Are fox farm products declining in quality?

[thomas2402k]

Those nutrients will completely obliterate what FFOF has in it. Ocean forest is a basic mix to keep plants happy as seedlings and early veg. Plants dont ask for much in veg. Not at all. You will use the hell out of those nutrients in flower. You would have needed them regardless


Bat guano and castings would be good for veg. But for flower you will need more p/k, and calmag. Cant remember if you have it or not but calmag is essential.

I was just about to ask about calmag cause no I don’t have it. It’s at the top of the list though. Have you ever used silica? I’m not sure what it is just vaguely remember a guy swearing by it in a video, I’m sure a simple search could tell me but I’d rather get personal input rather than googles ya know

 

[Stokes]

I was just about to ask about calmag cause no I don’t have it. It’s at the top of the list though. Have you ever used silica? I’m not sure what it is just vaguely remember a guy swearing by it in a video, I’m sure a simple search could tell me but I’d rather get personal input rather than googles ya know

Silica is a good idea if youre in coco, because theres not really a place for it to get it. Some coco growers dont use it at all, i couldnt imagine going without it. Depending on your base mix you might not need it, but with organics theres several places to get it. Lately ive been using diatomaceous earth to get it in my mixes. Several places. Its in green sand, but not sure how available it is. Im missing some other nutrients. Fuck. Cant think. Ive used raw silica lately in coco too. Doesmt dissolve the best tho

 

[7munkee]

I was just about to ask about calmag cause no I don’t have it. It’s at the top of the list though. Have you ever used silica? I’m not sure what it is just vaguely remember a guy swearing by it in a video, I’m sure a simple search could tell me but I’d rather get personal input rather than googles ya know

A good rock dust blend will cover your bases in the calcium and magnesium department. BuidASoil sells a really good mineral mix that I would recomend..

 

[Stokes]

That reminds me. Rock phosphate is another source of silica.

 

[thomas2402k]

A good rock dust blend will cover your bases in the calcium and magnesium department. BuidASoil sells a really good mineral mix that I would recomend..

I feel like a fucking baby learning how to walk dear god. I got the tent and thought in my head “sweet, get some soil and I’ll have good weed coming my way”. Hell no thanks for the info will definitely check it out

 

[thomas2402k]

So, if y’all wouldn’t mind. Tomorrow I’ll be starting a journal from this point onward on the grow and if you could either keep a lookout for it or if I haven’t annoyed the piss out of everyone in here with my series of probably common sense questions, I’d like to try and tag (if I can figure that shit out) the people in here in my thread to follow along and give some advice

 

[7munkee]

I feel like a fucking baby learning how to walk dear god. I got the tent and thought in my head “sweet, get some soil and I’ll have good weed coming my way”. Hell no thanks for the info will definitely check it out

I know it can be intimidating. It took me while to figure out organics. Just use a good quality premade organic mix like 4-4-4 and some 2-8-4. It will suit you well. Later, after you have feel for it, try to expand into something that will stick around for a few grows. This forum is an amazing resource. Don't ever hesitate to ask questions.

 

[Stokes]

dry amendments/organic is very rewarding. You cant beat the taste and i’ll die on that hill. It takes some practice, you can make it as simple or as complex as you want it to be. You wont typically get the yields as you would with chemical nutrients, or with coco/hydro. At least i dont. Some people do. Im not there yet. Those people who grow organically and have massive yields is the pinnacle achievement in growing. Just my opinion.

Id also like to point out that im not 100% organic when i do my grows. Promix isnt organic iirc. Im not going for any certifications tho lol

 

[Mikedin]

You’re a great grower tho, i think you could shit in a bag and win PotM with it


Im not saying you cant grow good plants with it, only that there are better products out there, and they already have a relationship with so many grow shops that its wasy to market their nutrients

Thank you for that but believe me, the farm has done wonders for me as well, I read so many topics here, see so many techniques see so much DIY I pretty much dabble in everything once to try it and see how the plants respond.

And Oh 100% no lie there with the FF, the place I frequent for my promix and COM amendments and animal feed etc is PLASTERED with fox farms banners and signs, it’s easy to think they are the best, when nothing else is offered, now don’t get me wrong I had successful grows with both their amendments and their mediums, they are also great to have in hand in case you need a super quick hit of nitrogen etc if you see a def and organics don’t have that immediate hit that synthetics do, I mean looking at my grow I amend with gypsum and epsom, but at the same time I water once a week with Fox Farms cal-mag… I wish they had a full organic line I’d use it

Besides that I like advanced nutrients Organics Mikes OG tea, still searching for a full organic liquid neut line, if anyone has a line they know hit me up!

 

[Mikedin]

Tbh i would start out with a blend like gaia green, roots organic, or down to earth so you can get used to how to mix, how long to cook, and how long it takes your amendments to become available to your plants. You learn how to read your plants. Anticipation is crucial in organic growing. If youre not proactive it will be a long hard grow. Once you get a handle on that then you can get into individual ingredients and make you own mix and top dressings. I like down to earth single ingredients for my mixes. Been using a lot of roots organics too. I lean towards roots these days because its more pulverized and is available to your plants sooner, and they include inoculants so you can pretty much get rid of recharge. Regardless of what you do, keep it simple because alot of people go overboard and mix different shit in that serves the same purpose. Waste of money to an extent.

I vouch the Gaia Green! Just gotta figure out ratios that work for you! Fox farms also has a dry amendment line that is organic, but problem is it’s super granular, there’s pieces in there the size of peas, if I were to use it I’d run it through a blender first, if I were to try it on my plants, I used it on my zucchini bed one year they did great, maybe I’ll try amending one plant with it one run and see how it does

Gotta agree with the silica comment and diatomaceous earth I do the same! Also a great gnat killer I like to wait till 2 days after I water them then I break up the top 2-3” of soil in my pots rhen work in about 3tbs into the top of the soil, gives it a day or 2 to coat gnats then when I water it brings the silica in I do that once every 2 weeks or so, just took a amending pic for someone else who asked and a pic of the break up depth on the top of my buckets last time I amended, I like to work the top the day before each watering, keeps feeder Roots from forming up there so they aren’t damaged repeatedly each time I top dress

This was the epsom / gypsum / azomite top dress

 

[HomeGrownOhio]

I buy commercial soil so I don’t have to learn how to mix it myself. But I still end up adding about 5-10% perlite and some dolomite lime to my FF dirt.

Edit: this is for first use. I don’t reuse for the reason mentioned above.

I'm on my umpteenth grow using re-used ff soil. Some greensand and compost, worm castings and dr earth. Will never keep buying soil. Anyone doing the reused the right way, will have an increasingly better soil. I also add more perlite. Not having a single problem so far, but that's me.

 

[zack991]

I have used them for years for my vegetables gargens and now for my bud and I have not see a major difference. I rather use Fox and add to it then try and make my own for time.

 

[cannafarmer420]

That blows as it’s one of the only soils around me that I’ve heard is worth anything really. I know I could order soil or order ingredients for a self amended soil but I’m brand new and growing the plant alone is scary enough, let alone making the food for it.

I unfortunately work with quality control and across the industry quality it has sucked recently. It's not just one industry, glass in food is a big issue currently in comparison to 5 years ago for instance.
I only use FF as a base or to mix my top dress in. I wouldn't use it as a soil by itself, I don't think it's drainage is good enough nor is it usually fully composted.

 

[cannafarmer420]

I'm on my umpteenth grow using re-used ff soil. Some greensand and compost, worm castings and dr earth. Will never keep buying soil. Anyone doing the reused the right way, will have an increasingly better soil. I also add more perlite. Not having a single problem so far, but that's me.

My used soil either top dresses my outdoor garden or gets used to plant seedlings etc then I remake my indoor weed soil fresh typically. Makes for cheap veggies and weed outdoors, a couple bags last me a couple indoor grows so reusing is more of a pia than anything for my indoor.

 

[Mikedin]

Those nutrients will completely obliterate what FFOF has in it. Ocean forest is a basic mix to keep plants happy as seedlings and early veg. Plants dont ask for much in veg. Not at all. You will use the hell out of those nutrients in flower. You would have needed them regardless


Bat guano and castings would be good for veg. But for flower you will need more p/k, and calmag. Cant remember if you have it or not but calmag is essential, unless you plan on getting some type of bone meal and epsom salt. But always a good idea to have calmag on hand

I like to use water soluble Gupsum for my cal, I get 5lb bags on Amazon for like $10 and it’ll least me 3-4 grows easy

Same for epsom I use pure brand epsom, it like you said, cal mag is essential, but like I said earlier in the topic I also water with FF cal mag on top of the epsom and gypsum I amend

 

[Otto Bonn]

That reminds me. Rock phosphate is another source of silica.

I bought a bale of rice hulls which adds silica to the soil. I always re-use my soil or a couple runs then it goes into the garden or for potting up houseplants etc. I usually add Azomite to used soil.
If soil is depleted you can fix it with amendments, if you think about it we don't throw out our garden soil each year right? Plus I'm just a frugal SOB!

 

[DougV]

if you think about it we don't throw out our garden soil each year right?

No, you rotate crops and plant legumes or clover. Plant tomatoes in the same spot, you’ll have tomato blight. Harvest diminish because it’s difficult to fully replace micronutrients. Plant specific pathogens increase. Underground pest can increase their numbers. Stupid example, Haiti. Planting the same crop, year after year, destroyed the soil. It’s a major reason the country is messed up. With raised beds you do partial soil replacements and rotate plantings.

Some soils, peat with perlite, are more pathogen resistant and are treated much like hydroponics, probably less risk than others. In a 200 gallon pot, you have little choice, a partial replacement is the best you can do. In a five gallon pot, I think it’s better to replace every grow. I reuse all potting soils, just not to grow weed. Used soil from marijuana goes to raised beds or my garden.

Can you reuse soil to replant marijuana in, sure you can. Should you, maybe or maybe not.

 

[Natep]

Were they ever that good?

 

[thomas2402k]

Were they ever that good?

Like I said, no clue. But my plant seems to be happy with HF and general hydro nutes so no complaints so far

 

[cannafarmer420]

Were they ever that good?

Liquid nutes aren't great, but soil is good