Soil Selection

Pimpjuice9906 · Feb 20, 2022

I grabbed FFOF, WC and I have compost from my garden. I was going to do a 50% FFOF, 40% compost, 10% wc and perlite to the mixture. Running a mephisto and Atlas.

My compost wasn't screened and it has tons of worms in it. It's also really wet. Thoughts on using it?

Plan on using organics to top dress every 4 weeks or so with a 444 and 394 for flowering stage and WC. Will test the ppm of the first runoff to use a benchmark of fresh soil. I plan on watering prior to inserting the seed.

McShnutz · Feb 20, 2022

Looks sound to me. What's wc? EWC

green_machine_two9er · Feb 20, 2022

Your compost looks a bit strange. I would not use that and would not use it at a ratio of 40% even if it was well broken down and high humus quality. Why not just add the castings and maybe a bit of perlite to the ocean forest?

McShnutz · Feb 20, 2022

Just know that FFOF runs a little hot for most. If it were me and that's what I had on hand I would layer the growing container. FFOF in the bottom 1/2 or 1/3, and go with a mix in the upper. I would personally find some basic off brand potting mix and cut the FFOF with it 50/40, then add the 10%compost to it

Pimpjuice9906 · Feb 20, 2022

green_machine_two9er said:
Your compost looks a bit strange. I would not use that and would not use it at a ratio of 40% even if it was well broken down and high humus quality. Why not just add the castings and maybe a bit of perlite to the ocean forest?

I had to pull the leaves off the top. Once I run it through a screen it's beautiful. I'll refrain from using. I have some leftover bagged stuff.

Pimpjuice9906 · Feb 20, 2022

McShnutz said:
Just know that FFOF runs a little hot for most. If it were me and that's what I had on hand I would layer the growing container. FFOF in the bottom 1/2 or 1/3, and go with a mix in the upper. I would personally find some basic off brand potting mix and cut the FFOF with it 50/40, then add the 10%compost to it

I'll do that. That's what I was thinking. I read Budz old post on FFOF and layering.

My 1st Grow so I'm trying to play safe while maximizing the yield as best a newbie can, lol.

McShnutz · Feb 20, 2022

Pimpjuice9906 said:
I'll do that. That's what I was thinking. I read Budz old post on FFOF and layering.

My 1st Grow so I'm trying to play safe while maximizing the yield as best a newbie can, lol.

Word! Welcome to the life. Layering is going to be your best option right now with being your first grow. Remember that too much love to a plant has the complete opposite intended effect. Don't be quick to fertilizer the shit out of it, nor add extras in the line of boosters or enhancing products. Just grow some clean legit bud and water when the soil is dry (er). Meaning if the surface of the soil looks and feels dry, the middle and bottom aren't. Let it dry out a little bit more before you water it again. Stick your finger into the soil middle knuckle deep. If it dry at your tip, and the pot has gone considerably lighter in weight compared to a freshly water. Use common sense and most importantly... don't worry about yields right now, They will come and be bountiful. Focus on educating yourself on the proper fundamental methods of horticulture. You be pulling lbs without trying.

Pimpjuice9906 · Feb 20, 2022

McShnutz said:
Word! Welcome to the life. Layering is going to be your best option right now with being your first grow. Remember that too much love to a plant has the complete opposite intended effect. Don't be quick to fertilizer the shit out of it, nor add extras in the line of boosters or enhancing products. Just grow some clean legit bud and water when the soil is dry (er). Meaning if the surface of the soil looks and feels dry, the middle and bottom aren't. Let it dry out a little bit more before you water it again. Stick your finger into the soil middle knuckle deep. If it dry at your tip, and the pot has gone considerably lighter in weight compared to a freshly water. Use common sense and most importantly... don't worry about yields right now, They will come and be bountiful. Focus on educating yourself on the proper fundamental methods of horticulture. You be pulling lbs without trying.

I know. Knowledge and experience will conquer everything. Double grape is in water right now. Tomorrow in a paper towel for germination.

Question about room and tent temps. Temp in the room is 60° and the tent is 58°. Is that too cold?

Creature1969 · Feb 20, 2022

Pimpjuice9906 said:
Temp in the room is 60° and the tent is 58°. Is that too cold?

Yes. Even 70F will result in very slow growth.

McShnutz · Feb 20, 2022

Pimpjuice9906 said:
I know. Knowledge and experience will conquer everything. Double grape is in water right now. Tomorrow in a paper towel for germination.

Question about room and tent temps. Temp in the room is 60° and the tent is 58°. Is that too cold?

For veg:
I run LED fixtures up to 82F day /75F night
HID (hps, cmh) lamps up to 78 day /70 night

In flower you want to keep temps slightly cooler in the night. A 10-15 degree drop from day is healthy for night temps.

Circulation fans never stop running nor extraction fans. At least not in my gardens.

con1ey · Feb 20, 2022

I use Fox Farm Ocean Forest and have thoroughly tested it. Runoff is near 2000 PPM for almost a month. You will never need to add nutes until it PPMs come down a month later. It is also mainly composed of acidic peat moss (below pH6, in the 5's) which I recommend using a higher pH at start until it stabilizes into a harmonious rhizosphere.

Pimpjuice9906 · Feb 20, 2022

McShnutz said:
For veg:
I run LED fixtures up to 82F day /75F night
HID (hps, cmh) lamps up to 78 day /70 night

In flower you want to keep temps slightly cooler in the night. A 10-15 degree drop from day is healthy for night temps.

Circulation fans never stop running nor extraction fans. At least not in my gardens.

I'm going to look for a heater.

McShnutz · Feb 21, 2022

con1ey said:
I use Fox Farm Ocean Forest and have thoroughly tested it. Runoff is near 2000 PPM for almost a month. You will never need to add nutes until it PPMs come down a month later. It is also mainly composed of acidic peat moss (below pH6, in the 5's) which I recommend using a higher pH at start until it stabilizes into a harmonious rhizosphere.

Testing runoff of organic isn't very accurate with ppm. pH is different

Kgrim · Feb 21, 2022

Pimpjuice9906 said:
I'm going to look for a heater.

I recently fired up the "hidden" room again, after many years of only growing outdoors, and had to get a heater. I bought an oil filled radiator heater and its keeping my room at 80 degrees without an issue.

McShnutz · Feb 21, 2022

Kgrim said:
I recently fired up the "hidden" room again, after many years of only growing outdoors, and had to get a heater. I bought an oil filled radiator heater and its keeping my room at 80 degrees without an issue.

Those are the ones you want, not the heating element kind.

Kgrim · Feb 21, 2022

McShnutz said:
Those are the ones you want, not the heating element kind.

Exactly!!!! The "hidden" room is outside the basement (2 rooms larger than the house) and being block with a cement slab ceiling, had to get the temps up into the "zone" and wasn't about to cheap out on an element heater. She was a bit chilly after a LONG absence, and that oil filled heater has done the trick warming everything back up.

Pimpjuice9906 · Feb 21, 2022

Kgrim said:
Exactly!!!! The "hidden" room is outside the basement (2 rooms larger than the house) and being block with a cement slab ceiling, had to get the temps up into the "zone" and wasn't about to cheap out on an element heater. She was a bit chilly after a LONG absence, and that oil filled heater has done the trick warming everything back up.

I only have a 4x3 grow tent. Is that overkill. Once I turn the lights on it will go up but not much. I was thinking of hanging from the ceiling and position the fan to blow the warm air around.

McShnutz · Feb 21, 2022

Pimpjuice9906 said:
I only have a 4x3 grow tent. Is that overkill. Once I turn the lights on it will go up but not much. I was thinking of hanging from the ceiling and position the fan to blow the warm air around.

How ever you can accomplish warming the area to ideal temps do it. Growth greatly slows the colder the temp.

Pimpjuice9906 · Feb 21, 2022

McShnutz said:
How ever you can accomplish warming the area to ideal temps do it. Growth greatly slows the colder the temp.

My tent has a shelf inside. I put a small element style one on the rack. It's on medium. Got up to 80°. I'll purchase an inkbird to plug into. I purchased a oil filled but the width scared me. Plants would be right next to it. It was roughly 12 inches with the wheels and the base. I'll have to through in a small humidifier. My humidity with a bucket of water inside is 26 to 30%. Trying to figure out my numbers prior to planting. I do have 2 seeds in paper towels. I checked and the shell cracked. Tomorrow should be go time.

I was thinking about documenting my first grow.

calvin.m16 · Feb 21, 2022

Too clumpy for my taste.

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