Im soil dumb. /Starting over please help...

what to do from here..?

  • do it over, new seeds, new soil. 100% correct

  • MG just has a bad rap, dont further invest and yield should ok

  • transplant MG starters into FFOE mix

Results are only viewable after voting.
kickiticy2

kickiticy2

Member
Hi all.

Please stay BASIC and patient with me. This is another newbie help thread but i promise you i've been trying to read and learn. I'm baked and slightly annoyed at this point.

I have 5 plants currently growing in http://www.homedepot.com/p/Miracle-Gro-1-5-cu-ft-Moisture-Control-Garden-Soil-73659430/204502294 with a less than recommended amount of this stuff... http://www.naturescare.com/smg/goprod/natures-care-organic-and-natural-vegetable-fruit-flower-food/prod11050012 currently mixed in.

IMG_2423.JPG
Its been about 2 weeks since they first sprouted (started from seed)
7 days since I got them off the windowsill and to the setup you see.

I've had repeated people tell me MG soil is practically a waste of time and I should start over...So I've given in and tomorrow i'm going to get organic supplies. Here's what I have gathered and intend on doing..
Question #1: Thoughts on this (soil) routine..

20/4 lighting

Seedling: 100% FFOE (assuming I can find it locally somewhere)

Shorty: Transplant from solo cup after 7 days, to 3 gal buckets shown above with veg soil mix.
veg soil mix: 90% FFOE 5% Perlite 5% wormcastings
Water only as needed for 5 weeks.
water and begin "nutrition" leaf feed for a week, completing veg state.

few day transition to 12/12 lighting with new bulbs

begin assisted grow routine until 2 weeks to harvest

nutes: no idea.
fertilizer: no idea.

Do i need both?
What can you recommend (link if possible)?
I can follow a label and routine but prefer something easy on the wallet and easy to monitor.

There's been so many products, opinions, and recommendations im losing my mind.

Question #2

Can my early veg MG guys above be saved some how or do I need new seeds?

(see poll)
_______
Please let me know thoughts or additional information you need to avoid any further wasted $... Again I have no experience..like your talking to a 6yo here.
Thank you all for what i've learned so far and what knowledge you continue to spread =]
 
Last edited:
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
Mg works. I don't support the company but it will grow. If it has time released nutes keep it on the dry side. There is a reason the big box stores stock it by the pallet.
 
Puff McDanks

Puff McDanks

Active Member
My plant is doing pretty good in the MG organic soil. I just didn't give any nutes until the 2 months worth of nutes were used up and I only watered when soil was completely dry. Then I started giving it alaskan fish fertilizer only and she liked it. Now that shes in flowering i'm only using the FF tiger bloom. I'm only allowed to use lowes since I have a lowes charge card and I'm broke so I was kinda forced to use MG. But imo, as a newb grower myself, I feel MG works fine but next time I'm gonna try something better just to see if what everybody says is true lol. I wouldnt start over though if I were you.
 
Puff McDanks

Puff McDanks

Active Member
Some say the MG seedling starter soil works ok If you cant get FF. Maybe you can do better than me though so do what you gotta do.
 
A

az2000

Well-Known Member
@kickiticy2: Which MG soil did you use? Organic Choice looks ok to me (low nutrients). Personally, I'd use it before FoxFarm. (But, I'd use Black Gold Natural and Organic before MG Org. Choice.).

Transplanting seedlings into 3gal containers is a bit much. I go to 1gal, then 3. They could be growing underground and will take off soon. I grow autoflowers in 3gal from the start and they take awhile to get going because they're filling out the pot, it seems.
 
A

az2000

Well-Known Member
kickiticy2 said:
its not the organic mix btw, it's this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Miracle-Gro-1-5-cu-ft-Moisture-Control-Garden-Soil-73659430/204502294
Click to expand...
The only one I would consider using is the Organic Mix because it's low on nutrients. The problem with the moisture control is: that's the opposite direction you want to go. You want good drainage, fairly fast drying (complete wet/dry cycles). If you were under the radiant heat of HID, moisture control might make sense (like vermiculite does in Pro-Mix BX).

I would cut that 50% with perlite to reduce that potential. (Or, stop using it. Get the Black Gold I mentioned.).

I don't use anything fancy. 60% Pro-Mix HP (perlite, not vermiculite), 20% Kellogg Patio Plus (potting mix) and 20% perlite. I'm growing a plant right now using MiracleGro Tomato (just as an experiment to see how MG nutrients work. I normally use Grow More Sea Grow.). It's doing very well.
 
kickiticy2

kickiticy2

Member
you're saying the moisture control with 50% perlite rite? @az
i get your reasoning thanks!

How would i go about adding it to my soil / rooted plants?
 
Last edited:
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
kickiticy2 said:
Hi all.

Please stay BASIC and patient with me. This is another newbie help thread but i promise you i've been trying to read and learn. I'm baked and slightly annoyed at this point.

I have 5 plants currently growing in http://www.homedepot.com/p/Miracle-Gro-1-5-cu-ft-Moisture-Control-Garden-Soil-73659430/204502294 with a less than recommended amount of this stuff... http://www.naturescare.com/smg/goprod/natures-care-organic-and-natural-vegetable-fruit-flower-food/prod11050012 currently mixed in.

View attachment 3565368
Its been about 2 weeks since they first sprouted (started from seed)
7 days since I got them off the windowsill and to the setup you see.

I've had repeated people tell me MG soil is practically a waste of time and I should start over...So I've given in and tomorrow i'm going to get organic supplies. Here's what I have gathered and intend on doing..
Question #1: Thoughts on this (soil) routine..

20/4 lighting

Seedling: 100% FFOE (assuming I can find it locally somewhere)

Shorty: Transplant from solo cup after 7 days, to 3 gal buckets shown above with veg soil mix.
veg soil mix: 90% FFOE 5% Perlite 5% wormcastings
Water only as needed for 5 weeks.
water and begin "nutrition" leaf feed for a week, completing veg state.

few day transition to 12/12 lighting with new bulbs

begin assisted grow routine until 2 weeks to harvest

nutes: no idea.
fertilizer: no idea.

Do i need both?
What can you recommend (link if possible)?
I can follow a label and routine but prefer something easy on the wallet and easy to monitor.

There's been so many products, opinions, and recommendations im losing my mind.

Question #2

Can my early veg MG guys above be saved some how or do I need new seeds?

(see poll)
_______
Please let me know thoughts or additional information you need to avoid any further wasted $... Again I have no experience..like your talking to a 6yo here.
Thank you all for what i've learned so far and what knowledge you continue to spread =]
Click to expand...
Don't even think of ditching these and starting over. I have 5 in flower right now that spent the first month in that soil. Just transplant into other medium without nutes.
 
kickiticy2

kickiticy2

Member
Thank you hotrod for your experience. So when you say transplant After veg, is it risky? This isnt normal to transpant a second time right?
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
az2000 said:
The only one I would consider using is the Organic Mix because it's low on nutrients. The problem with the moisture control is: that's the opposite direction you want to go. You want good drainage, fairly fast drying (complete wet/dry cycles). If you were under the radiant heat of HID, moisture control might make sense (like vermiculite does in Pro-Mix BX).

I would cut that 50% with perlite to reduce that potential. (Or, stop using it. Get the Black Gold I mentioned.).

I don't use anything fancy. 60% Pro-Mix HP (perlite, not vermiculite), 20% Kellogg Patio Plus (potting mix) and 20% perlite. I'm growing a plant right now using MiracleGro Tomato (just as an experiment to see how MG nutrients work. I normally use Grow More Sea Grow.). It's doing very well.
Click to expand...
Have you grown in moisture control. I have. The op will be just fine using using it.
 
kickiticy2

kickiticy2

Member
I like his idea on adding the perlite forsure though. I was worried about drainage beforehand. I only have a dozen or so knife stabs to the bottom of the buckets. Might drill a few 1/4" holes in each bottom

Im watering about everyother day only about 4oz of water each. Soil is still slightly damp an inch deep when watering
 
Last edited:
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
kickiticy2 said:
I like his idea on adding the perlite forsure though. I was worried about drainage beforehand. I only have a dozen or so knife stabs to the bottom of the buckets. Might drill a few 1/4" holes in each bottom

Im watering about everyother day only about 4oz of water each. Soil is still slightly damp an inch deep when watering
Click to expand...
If you read the bag its called moisture control not only because it holds water but also because its hard to over water. I remember it draining just fine.

I just double checked. It protects against over and under watering.
 
A

az2000

Well-Known Member
whitebb2727 said:
I just double checked. It protects against over and under watering.
Click to expand...
How does it accomplish that? If he's using "moisture control" in the cups he photographed, I don't see much perlite. I would add perlite just from what I see (for aeration).

If he gets 2-3 day wet/dry cycles he's good. But, notwithstanding your experience with this soil, I would advise against anything that is designed to retain water (unless I had radiant heat which dried the soil faster than 2-3 days).

It will be interesting to see how he does with this soil.

EDIT: What would be informative is if the OP transplanted (when ready) into both straight "moisture control" and mixed 40% perlite. A side-by-side would be interesting. But, it would probably complicate his feeding. I'm sure he would feed the perlite'ed plants more frequently. But, it would be interesting to see the difference, if any.
 
Last edited:
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
az2000 said:
How does it accomplish that? If he's using "moisture control" in the cups he photographed, I don't see much perlite. I would add perlite just from what I see (for aeration).

If he gets 2-3 day wet/dry cycles he's good. But, notwithstanding your experience with this soil, I would advise against anything that is designed to retain water (unless I had radiant heat which dried the soil faster than 2-3 days).

It will be interesting to see how he does with this soil.

EDIT: What would be informative is if the OP transplanted (when ready) into both straight "moisture control" and mixed 40% perlite. A side-by-side would be interesting. But, it would probably complicate his feeding. I'm sure he would feed the perlite'ed plants more frequently. But, it would be interesting to see the difference, if any.
Click to expand...
It has other ingredients to help with drainage.
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
I use it on house plants but been a long time since I bought a bag. Its hard to over water. Water runs right through it. The only thing is it can get hydrophobic if it dries out to much.

I grew my first auto flowers in it.

Like I said I don't support Monsanto so I quit buying mg and Scotts products.

I buy an organic humus blend and use compost and other amendments.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top