Potting Soil Recipe Question

Hello All,
I'm about to transplant NINETEEN 1.5 month old plants to 1.5 Gallon Pots. The plants are in pots that are about 4" in size, are between 3 and 5 inches tall and have no more than 6 or 7 branching nodes and are growing under a 400 watt MH which is hanging about 18" above them.

My question is in regards to the potting mix recipe I am following. I intend to keep these plants in their new 1.5 Gallon pots until they are sexed, then I'll proceed to harden them and transplant them into the grow (outdoors).

The recipe I am following is adapted from "Indoor Marijuana Horticulture" by Jorge Cevantes on page 99:

1/3 compost (using Earth Grow Composted Cow Manure and Organic Humus 1-1-1
1/3 soiless mix (using peat-based ProMix BK)
1/3 equal parts coco coir*, worm castings and perlite

I realize now that the coc coir is part of a different recipe on the same page.
If I had read it correctly I should the final 1/3 should have only cosisted of 1/6 worm castings and 1/6 perlite. Though the soil mix that my plants are in now cosists of the recipe stated above, I can avoid using the coco coir.

I've already mixed the 1/3 "compost" 1/3 soiless mix and 1/6 worm castings together. I was ready to add the perlite and coco coir but wanted to check with some more experienced growers first to see what they thought I should do.


I am wondering what you all think of this mixture?
Other soil amendments that I have at my disposal are:

-Blood Meal 12-0-0
-Bone Meal 6-9-0
-Kelp Meal 1-0-2
-Green Sand 0-0-.1
-Dry Bar Bat Guano 3-10-1
-Peruvian Sea Bird Guano 10-10-2.5
-Epsom Salt

I also have at my disposal plenty of the following liquid fertilizers:
-Neptunes Harvest Fish Fertilizer 2-4-1
-Sea Com - PGR 0-4-4

If possible, I'd like to avoid purchasing anything else and would like to work with what I have listed above.

Some side notes, it's my understanding that without changing the photoperiod from 18 (light on)/ 6 (light off), I ought to begin to sex the plants at about 11 weeks old or once there are 7 branch unions. Should I wait for them to naturaly show there sex or change the photoperiod to 12 light on/ 12 light off

Finally, any suggestions for Veg and Flower fertilizer recipes I can use with the above mentioned ferts I already have would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the longwinded post, but I wanted to make sure I covered all the details about my "operation" that I could think of.

I think my plants will appreciate there larger pots...I think they're starting to get slightly pot/ root bound.
 

Xare

Well-Known Member
Go ahead and mix the Perlite and Coco in. You can use this mix to veg for the short time till you put them outside. Water them with the liquid organic nutes if you think they need food.

Save the dry organic amendments for your final holes.

I use an organic premix very similar to this one.


2 part bonemeal
1 part bloodmeal
1 part kelpmeal
1 part greensand
1 part High P guano
1 part High N guano
1 part Dolomite Lime

I use dolomite lime instead of Epsom salts because it adds the same magnesium and calcium but with the added benefit of balancing PH and it facilitates the breakdown of the organics in the soil.

Also Green Sand lasts many years so you dont need to add it every time if you use the same holes.


You can give more nutes at flowering stage with a guano tea and some of your liquids
 
Xare, If you're still out there...
When you listed your fertilizer mixture:
2 part bonemeal
1 part bloodmeal
1 part kelpmeal
1 part greensand
1 part High P guano
1 part High N guano
1 part Dolomite Lime

Do you make a tea with it or use it as a soil amendment?
 

Xare

Well-Known Member
I use that recipe to amend my native soil.

It lasts a good 3 months, then I give flowering nutes with Guano Tea with molasses in it. I also Top Dress with a bit of Guano.
 
im useing a bag of foxfarm 2cb ft of other good looking pot soil, native soil, polymere crystals and a little sand.
how much would i need to water them if there just seedlings.
 
That depends on the size of the pots they're in and what growing conditions they're growing in as well, like temperature, humidity, air movement, HID light or cfl, how well the growing medium retains water retain water, frequency of watering...etc. Don't overwater your seedlings to avoid damping off problems. Err on the side of too dry/ less water than too much. At least allow the top 1/8-1/4 inch of soil to dry out...the soil will pull away from the edges of the pot. Also cosider culitvating the top 1/2 of soil especially around the edges before watering so you can avoid the water just escaping down the sides of the pot without actually saturating the soil.
Does that help. I like the idea of water globes below...perhaps I'll try that.
 
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