soda can also make your pH correction less predictable, especially as plants absorb nutrients and the chemistry of your reservoir changes.

What should you use instead?

A commercial hydroponic pH Up product is generally a better choice. These products are designed specifically for adjusting nutrient solutions without adding unnecessary sodium to your system.

If your pH is too low, make small adjustments, mix thoroughly, and give your solution time to stabilize before testing again. Your plants—and your future self—will thank you.