Soil Help

PugBacon · Jul 17, 2016

Hello community

After careful and thoughtful planning my first grow some things didn't work out as planned. I had to blow the last of my budget on cooling my grow room leaving me broke for the good soil.
I currently have my babies planted in solo cups using FFOF as the soil. Soon I'm going to transplant them to larger 5 gallon smart pots but don't have the budget for 2 bags of FFOF at $30 a bag in my area.
I don't have time or money to mix my own soil either and I know this question may draw many critics out of the woods BUT... What's a good store bough (walmart, hd, lowes) soil that I can grow these babies in? Anyone tried any MG organic or kellogg organic soils with success? How about this soil from WM?

For those curious ones, below are some pics of my setup. Criticize if needed.
1x 300w LED with IR and UV
8x 23w Daylight CFL
2x 23w softlight CFL
(Removed DIY reflector to allow my LED to compensate)

Chunky Stool · Jul 17, 2016

Why are you going from solo to 5 gallon pots? I would go to 1 gal pots, then 5 gal later. It will promote better root development & help prevent overwatering. And your plants get fresh nutes each time you repot them.
You could just buy some el cheap-o potting soil, then fortify it with a small bag of compost & a scoop of bio live.

Olive Drab Green · Jul 17, 2016

PugBacon said:
Hello community

After careful and thoughtful planning my first grow some things didn't work out as planned. I had to blow the last of my budget on cooling my grow room leaving me broke for the good soil.
I currently have my babies planted in solo cups using FFOF as the soil. Soon I'm going to transplant them to larger 5 gallon smart pots but don't have the budget for 2 bags of FFOF at $30 a bag in my area.
I don't have time or money to mix my own soil either and I know this question may draw many critics out of the woods BUT... What's a good store bough (walmart, hd, lowes) soil that I can grow these babies in? Anyone tried any MG organic or kellogg organic soils with success? How about this soil from WM?

For those curious ones, below are some pics of my setup. Criticize if needed.
1x 300w LED with IR and UV
8x 23w Daylight CFL
2x 23w softlight CFL
(Removed DIY reflector to allow my LED to compensate)

I use MiracleGro Nature's Care effectively. It's their natural organic line without time released nutes. I recommend it highly. No synthetics in it. All natural. Don't get MG Organic Choice. Get Nature's Care.

Olive Drab Green · Jul 17, 2016

PugBacon · Jul 17, 2016

Olive Drab Green said:
I use MiracleGro Nature's Care effectively. It's their natural organic line without time released nutes. I recommend it highly. No synthetics in it. All natural. Don't get MG Organic Choice. Get Nature's Care.

Thanks for the advise. Are you referring to the potting soil in the image below?

I wouldn't have to add/mix any other stuff besides my nutes when watering right?

Olive Drab Green · Jul 17, 2016

PugBacon said:
Thanks for the advise. Are you referring to the potting soil in the image below?

View attachment 3734518

I wouldn't have to add/mix any other stuff besides my nutes when watering right?

Yes, that very one. And, just the veg, fruit and flower food for now. It contains microbes (Rhizobacillus) in the granules of ground organic matter (meat meal, bone meal, blood meal, feather meal, wheat middlings, alfalfa, etc). NPK is 3-4-2 which may sound low, but it's because it's organic and it's meant to allow you to build around it for the two different stages nute-wise. I water with molasses to increase the microherd and plus it increases potassium. Eventually, you should also get Dolomite Lime and FoxFarm Bat Guano (HIGHLY recommend; contains myco and humic acid, 0-5-0).

But for now:

-Potting mix
-Veg/Fruit/Flower food (3-4-2).

Then you should be good until payday. $5 for an 8-quart, 11 for the big bag. And the food is about 7.

Shadymercs · Jul 17, 2016

PugBacon said:
Thanks for the advise. Are you referring to the potting soil in the image below?

View attachment 3734518

I wouldn't have to add/mix any other stuff besides my nutes when watering right?

Yeah I use it too, its great.

Olive Drab Green · Jul 17, 2016

Also, as with any organic, you will probably draw pests; it's just par for the course. You should pick up their Insecticidal Soap (Fatty acid of potash salts), 3-in-1 Mite, Insect, and Disease control (Sulfur and a neglible amount of pyrethrins @ 0.01%) and especially Southern AG's neem oil.

PugBacon · Jul 17, 2016

Based on my current light setup, is it over kill to use the cfl and led combined?

Shadymercs · Jul 17, 2016

I got knats with it, a 1 inch layer of perlite and it cleared up quick. I'd put a thin layer in the beginning to avoid pest all together.

Shadymercs · Jul 17, 2016

PugBacon said:
Based on my current light setup, is it over kill to use the cfl and led combined?

I don't think either produce that much heat.

PugBacon · Jul 17, 2016

Shadymercs said:
Yeah I use it too, its great.

Any watering suggestions using this brand soil. I'm just trying to get the best grow/yield for my very first time grow.

Shadymercs · Jul 17, 2016

No not really, I usually just water enough to get the soil wet. Then after a week or so when the plant is established. Water until you get a little runoff .

And def use perlite with the soil. I do about 60/40

PugBacon · Jul 17, 2016

Shadymercs said:
No not really, I usually just water enough to get the soil wet. Then after a week or so when the plant is established. Water until you get a little runoff .

And def use perlite with the soil. I do about 60/40

Do you mix the perlite or layer the bottom with perlite then soil?

Shadymercs · Jul 17, 2016

I mix it and then put a layer on top, just so it doesn't stay wet and attract bugs.

PugBacon · Jul 18, 2016

I'm fixing to transplant from my solo cups to their final grow spot (5 gallon smart pots). Should I keep the soil from my solo cups and throw it in the pot with my natures choice organic soil/perlite mix or should I remove the old FFOF soil before I transfer?

Chunky Stool · Jul 18, 2016

PugBacon said:
I'm fixing to transplant from my solo cups to their final grow spot (5 gallon smart pots). Should I keep the soil from my solo cups and throw it in the pot with my natures choice organic soil/perlite mix or should I remove the old FFOF soil before I transfer?

Leave it. The only time it matters is when your roots are in a medium that retains more moisture than the surrounding soil. Then you could easily get root rot. FFOF is very porous; you'll be fine.

PugBacon · Jul 18, 2016

Olive Drab Green said:
Yes, that very one. And, just the veg, fruit and flower food for now. It contains microbes (Rhizobacillus) in the granules of ground organic matter (meat meal, bone meal, blood meal, feather meal, wheat middlings, alfalfa, etc). NPK is 3-4-2 which may sound low, but it's because it's organic and it's meant to allow you to build around it for the two different stages nute-wise. I water with molasses to increase the microherd and plus it increases potassium. Eventually, you should also get Dolomite Lime and FoxFarm Bat Guano (HIGHLY recommend; contains myco and humic acid, 0-5-0).

But for now:

-Potting mix
-Veg/Fruit/Flower food (3-4-2).

Then you should be good until payday. $5 for an 8-quart, 11 for the big bag. And the food is about 7.

Thanks so much for the help! Is the food you suggest good for an entire grow? Would this food provide the necessary nutrients to help manage the soil instead of the plant?

Olive Drab Green · Jul 18, 2016

PugBacon said:
Thanks so much for the help! Is the food you suggest good for an entire grow? Would this food provide the necessary nutrients to help manage the soil instead of the plant?

Well, yeah. But you should get some molasses, dolomite lime, and bat guano, too, especially for flower. Preferrably the stuff from FoxFarm. I like it because of the myco and humic acid.

PugBacon · Jul 18, 2016

Olive Drab Green said:
Well, yeah. But you should get some molasses, dolomite lime, and bat guano, too, especially for flower. Preferrably the stuff from FoxFarm. I like it because of the myco and humic acid.

Perfect, this is all very attainable in my area and by flowering time, my funds will be available for this project. I was thinking that i could be effective and efficient on my first try but its quickly becoming a reality check that I should have planned for long term since this is a pretty steep initial investment.

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