Question about grow medium (Black Gold)

[hillzbilly]

Hey all,

First time grower having some serious doubts that my 1st attempt is even worth trying to go to flower. I'm 8 weeks in since sprout and all I've got is a 10" stem with no branches. I LST'd a stick with leaves last night to try to buy some more veg time in a stealth cab. It looks so sad.

I'm thinking that between cold issues, nute starvation, and PH issues that I had to "learn" through, that I should just start over. Call it lessons learned and try again.

Before doing so, I'd need some help to get rid of some confusion about my grow medium. I live in the middle of nowhere so my "can get local" soil options are very limited. Nearest nursery carrying Ffarms or anything "recommended" is like an hour and a half away. I wanted to stay with what I can get local so I used Black Gold Waterhold, (a soil / coco mix). I've searched all over the place and nothing I've found gives me the warm fuzzies on how I should treat it so I've been guessing, probably wrong, about how to treat it.

Just today I ran across a post from Bmeat "elsewhere" asking about B-gold an I was like Oh' shiat, if he was considering using it, I'm probably fooked (No offense Bmeat, and nothin but love your way bro....just a knee jerk reaction).

So, specifically, before I kill another plant:

• Should I water it like soil (slight run off or flood like coco)?
• Let it get dryout between watering or keep it wet all the time?
• Should my target in PH be 6.4ish like soil or down in the high 5's like coca?
• Should I assume going in that I need Cal Mag out of the bag due to the coco component?
• Should I start nuting right from the start?

I know that the best answer is chuck it and go with some Ffarms but I would really like to stay with something I can get local.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[mtgeezer]

Sounds like you live in a rural location. Did you give any thought to using barn or stable cleanings for soil and fertilizer? Last years' works best, ammonia leeched out or broken down will help prevent nitrogen burn. Use what you have available and supplement as needed.

 

[hillzbilly]

Sounds like you live in a rural location. Did you give any thought to using barn or stable cleanings for soil and fertilizer? Last years' works best, ammonia leeched out or broken down will help prevent nitrogen burn. Use what you have available and supplement as needed.

Damn, is my redneck showin?

Right on target about rural....cows outnumber people greatly 'round here.

Hadn't really given any thought to using the right next door soil alternatives...being a newbie, I was trying to go with something out of a bag to avoid the unknown. Obviously I failed....

I'd love to try something like that, but man, I'd sure be guessing as to the poop to dirt ratio