Seed planting question, is it ok to use nutrient rich soil?

I've seen mixed reports, but nothing conclusive and nothing specific to my question.

I'm using Happy Frog organic soil on some plants I'm currently vegging, and I decided to start some seeds I got from a friend. I used the same soil to plant the seeds in after germinating with paper towel.

Some people are saying that the soil can be too nutrient rich, and that's why regular potting soil or rockwool is recommended. Can anyone help clear this up?

you should be alright.
you could also get peat pots. theyre cheap and work great. available at home depot

Happy Frog is a good choice, actually. Myself, and many grower use it, with great results, and no burning. I've heard complaints about stuff like Fox Farms Ocean Forest, and some MG soils, burning seedlings, but I've used both of those, as well, without any problems. Maybe it's that some strains are really sensitive, idk, but I switched to MG soil, and have no plans of switching, anytime soon....

thanks for the responses guys, that's a relief. I've read that HF is a low-nutrient soil (compared to other rich, organic soils like FF.) Given that, how far into the transplanting of my other clones into pots full of it should I start adding nutes? I've heard times between three weeks (where I am now) and 2 months. Any thoughts?

^For your first feeding, that all depends on the size of your pot, vs. the size of your plant. It doesn't depend on age, because I've seen plants at 2 weeks, that are as big as some I've seen at 2 months. For example,...if your plant is 6" tall, and about 6" wide, it would be close to needing fed if it were in a 1 gallon pot, which is also about 6" wide and 6" tall. My reasoning for that, is that the roots are also about 6' wide and 6" tall(for arguement's sake), reflecting the growth above ground, telling me that most of the medium has been occupied by roots, which'll depete the soil in a week or so, afterwards.(meaning that it's time to start feeding)

Now, if you have that same plant in a 5 gallon pot, the soil will sustain it much longer, until the plant is much bigger, reguardless of age. So, in the situation above, you could either start feeding lightly, or transplant, doing the same thing, basically. Or, you could give it a light feeding, replenishing that old soil, then transplant, giving it the best of both worlds. I do this.

Feeding, is a tough thing to describe to a new grower, due to the many variables. Generally, it takes a fert burn, or two, to convince the new guy that he's getting a little carried away, because most guys seems to think that plants are like people....more food = fatter and faster growing.lol That's not true. They eat according to how comfortable they are in their environment, and most importantly...how much light they are processing. The more light they get, the faster they process, the more nutes they require(use). To speed things up, you add more light first, then satisfy their nute requirements. Ooops, sorry, I kinda drifted off track....lol

muze said:

I've seen mixed reports, but nothing conclusive and nothing specific to my question.

I'm using Happy Frog organic soil on some plants I'm currently vegging, and I decided to start some seeds I got from a friend. I used the same soil to plant the seeds in after germinating with paper towel.

Some people are saying that the soil can be too nutrient rich, and that's why regular potting soil or rockwool is recommended. Can anyone help clear this up?

Click to expand...

i spaced out and planted a bunch of seedlings in fox farm ocean forest. 5 weeks later, they looked like they were about 2 week old. hot soils are not good for seedlings, athough they will grow, they won't grow like if they were put in seedling soil or simply some soil without any nutes in it.

fatboyOGOF said:

i spaced out and planted a bunch of seedlings in fox farm ocean forest. 5 weeks later, they looked like they were about 2 week old. hot soils are not good for seedlings, athough they will grow, they won't grow like if they were put in seedling soil or simply some soil without any nutes in it.

Click to expand...

yeah OF just ate one of my seedlings.

jawbrodt said:

Ooops, sorry, I kinda drifted off track....lol

Click to expand...

no problem man, i'm learning it all. i would say they are bigger than the pot now, but that's in terms of spread, they don't seem very dense (i think i need more light penetration). would you recommend adding nutes or transplantation? transplanting it would seem like a bigger stress to the plant, right?

fatboyOGOF said:

i spaced out and planted a bunch of seedlings in fox farm ocean forest. 5 weeks later, they looked like they were about 2 week old. hot soils are not good for seedlings, athough they will grow, they won't grow like if they were put in seedling soil or simply some soil without any nutes in it.

Click to expand...

hmm... well i know happy frog isn't as rich as fox farm so i hope it will be ok, but i'll keep a close eye on them. i started a lot more than i intend to grow, so i can afford to lose a few. next time i will probably just get some un-nutritious soil to be safe.

actually, the link in my sig are the seedlings in question, just starting to pop today.

^Transplanting is never a bad thing, unless you butcher the roots badly, when doing it. Sure, it invites a little stress from adjusting to the new enviroment, but the payoff is ALWAYS worth it. Also,..a light feeding wouldn't hurt, as long as you keep it light.(1/4 strength, or a bit weaker) If your plants are kinda spindly, it's not a nutrient issue, likely you are correct, in that they need more light. Either way, a transplant will help, it'll solve any nute problems(whether you feed it beforehand, or not), and let the roots spread out, which typically, helps the foliage about ground spread out, as well. As for the light.....add as much as you can afford. IMO, until you have more than a 1000 watt HPS on each plant, you're not overdoing it.LOL

^ Ok, I may have to do that then, i'll get some 5 gallon buckets from home depot to plant into. thanks for the advice! i'll hold out on feeding for now, i don't think they're having ANY nute problems at the moment but i want to keep it that way.

as far as light goes, i'm using 2 glowpanel45 led lights for three plants (my avatar pic) but they're really cramped and shadowy. i'm going to spread them out tonight and i'm getting three more of those panels very soon, 5 lights on 3 plants should be ok i think.

Lots depends on the plants, here pictures of my trials.

black rose in root organics I germinated using the paper towel method stuck in a pedi pack then put in an oven mit over my bunn coffee maker, it acts like an incubator.

Now trying the soil from the 99cent store I researched it and here is what I found :
Agromin is a pioneer in the sustainable management of biodegradable resources. We are dedicated to the enhancement of our business, our society and the environment through innovation along each turn of the recycling loop.

Each year, we convert almost 380,000 tons of recycled organic materials into rich living compost, mulch and other premium soil products for area farmers, landscapers and gardeners. Resulting from this process of sustainably renewing our soil resources, we contribute to water conservation, prevention of soil depletion, reduction in green house gas (GHG) emissions and a decreased need for oil-based fertilizers and chemicals.

As stewards of the Earth, we are committed to the protection and renewal of our soil resources, to build a more sustainable future and a greener world--for us, for our children and for generations yet to come.
Ok the bag at the 99 cent store does not tell you all this, the npk numbers are in .9's

Here is my crittaly smashed in their soil using the soak seed in water overnight, then plant.
notice how the two true leafs are so close to the soil, the sugar leafs are a bit pale but not much. The leafs came out strong and the stem is thick.

It depends on the plant: root organics my black rose seedling under t5 Germinated using towel method put towel in veggie pedi cup and then into oven mit place on top of my bunn coffee maker it stays hot so like an incubator.

This one is with soil I got at the 99 cent store and researched it and here is what I found.
Agromin is a pioneer in the sustainable management of biodegradable resources. We are dedicated to the enhancement of our business, our society and the environment through innovation along each turn of the recycling loop.

Each year, we convert almost 380,000 tons of recycled organic materials into rich living compost, mulch and other premium soil products for area farmers, landscapers and gardeners. Resulting from this process of sustainably renewing our soil resources, we contribute to water conservation, prevention of soil depletion, reduction in green house gas (GHG) emissions and a decreased need for oil-based fertilizers and chemicals.

As stewards of the Earth, we are committed to the protection and renewal of our soil resources, to build a more sustainable future and a greener world--for us, for our children and for generations yet to come.
ok here is a sleedling in this soil View attachment 1816917 crittaly smashed using the soak seed over night and then plant, notice the 1st true leafs are very close to the soil and the stem is thick.

These are hawaiian skunk seedlings in roots organic. Being hawaiian skunk is sativa genitics they need to be propped and secured.

oops don't know how this thumbnail got on here that picture is my genitics cross of a blueberry daddy and a sugar haze mama grow out.