Whats the best soil mix i can mix up for my first grow????

tattoojoe

tattoojoe

Member
im about to start my first grow (well 3rd but the first 2 dont count, lmao) and i was wondering is it bad to start out the seedlings in a 5 gallon pot and leave them in there for the rest of thier life?? also, whats the cheapest and best soil mix that you can mix up?? is it alright to just use miracle grow n perlite or is there somthing better?? thnkx:wink:​
 
Krokaine

Krokaine

Well-Known Member
Im new too but I have done some reading...many people say don't use Miracle Grow as a starter get a less acidic soil b ecuase MG has a starting PH of like 5 or 6 i cant remember right now, do some more reading...thats what i've been doing the past few days

planning out my own FIRST grow come August
 
JollyStoner

JollyStoner

Member
Fox Farms Ocean Forest (AKA FFOF) is a very good mix. Here in Socal Ive seen it sold at the "Do-it-Center" or any hydro shop should carry it too.
 
mrboots

mrboots

Well-Known Member
lots of people like fox farms ocean forest, with their 3 part nutes, but if you want to be more diy make up some of subcools super soil.
 
Nullis

Nullis

Moderator
DO NOT START SEEDS IN OCEAN FOREST!
Ocean forest is heavily fertilized and this is a sure-fire way to burn your seedlings...don't do it unless you want your 4th grow to be your 1st.

For SEEDS you want something that contains virtually no fertilizer. You can start them in straight coco-coir, or use something like Black Gold seedling mix or Sunshine Organics mix. Seedlings don't need to be fed, not from liquid or dry ferts and not from the soil- for at least a couple weeks. If ANYTHING you could mix in a MINUTE AMOUNT of worm castings, which will provide some extra nitrogen, calcium, magnesium and beneficial microbes. I def. wouldn't plant them in 5-gal buckets either. The problem with this is you'll be wasting a hell of a lot of water, which the plant wont be taking up because it has no roots...could result in early damping off, before the seed even emerges. You just need a container at least 4 inches deep to give the tap-root plenty of room. I use and recommend the red (or whatever color) beer cups.
My latest batch I used Black Gold, Coir and a small amount of worm castings. No real fertigation for two weeks, and the result:
goodplants.jpg
 
jaybirdjaybird

jaybirdjaybird

Member
Subcool's soil is the one, but he states that the best base soil you can buy is two parts ff ocean forest one part ff light warrior. It's an excellent mix that produced the DANK!! I also used Fox Farms nute line with a little bud candy and big bud.
 
Nativegrower

Nativegrower

Member
I agree, it's far better to be safe than sorry.
Nullis said:
DO NOT START SEEDS IN OCEAN FOREST!
Ocean forest is heavily fertilized and this is a sure-fire way to burn your seedlings...don't do it unless you want your 4th grow to be your 1st.

For SEEDS you want something that contains virtually no fertilizer. You can start them in straight coco-coir, or use something like Black Gold seedling mix or Sunshine Organics mix. Seedlings don't need to be fed, not from liquid or dry ferts and not from the soil- for at least a couple weeks. If ANYTHING you could mix in a MINUTE AMOUNT of worm castings, which will provide some extra nitrogen, calcium, magnesium and beneficial microbes. I def. wouldn't plant them in 5-gal buckets either. The problem with this is you'll be wasting a hell of a lot of water, which the plant wont be taking up because it has no roots...could result in early damping off, before the seed even emerges. You just need a container at least 4 inches deep to give the tap-root plenty of room. I use and recommend the red (or whatever color) beer cups.
My latest batch I used Black Gold, Coir and a small amount of worm castings. No real fertigation for two weeks, and the result:
View attachment 1060520
Click to expand...
 
rd116

rd116

Well-Known Member
I like to start seeds in rockwool cubes then transplant to soil later.... I use Fox Farm Ocean Forest of Fox Farm Happy Frog. I also add extra perlite.
 
T

T.H.Cammo

Well-Known Member
Everyone seems to be telling you about their favorite premixed soil, instead of what you are asking for - something you can mix yourself! All the following ingredients are available just about anywhere in the U.S. (all Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, etc.) and they are cheap. Try this:

Four-Way Mix
1 part "Store Bought" Topsoil.
1 part Compost.
1 part Perlite and/or Vermiculite.
1 part "Composted Steer Manure"*.


* The "1 part Steer Manure" can be made up of any combination of "Fertilizer", or whatever you like. The whole idea is to keep this 1/4 "part" of the overall mix at about the same "strength" as "Good Old Steer Manure"! You can do this by using "equal amounts" of the other three ingredients as a filler to "thin out" some of the more concentrated fertilizers, so that this "1 part" is still only about as strong as "Composted Steer Manure". Remember, the object here is to end up with an overall mix that is fairly well balanced (N-P-K wise) - but a little on the weak side! I make this "part" out of several ingredients: about 1/2 is a blend of Manures, a little less than 1/2 is a blend of "Topsoil", Compost and Perlite - to balance out the 3 brands of "Meal Based" concentrated organic fertilizers I use. This may sound complicated, but i swear, it's like making a cake!

I use Dolomite Lime to buffer the final pH, that should be about 2-4 Tablespoons per gallon of overall mix (depending on what ingredients you actually use for the "1 part Composted Steer Manure"


I use this basic mix, everytime I repot, throughout the entire grow (from Veg to Flower). During Veg I suppliment with a little Alaska Fish Fertilizer (5-1-1) and Mexican Bat Guano (high N). During Flowering I suppliment with a little Alaska "Morbloom" Fish Emulsion (0-10-10) and Indonesian Bat Guano (high P). It's all very cheap, effective and Organic!
 
tattoojoe

tattoojoe

Member
Nullis said:
DO NOT START SEEDS IN OCEAN FOREST!
Ocean forest is heavily fertilized and this is a sure-fire way to burn your seedlings...don't do it unless you want your 4th grow to be your 1st.

For SEEDS you want something that contains virtually no fertilizer. You can start them in straight coco-coir, or use something like Black Gold seedling mix or Sunshine Organics mix. Seedlings don't need to be fed, not from liquid or dry ferts and not from the soil- for at least a couple weeks. If ANYTHING you could mix in a MINUTE AMOUNT of worm castings, which will provide some extra nitrogen, calcium, magnesium and beneficial microbes. I def. wouldn't plant them in 5-gal buckets either. The problem with this is you'll be wasting a hell of a lot of water, which the plant wont be taking up because it has no roots...could result in early damping off, before the seed even emerges. You just need a container at least 4 inches deep to give the tap-root plenty of room. I use and recommend the red (or whatever color) beer cups.
My latest batch I used Black Gold, Coir and a small amount of worm castings. No real fertigation for two weeks, and the result:
View attachment 1060520
Click to expand...
So you just planted tha seeds in black gold, coco coir, and a lil worm castings, with no water for 2 weeks and they grew like that?
And do you got that white cardboard or watever around the base of the plants to reflect tha light to the lower branches?? cuz i was thinkin of doing the same thing, weird, lol;)



Alright, well i dont have the budget to make that super soil but i was thinkin i should jus start em the lil red beer cups under tha 150 watt hps wit Nullis' recipe, BUT WILL THEY SHOW THEIR SEX IN THOSE LIL CUPS OR DO I GOTTA TRANSPLANT THEM BEFORE THEY DO?? but anyway after they show their sex ima move 3 females n 1 male (tryna get more seeds for my next grow) in the 5 gallon pots with T.H.Cammo's 4way mix n veg em for bout another couple weeks then start flowerin them under the 150 watt till tha buds is nice n stanky;) n as for nutes i get so many mixed responses alwayz on which ones r tha cheapest n best quality,, so..... which ones is tha best for germination, veging and then flowering?? appriciate tha advice;)
 
Danielsgb

Danielsgb

Well-Known Member
tattoojoe said:
Alright, well i dont have the budget to make that super soil but i was thinkin i should jus start em the lil red beer cups under tha 150 watt hps wit Nullis' recipe, BUT WILL THEY SHOW THEIR SEX IN THOSE LIL CUPS OR DO I GOTTA TRANSPLANT THEM BEFORE THEY DO?? but anyway after they show their sex ima move 3 females n 1 male (tryna get more seeds for my next grow) in the 5 gallon pots with T.H.Cammo's 4way mix n veg em for bout another couple weeks then start flowerin them under the 150 watt till tha buds is nice n stanky;) n as for nutes i get so many mixed responses alwayz on which ones r tha cheapest n best quality,, so..... which ones is tha best for germination, veging and then flowering?? appriciate tha advice;)
Click to expand...
I got the results of my soil back from Texas A&M today.

This mix is
2 c. ft. Cheap Top Soil
One 5 gal. bucket of Peat Moss, Perlite,& Vermiculite each
1.5 cups Blood Meal
1 cup Bone Meal
.25 cup Dolomite Lime

My sample come back over 'all Critical Levels' (CL) except for Sodium
It was
pH 6.9 Slightly Acid
Conductivity 954 Moderate
Nitrate-N 65 ppm Critical Levels are CL and N is -
Phosphorus 187 ppm CL 50
Potassium 785 ppm CL 175
Calcium 1,262 ppm CL 180
Magnesium 398 ppm CL 50
Sulfur 91 ppm CL 13
Sodium 397 ppm CL -
Iron 20.55 ppm CL 4.25
Zinc 2.51 ppm CL .27
Manganese 14.03 ppm CL 1.00
Copper 1.09 ppm CL .16

All this means good mix. The Critical Level means no additional nutrient is recommended. It shows a Excess line which they are all a ways from, but in High or Very High. You could make a 1/2 batch. The NPK values are fine. It's real close to T.H.Cammo's mix. Also cheap to make. Bone Meal and Blood Meal are cheap. A pH of 6.9 is good too. It's good for germination, vegging and flowering. Little cups are good to start with. They need to feel the 'beginnings' of being root-bound so when you transplant they want to spread out.
I'd recommend Riddleme's thread to learn many insights. Calling All Noob Growers
He's all about saving money on nutes, and simplifying the confusion and myths.
Hope this helps.
Daniels:weed:
 
Danielsgb

Danielsgb

Well-Known Member
tattoojoe said:
So.. with that mix i dont need any nutes while vegging or flowering?? Just water them and thats it??
Click to expand...
No it means it is good to start with and not too 'hot'. I start with that and start feeding nutes after a couple weeks. The CL tells me it's good to start and I wait to see some new growth a bit pale then I use Fish Emulsion for a while as they go through the N. I use Miracid sometimes too. Morbloom is good too. I'm still not set in my nutes. Lotsa learning and trial to go on that one for me.
Danielsbongsmilie
 
LAX Skunky BwS

LAX Skunky BwS

Well-Known Member
Nullis said:
DO NOT START SEEDS IN OCEAN FOREST!
Ocean forest is heavily fertilized and this is a sure-fire way to burn your seedlings...don't do it unless you want your 4th grow to be your 1st.

QUOTE]
I always start from seed in ocean forest.. what you talking bout??? my seedlings never get burn
Click to expand...
 
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