normajean123
Active Member
and growing, what would be a good organic mix that i can use in 3 gallon pots? something that i can preferably not change the entire time, give me great results, and start my seeds in if possible
new to soil
- Thread starter normajean123
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You dont want to start seeds in a big pot. You will end up with a healthier root system if you transplant to bigger pots after your plants roots fill the space in smaller ones. When going the seed route, I start them in a propagation tray with Ready Gro Super Plugs. Once they have roots protruding from the plugs, I put them in 4 inch nursery pots. After they fill out in those, I use 1 gallon pots. I used to do 3 gallon pots next but I recently started using 5 gallon pots. I use Fox Farms Ocean Forest with some other goodies added. You can mix your own soil that is better for much less but I don't really have the time or space to do so. Check out Subcool's super soil.
There are many organically fortified potting soils sold regionally and nationally for less than half the price of what's available in hydro stores and on the Internet. I use one by Gardner & Bloom (Kellogg brand) that contains fir bark, forest humus, peat moss, perlite, chicken manure, worm castings, bat guano, kelp meal, alfalfa meal, oyster shell and dolomite lime, $6.50 per two cubic feet bag at the local farm supply store.
I use pure potting soil in 4" pots to germinate seeds, let the root mass develop for a couple of weeks under 18/6 lights, transplant into one gallon pots using the aforementioned G&B potting soil with equal parts of perlite and peat moss for another month, transplant that into three gallon pots with the same mix, start cutting my lighting down in stages to 14/10 and then when weather allows (looks like this week) into the ground (big containers this year) with the addition to the mix of an equal part of decomposed cow manure.
I use pure potting soil in 4" pots to germinate seeds, let the root mass develop for a couple of weeks under 18/6 lights, transplant into one gallon pots using the aforementioned G&B potting soil with equal parts of perlite and peat moss for another month, transplant that into three gallon pots with the same mix, start cutting my lighting down in stages to 14/10 and then when weather allows (looks like this week) into the ground (big containers this year) with the addition to the mix of an equal part of decomposed cow manure.
You dont want to start seeds in a big pot. You will end up with a healthier root system if you transplant to bigger pots after your plants roots fill the space in smaller ones.
Does that apply to pots with lots of holes in the side still? I bought a bunch of superoots air pots and they have this nifty cone and hole design so roots are guided into the holes and then air pruned
Would it still be better to transplant them a couple times, or is it not as needed since I don't have to worry about roots the same way as with regular pots?
Does that apply to pots with lots of holes in the side still? I bought a bunch of superoots air pots and they have this nifty cone and hole design so roots are guided into the holes and then air pruned
Would it still be better to transplant them a couple times, or is it not as needed since I don't have to worry about roots the same way as with regular pots?
normajean123
Active Member
sweet i am going to start the seeds in one of those type of plugs. i was looking at starting them in jiffy plugs? cause i read some dude called ludacris post that he has had 100% success rate with his seeds this method. the only question i have about seeds is do i keep them in the dark until they pop out the medium?
after they pop out the medium i was gonna put it in 4 in pots and then after veg cycle move to 3 gall pots.
also should i put drain hole at the bottom of the pots or would putting something that absorbs and allows air through, like perlite, be enough?
if the rapid rooter thing gives the same success rate? and is there any organic, i guess plug?, that is good for the seeds? im just a bit worried about ph cause i read alot of stuff about that and how so many diff things have diff ph ratings already.
im also going to use distilled water for watering throughout the grow since it is neutral from what i read. thanks guys.
after they pop out the medium i was gonna put it in 4 in pots and then after veg cycle move to 3 gall pots.
also should i put drain hole at the bottom of the pots or would putting something that absorbs and allows air through, like perlite, be enough?
if the rapid rooter thing gives the same success rate? and is there any organic, i guess plug?, that is good for the seeds? im just a bit worried about ph cause i read alot of stuff about that and how so many diff things have diff ph ratings already.
im also going to use distilled water for watering throughout the grow since it is neutral from what i read. thanks guys.
Essex
Active Member
seeds need dark till they sprout a little about 1/2 cm, plant in a 2"-4" or whatever pot you NEED drainege holes else ya get salt buildup. mix the perlite in with the soil.
I use a mix of 50% perlite and sand based seed soil in 2" pots, I dont feed nutes till roots poke out drainage holes, I use tap water at P/H 7 and get 95% clones and cuttings to take, I also cover with a cut coke bottle or humidity dome till roots show. dont over water! this is the key, I put the 2" pots in gravel to avoid over watering and keep humidity up if ya in a dome.
hope this helps m8,
The ones I use are composted tree bark but pretty much the same thing. I have always thrown them straight to 18/6 and have really high germination rates. Definately put several drain holes. Unless you distill your own water, RO water is probably your better bet (cheaper at least). The stuff I get is always less then 15 ppm.
normajean123
Active Member
ok im gonna start my seeds like luda in this around page 3-4seeds need dark till they sprout a little about 1/2 cm, plant in a 2"-4" or whatever pot you NEED drainege holes else ya get salt buildup. mix the perlite in with the soil.
I use a mix of 50% perlite and sand based seed soil in 2" pots, I dont feed nutes till roots poke out drainage holes, I use tap water at P/H 7 and get 95% clones and cuttings to take, I also cover with a cut coke bottle or humidity dome till roots show. dont over water! this is the key, I put the 2" pots in gravel to avoid over watering and keep humidity up if ya in a dome.
hope this helps m8,
https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/176359-starting-your-seeds.html
my little dome with jiffy pellets
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=170151312004&Category=20546&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26its%3DI%26otn%3D2#ht_1088wt_941
then after roots show and they are maybe 2" big (correct me if im wrong on a good size to transplant) im gonna move into 4 in pots for the veg cycle.
im still looking up on soil and all that just to see all the options. the only question i have is if the roots really should poke out of the drainage hole then should i get a tray for them?
im just gonna go pots and soil. also i think i read somewhere that i can put rocks at the bottom to help with drainage or something. will this basically create a small resevoir of water at the bottom of the pot for the plants root to get to? meaning less watering.
would this be a good thing to invest in?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=400057717756&Category=75670&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26its%3DI%26otn%3D2#ht_4262wt_941
thought this would be useful to help me maintain proper moisture in the soil and what not.
btw sorry if some of these question are dumb just trying to make sure that what i comprehend from my reading is correct. wanna be as error free as possible
Essex
Active Member
No question is dumb if ya dont know the anser, not asking or findin out is dumb.
This is only what I do, so ya may want to find ya own way.
hope it helps,
normajean123
Active Member
thanks dude, very helpful stuff. should i get a heating mat to help the seeds germ or is it really a waste of money?No question is dumb if ya dont know the anser, not asking or findin out is dumb.
This is only what I do, so ya may want to find ya own way.
hope it helps,
what is a good size pot to veg in?
veg chamber:
1 1/2 ft by 2 ft floor space
3 1/2 high
and i know im gonna put 3 gallon pots in my flowering chamber. when i tried to figure it out i got 8 pots fitting in there but might be wrong cause someone told me i can't fit that many.
flower chamber:
3 1/2 ft by 2 ft floorspace.
3 1/2 ft high or might be 4 if i house the lights outside or something idk but thats roughly how it will be
Essex
Active Member
Id grow an indica not slativa as there shorter, flower quite small.
hope it helps,
normajean123
Active Member
so basically i wanna start flowering after 1 ft? and i think the pots are like 8 inches or something idk gotta look but def at least want 3 ft of grow and going with the 1 gallon per foot of growth rule. and eh i already bought the seeds, thought about indica but wanted more of the slativa high so i went with mowie wowie and white castle but i have some bag seeds and got some bubba kush seeds.
normajean123
Active Member
by top you mean more than 1 cola? and when you said will be tight did you mean in a good or bad way haha
Essex
Active Member
yer, cut the top off in veg and have mutiple cola's keeps the plants short, I meen tight coz slatvia get TALL quick!
normajean123
Active Member
yea i wanted to try to do that top/FIM technique but saw it was advanced even though it seems pretty easy and maybe wanted to put a screen of wire for a sea of green. jw but what would be a good height to stop veg at? or should veg just be a total of like 2-3 weeks or something?
normajean123
Active Member
yea i was looking into that for my flowering cycle and then light warrior for veg. i was also gonna use the big bloom and what not. (3 in 1 pack thingy) i see alot of people mention fox farm so might as well be safe for the first grow.For soil I use Fox Farm's Ocean Forest Potting Soil. It has the lowest metal count on the market