skunkyLEMon420
Well-Known Member
Looks like over fert to me. Mg soil is garbage, there are people who defend it, but it still sucks.
Almost finished with first grow. Could I have just had a bad plant? PICS
- Thread starter ilovekasey17
- Start date
ilovekasey17
Well-Known Member
Well, I made two buckets of fresh soil for my future grows. I mixed one bucket of soil from the ground. Where I live I got a lot of clay mixed in with the soil. I mixed in 3/4 bucket of mg soil. 1/4 bucket of sand. pH of the new soil is 6.78. A little high. Number one, is this smart or completely dumb? Number two, how do you insist I drop the pH to 6.5?
For the record, they do not sell Fox Farm anywhere near where I live. I have a few other choices in soils, but I aleady bought like 10 bags of MG soil.
amsterhamster
Well-Known Member
From a wise elder in not only MJ cultivation but vegetable cultivation: "Who told you MG was terrible? If it was, why would it sell tons upon tons of soil every year?"
Miracle Gro works fine for me, just have to understand the slow release nutes AND when and how much you can add your own. Don't throw your MG away, use it. Take a walk on the wild side
Also, they make some good ferts over the counter that will work well enough, until you can really get your feet wet. Also, bone meal and blood meal can help if your soil test shows lacking in either of those nutes. You can also use MG organic liquid fert which is usually 9-0-0 for any nitrogen deficiency. But seriously, easiest way for the new grower (as I learned the hard way) was to buy actual soil tests. They are pretty cheap and are one time use but hey.. gets a good reading of your ph, and your npk availability.
Miracle Gro works fine for me, just have to understand the slow release nutes AND when and how much you can add your own. Don't throw your MG away, use it. Take a walk on the wild side
Also, they make some good ferts over the counter that will work well enough, until you can really get your feet wet. Also, bone meal and blood meal can help if your soil test shows lacking in either of those nutes. You can also use MG organic liquid fert which is usually 9-0-0 for any nitrogen deficiency. But seriously, easiest way for the new grower (as I learned the hard way) was to buy actual soil tests. They are pretty cheap and are one time use but hey.. gets a good reading of your ph, and your npk availability.
ilovekasey17
Well-Known Member
From a wise elder in not only MJ cultivation but vegetable cultivation: "Who told you MG was terrible? If it was, why would it sell tons upon tons of soil every year?"
Miracle Gro works fine for me, just have to understand the slow release nutes AND when and how much you can add your own. Don't throw your MG away, use it. Take a walk on the wild side
Also, they make some good ferts over the counter that will work well enough, until you can really get your feet wet. Also, bone meal and blood meal can help if your soil test shows lacking in either of those nutes. You can also use MG organic liquid fert which is usually 9-0-0 for any nitrogen deficiency. But seriously, easiest way for the new grower (as I learned the hard way) was to buy actual soil tests. They are pretty cheap and are one time use but hey.. gets a good reading of your ph, and your npk availability.
Would this or something similar to this be reliable? http://cgi.ebay.com/4-in-1-RAPITEST-1818-MINI-SOIL-TEST-pH-LIGHT-NPK-TESTER_W0QQitemZ150334454724QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item150334454724&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50
Also, thanks for the tip on th 9-0-0. Can I get something in specific for phosphorus or potassium deficiency?
kevin
Well-Known Member
the biggest mistake at growing with miracle grow is overwatering, makes a moister meter worth there weight in gold. i always check the ph of the water that comes out of the weep holes on the bottom. if you are at 6.7, i would continue feeding with water ph'd to 6.5. get some perlite to mix in with your soil. don't let the mg haters scare you
amsterhamster
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't recommend buying a cheap all-in-one. I did this and it wasn't worth it. You can always try. What I buy is something like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/RAPITEST-SOIL-TEST-KIT-pH-NPK-GARDEN-TESTER_W0QQitemZ270360565209QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090319?IMSfp=TL090319124003r33901#ebayphotohosting
I've had no problems with these tests and they always seem to be accurate. Plus, it's fun to run them
As far as phosphorus, Bone meal is usually a 0-10-0 or a 4-12-0, it's primarily phos. Potash deficiency isn't very common, especially if you use a fert that has a good NPK ratio. Check out schultz or fish emulsion products at home depot. Or, check out blood meal, bone meal, organic MG at wal mart. Schultz has the best because it will have a 10-10-10 or a 10-5-5 or a 10-20-20. It depends on what you find. Just a few tips
iloveit
Well-Known Member
darkdestruction420
Well-Known Member
um, yeah lumens do, u should have 10,000 lumes per sq ft they do add up! color temperature is the one that doesnt add upi started with 3-100 watt hps lights and then found that lumens dont add, sucked it up and bought the 400 -- now i have my second in the mail
much better outcome
ilovekasey17
Well-Known Member
I saw that one as well. I'll get them. can run 10 tests on everything with those, at the same price, but with better accuracy. Def worth it.I wouldn't recommend buying a cheap all-in-one. I did this and it wasn't worth it. You can always try. What I buy is something like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/RAPITEST-SOIL-TEST-KIT-pH-NPK-GARDEN-TESTER_W0QQitemZ270360565209QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090319?IMSfp=TL090319124003r33901#ebayphotohosting
I've had no problems with these tests and they always seem to be accurate. Plus, it's fun to run them
As far as phosphorus, Bone meal is usually a 0-10-0 or a 4-12-0, it's primarily phos. Potash deficiency isn't very common, especially if you use a fert that has a good NPK ratio. Check out schultz or fish emulsion products at home depot. Or, check out blood meal, bone meal, organic MG at wal mart. Schultz has the best because it will have a 10-10-10 or a 10-5-5 or a 10-20-20. It depends on what you find. Just a few tips
Also, I'll go check out the home depot when I get the chance. I'll try and pick up something similar to what you have listed. That'll help a a lot when I have my next grows.
I think I have one more question though. When I check the drainage from the pot, what should the water's pH start out with before I pour it in. 6.5?
ilovekasey17
Well-Known Member
I just took the pH of the water that dripped out of the bottom of the pot. I watered with 2 quarts of pHd 6.5 water. I got about 1/2 cup back out of the bottom. The pH... was 4.76. Highly acidic. What should I do to make it more basic?
amsterhamster
Well-Known Member
Add some dolomite lime to your soil. I add it to all of my soils. Probably wont have it at home depot or wal mart. Get it off ebay, or amazon. Wherever.