Cheap outdoor nute recomendations for mom's (noob)garden

[Cort]

Going to put in a small 2 or 4 girl garden at moms. She does not want big girls, shoulder high at most. I cant be around to take daily care of these so I need a simple, single stage nute she can do with no ppm/ph work. I am honestly thinking of (sorry to say it) miracle grow till flower and gh bloom from then on. Im broke and will be spending more on this project that I can really afford. Getting her set up with a bottle of Neem, a good sprayer, foods, soils and a crash course in plant care.

She lives in the high desert and has poor clay/sand soil. There has been some garden soils mixed in already
4 holes 2x2x2 chicken wire lined with 10g or 15g smart pot in each to help keep size small.
filled with local rock yard's garden soil mix, might throw some bullshit in the mix down deep.

Kind of last minute project. Anyone throw me a bone, Im not an outdoor guy.

 

[Cort]

So, there are no inexpensive ways for mom's garden to get fed?

 

[manitoid.]

Personally I'd make her an amended soil so she only has to feed with compost teas/water. Probably will be the cheapest option, and easiest for her as well.

 

[BudderBreakfast]

the absolute cheapest nutes would be urine/dung for veg and dung for flower if u can afford better make compost/guano teas

 

[Cort]

The amount of soil ill be moving around is 1.3 yards, what do you think I could use to amend that much soil cheaply?

I get a yard of generic garden soil for about 30 bucks at the local landscape supply. Throw in a few bags of cow manure and maybe some chicken litter if I can find at HD or supply yard.

Ill bring her up a load of Cap's tea once in a while, but I think something that can be as simple as 3 spoons of this in a bucket of water once a week, or similar would be best. She dont get around as good as she used to

 

[Cort]

Reading Ken's threads a bit, he uses Roots HPK for flower. I might go that route, seems low cost.

 

[mchappy]

Roots makes powdered nutes to top dress with.Very easy

 

[bonkia]

Jacks classic is high quility and cheap. Maxin grow high quility and cheap.

 

[bonkia]

Heavy harvest is a time release.. Its alittle more pricey but all she would need to do is water it. Aslong as you dont put to much on them they should be fine. Ive used heavy harvest with no troubles.

 

[bonkia]

I do great with dyna grow.. $35 for a bottle of grow $50 for bloom. With great results... Protek is a must aswell $35

 

[SmokeyPipes]

Usually those bulk soils are pretty heavy,so adding some pumice and/or perlite would also help.As far as nutes,you could easily amend it w/some Bud and Bloom booster from Dr. earths found on amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Earth-745-Fertilizer-25-Pound/dp/B0047COGHA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1341713446&sr=8-2&keywords=dr+earths+bud+and+bloom + sunleaves peruvian seabird guano as a top dress and in conjunction w/some teas,could be far cheaper and much better than using MG and maybe some extra dolomite lime to balance things out a bit as well.Also 10 to 15 gallon holes really are'nt that big,so going w/a premium organic soil that may cost a bit more,something like Gardner and Bloom Blue ribbon potting soil for under 10 bucks a bag! Or Roots for a few $ more would be even better! Good Luck

 

[jagle]

id make sure too add perlite to the soil mix, not as much as 30% as i would if doing plants in pots, maybe more 15% for airpockets around the roots.

again i can only echo whats been said before, in this instance.. i like your mix so far, the cow and chicken manure will help. id make up some teas too add, or even if you wanna just add some basic veg + bloom nutes as the plant requires..

depending on cost and everything, for 4 plants max, id just go with a bottle of organic veg food, and potash and bonemeal

 

[Cort]

Thanks for the tips guys. Appreciate it lots, moms kinda sprung this on me last moment and I didnt have much time to get it set up. Has to be done this weekend, I wont have time again till august. Thats a bit late to put out babies in 1.5" rockwools and expect results.

They will go in 2x2x2 holes, I was toying with the idea of putting them in 10-15g smart pots first to control size. Think this will be a direct to earth planting and I will just have to act surprised how big they got.

From the sounds of things, the chicken and cow shit will be enough for veg, along with a regular dose of b12 and fish emulsion once in a while. She has those on hand. Come bloom time Ill have read enough to make a better choice, though the Dr earth looks good.

Bulk soil will be evaluated when I see it. I might throw in some mulch or bark for aeration. I had not thought about that.

 

[Cort]

Gotta remember to pack my camera.

 

[MitchyNugz]

whats up bro....This year im using Alaskan Fish fertilizer for veg on my outdoors and I mixed some cheap worm castings and compost and some humic black!

1 gal of AFF....20$

60l bags of compost and castings mixed....5$ each x 6

1 gal Hydrotek Humic Black 20$

thats pretty cheap and my plants have been loving it....my bloom nutes cost me more tho....your best bet is to ammend the soil like crazy so you don't even have to feed like everyone else is saying....but for veg that cheap combo is taking care of 8 girls and some are monsters!

 

[LexLuthor]

Just go with a basic veg nute from Lowes/HD. If you amend the soil with castings, guanos and all that organic stuff your supposed to let it sit out for at lease a few weeks with garden lime added so the Ph can adjust and the nutrients can be easily available for uptake. Just go with a normal potting soil cut w/perlite and buy a basic veg nute (high in N) and thats basically good enough. It won't have vigorous growth, but she doesn't want them to get too big anyways. Once bloom time comes I'm sure you know what to do, get a basic bloom nute thats high in PK.

If you add too much organic shit to the soil now it won't be available for the plants to absorb right away because it takes time to break down and theres only a few weeks left for outdoor veg time. Like I said before, any regular potting soil/perlite mix with any basic veg nute high in N will be good until flower, good luck.

 

[Cort]

So, as I was sweating my ass off digging these huge holes in 105 degree sunshine, I realized how soon flower time was. This was pointless. The babies are adjusting to being outdoors, being in soil and wont have any time to grow. I have advised Mom to just leave them in pots.

At least she will have holes for next year.

Here is what I started with.

2x2x2 holes filled with a mix of bulk garden soil, bulk top soil, 3 bags of steer manure and 2 of chicken. Also added about 1/3 bail worth of alfalfa sweepings. Caged and irrigated.

Area was closed off with wire and added snail vines for cover.

Ill just think of this weekends ass breaking labor as prepping next year's garden.

 

[LexLuthor]

I think you made a good decision, now she should have some beastly soil for next year.