Auto Flowers and Potting Soil

Cape1 · May 2, 2026

Hello, After a couple of years of losing half my crops to bud rot in September, I've decided to run a few auto-flowers this year and harvest before the late summer/early fall hits. I'm also done spending hundreds on AN nutrients. I want to go all natural this year and as close to 'water only' as I can get. I did a bit of AI research and came up with the approach below. Wanted to run that by you all for comments before I blindly allow Artificial Intelligence to promote Natural Stupidly.

Mix together:

30% Coast of Maine Stonington Mix (basically a super soil)
70% Happy Frog

Then:

approximately a 3 cubic inch pocket of seedling mix for the cracked seed.

Maybe top dress with Worm Castings around week 5 or so.

I figure there's enough buffering ability in this mix to just use my tap water (usually clocks in between 7-8).

I would appreciate greatly any and all comments around how good or bad an idea this is. I was going to mix my own soil and let it bake a bit, but I just don't have the time and don't feel like procuring a million different ingredients.

Thanks in advance.

Galgrows · May 2, 2026

I will say i've never used the stonington soil. But i've use fox farms happy frog many many years and i also save and just amend it after use. I keep 2 large tubs one for indoor used soil and 1 for outdoor used soil the rest goes into my veggie beds. Now i do use worm castings mixed into the pots and depends on how big those pots are. You can over do it with castings so i just use 1cup per 5gal pot.
Yes i also top dress with it outdoors during the long grow season just scratch some into the top couple inches. I don't know about it working for you all through the season for outdoors but indoors outta work.
I know you say your doing autos so super hot soil right off they may not like and stunt them. I've always transplanted my autos. Started them in small 2x2 cups then transplanted them into the larger containers just need to be xtra careful with their roots unlike photoperiods that can take abit of rough transplant. I just use a "seedling mix" light fluffy bag of it for seeds. Good luck i hope someone else gives some help.

Cape1 · May 3, 2026

Galgrows said:
I will say i've never used the stonington soil. But i've use fox farms happy frog many many years and i also save and just amend it after use. I keep 2 large tubs one for indoor used soil and 1 for outdoor used soil the rest goes into my veggie beds. Now i do use worm castings mixed into the pots and depends on how big those pots are. You can over do it with castings so i just use 1cup per 5gal pot.
Yes i also top dress with it outdoors during the long grow season just scratch some into the top couple inches. I don't know about it working for you all through the season for outdoors but indoors outta work.
I know you say your doing autos so super hot soil right off they may not like and stunt them. I've always transplanted my autos. Started them in small 2x2 cups then transplanted them into the larger containers just need to be xtra careful with their roots unlike photoperiods that can take abit of rough transplant. I just use a "seedling mix" light fluffy bag of it for seeds. Good luck i hope someone else gives some help.

Good thinking. I talked to the guy at my local hydroponics store who has some experience with this. He told me not to mix them; instead layer the hotter soil in the bottom 3rd or so and then the lighter for the rest. Plants will be big enough to handle the hot soil when the roots get to it. That's good that you've had luck transplanting them. I'm probably just going to crack the seeds and go direct in the forever home.

JIMKSI64 · May 3, 2026

Fox farms also has a great soil conditioner for outdoor.
I would only use this stuff by the bag. I was using it for top dress in veg and got a bag where all the EWC was on the top and I did not catch it.
Dark green for 4 weeks.
https://foxfarm.com/product/happy-frog-soil-conditioner/
Top dress and till up the tomato bed.
Dr earth tomato and veg 4 weeks in.

Auto Flowers and Potting Soil

Auto Flowers and Potting Soil

Cape1

Galgrows

Cape1

JIMKSI64

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