First Try At A Super Soil Mix

How did I do?

2 cu. ft Happy Frog
2 cups dolomite lime (prilled)
5 lb earthworm casting
8 quarts perlite

Mixed in a plastic tub a few weeks ago to cook. I didn't wet down the soil though....

I have the seedlings in solo cups now (planted 3/26) and plan to transplant them into 1 gallon pots for veg and then 3 or 5 gallon pots before flowering (still undecided on 3 or 5 gallon). I plan on top dressing with dr. earth ferts around week 3 or 4 of flower.

This will be my 3rd grow and 1st where I will try to not use any bottled nutes.

I hear I won't need to ph my soil because dolomite lime will act as a buffer. I normally water with tap water and its around 100ppm and 8.0 ph if I didn't use ph down.

Just wanted to hear more opinions on ph-ing water if you use happy frog soil with dolomite lime.

Any advice appreciated for a new grower like me.

I don't get it. Happy Frog already has lime. And earthworm castings. And perlite.

I copied LC's soilless mix and used Happy Frog as the base media

TankHankerous said:

I copied LC's soilless mix and used Happy Frog as the base media

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I'm sure it will grow weed well.

Isn't Happy Frog a little lighter on nutes than Ocean Forest? I'd grab a bag of Dr Earth Homegrown and a bag of Flowergirl. Top Dress Homegrown in a week, then flower girl once at flip and 3 weeks in.

GrassBurner said:

Isn't Happy Frog a little lighter on nutes than Ocean Forest? I'd grab a bag of Dr Earth Homegrown and a bag of Flowergirl. Top Dress Homegrown in a week, then flower girl once at flip and 3 weeks in.

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Yeah Happy Frog it's lighter on the nutes, I heard its better off for starting plants in than Ocean Forest.

I have some Dr. Earth ferts, is your suggestion to top dress with Homegrown a week after I transplant into the 1 gallon pot or in a week from now while they're still in solos?

I'm always worried about over feeding but in my first 2 grows I'm pretty sure I underfed both times. Just don't want to burn them out because I always hear less is more and advice to only use half of the recommended dosage for bottled nutes.

I like the idea of getting away from bottled nutes and just top dressing dry nutes.

Thanks for your help!

TankHankerous said:

Yeah Happy Frog it's lighter on the nutes, I heard its better off for starting plants in than Ocean Forest.

I have some Dr. Earth ferts, is your suggestion to top dress with Homegrown a week after I transplant into the 1 gallon pot or in a week from now while they're still in solos?

I'm always worried about over feeding but in my first 2 grows I'm pretty sure I underfed both times. Just don't want to burn them out because I always hear less is more and advice to only use half of the recommended dosage for bottled nutes.

I like the idea of getting away from bottled nutes and just top dressing dry nutes.

Thanks for your help!

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I'd top dress about a week after transplanting into 1 gallon pots.

After using dolomite (powdered) added to potting soil for a few years now I’ve finally stopped using it because I’ve found it makes the weed slightly bitter I think from the magnesium.

TankHankerous said:

Yeah Happy Frog it's lighter on the nutes, I heard its better off for starting plants in than Ocean Forest.

I have some Dr. Earth ferts, is your suggestion to top dress with Homegrown a week after I transplant into the 1 gallon pot or in a week from now while they're still in solos?

I'm always worried about over feeding but in my first 2 grows I'm pretty sure I underfed both times. Just don't want to burn them out because I always hear less is more and advice to only use half of the recommended dosage for bottled nutes.

I like the idea of getting away from bottled nutes and just top dressing dry nutes.

Thanks for your help!

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It's really hard to over feed with top dressed organics. It takes time to break down, and it'll break down at different rates.

Hollatchaboy said:

It's really hard to over feed with top dressed organics. It takes time to break down, and it'll break down at different rates.

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Agreed!!

Top dressing is the way to go for organic. Don't add more lime to the FFHF, or in a dressing. You have enough already, quite possibly too much, but the dry ammendment top dressing will acidify and when irrigated leech down to restabilize pH and provide that natural fluctuation organics is known for. I'd urge the use of a quality compost and add the dry dressing into that. Water as needed. The extra organic acids will help chelate and buffer the soil making nutrients more widely available.

McShnutz said:

Top dressing is the way to go for organic. Don't add more lime to the FFHF, or in a dressing. You have enough already, quite possibly too much, but the dry ammendment top dressing will acidify and when irrigated leech down to restabilize pH and provide that natural fluctuation organics is known for. I'd urge the use of a quality compost and add the dry dressing into that. Water as needed. The extra organic acids will help chelate and buffer the soil making nutrients more widely available.

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How did I miss the no compost or ewc?! Definitely want to incorporate both of those

I would go 10 gallon minimum as your final pot.

Thanks for all the advice! I already mixed the lime into this tub but I'll make sure to omit that next time.

As far as the 10 gal pot goes, I'm flowering in a 4 x 4 tent and trying to get at least 5 plants to harvest. Maybe I can squeeze 5 of the 5 gallon pots in there

TankHankerous said:

Thanks for all the advice! I already mixed the lime into this tub but I'll make sure to omit that next time.

As far as the 10 gal pot goes, I'm flowering in a 4 x 4 tent and trying to get at least 5 plants to harvest. Maybe I can squeeze 5 of the 5 gallon pots in there

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I'm doin organics in 10 gallons I wouldn't go any lower even then you will be doin a lot of top dressing and readily available water soluble nutrients... if anything I would go bigger... probably could do 3 30s in a 4x4 or even 2 and get the same if not more of a yield you will b chasing your tail if you do 5 gallons definitely use some type of organic water soluble nutrient solution I wouldn't do 5s... do 10s or more...i wouldn't even do 10s

You shouldn't need to ph your water in organics your soil does that for you just filter out the chloramine or chlorine and other heavy metals which can done using a water filter

Seriously above anything go bigger on the pots...good luck buddy your on the right track ditching the bottled nutes

myke said:

I would go 10 gallon minimum as your final pot.

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I'd go 15 gal as a minimum. Even then, 30 would be much better. It'll be less work during the grow.

Where do you guys get those huge pots from?

Popop said:

Where do you guys get those huge pots from?

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I would use grassroots, living soil, fabric containers.

Popop said:

Where do you guys get those huge pots from?

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Large totes,their rectangular shape allows for more soil in a tent.

You could always do a 3X3 bed and put nine plants or 5 whatever your heart desires in it and cut your veg time in half