az2000
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[MOD EDIT from thread owner: The original subject of this thread was "Kellogg Cactus & Patio Plus potting mixes; MiracleGro Perf. Org. Edibles fert; CMH-150 light". This grow was intended to test the fertilizer & light (and re-test the cactus mix after a challenging grow in straight cactus mix a year earlier <<link, which I attributed to the cactus mix -- but learned early into this grow it probably had more to do with the MG fertilizer & my high temps.).
Changes to the original subject line:
- By DAY 5 (post #6 <<link) I determined the CMH-150 would be too warm for this short 4' tall tent and/or at this time of year (in my desert climate, still warm). This turned into a household LED lightbulb grow which I've done for 6 years. I.e., not a test of something new.
- By DAY 23 (post #16 <<link) I had experienced enough of last year's challenges to conclude that the problem wasn't the cactus mix. The problem appeared the MiracleGro fertilizer, perhaps not having enough urease inhibitor (perhaps exacerbated my my high'ish temperatures). I decided to try GrowMore SeaGrow, which I normally use.
- By Day 26 (post #20 <<link, last post of this page) I aborted the MiracleGro fertilizer. I summarized what I'd recommend if anyone wished to try to use it. I think it would have worked if my temperatures were cooler.
SUMMARY: by the end of page 1, this grow became much less of what the original subject-line stated. It's hardly a cactus-mix grow either. I'm using only 15-20% cactus mix. Page 2 starts as Patio-Plus soil; Sea Grow fertilizer; household LED lightbulb & scrog :END MOD EDIT]
A year ago I experimented with Kellogg Cactus potting mix, MiracleGro All-Purpose & household LED lightbulbs.<<link That went pretty well. It started out rough because the Cactus potting mix was very N deficient. It also seemed heavy/dense which I didn't like. But, being sand (frangible), it dried in 36 hours (which is faster than I like). I think that potting mix would benefit from vermiculite for water retention, and maybe some compost or rich potting mix added to it for better "soil" activity.
Soil
Since then, I've been thinking about how I'd like to replace the Pro-Mix HP in my favorite soil mix with that cactus mix.[1] The cactus mix seemed to act like a soilless medium. So, that's caused me to think about how it might work mixed with Kellogg Patio Plus (which I use in my favorite soil mix).
So, I'm doing that in this grow: 2 parts Cactus mix, 1 part Patio Plus, 1 part perlite.[2] Plus some dolomite lime.
Both the Cactus mix & Patio Plus are labeled 0.30-0.10-0.10. That sounds too strong together. But, the cactus mix appeared to have no nutrients when I used it for that last experiment.
Nutrients
I was planning to use my favorite nutrient schedule (custom made, using GrowMore Sea Grow as the base, plus various other budget supplements to vary the NPK ratio through the grow, feed the microbes, etc.[3]). That's always worked well for me. I've used it for 6 years, and know how to tweak it.
But, I recently saw MiracleGro Performance Organic Edibles <<link (9-4-12). Wow! I like the sound of that NPK ratio: 2.25-1-3. More people are growing with higher N through the entire grow. And, I know cannabis likes higher K. More people are shunning higher P in flower. So, that NPK ratio sounds like a good fit for this new movement.
I prefer making an example of a single fertilizer product a new grower can easily acquire at the hardware store. (My Sea Grow schedule isn't high-end. But, Sea Grow isn't as readily available at local stores. Plus, my schedule is complicated mixing 4-8 different things together. I'd rather demonstrate a single product that a new grower could easily do.).
Lighting
I've been wanting to try the "Summit 150" CMH <<link which uses a Sun Pulse 150 CMH bulb.<<link (SPD diagrams are in PDFs at that link).
I love my LEC315 which covers 3x3' square at 35w/sq ft. I'm thinking that Summit150 should cover a 2x2' square at 37.5w/sq ft. That would be perfect for the space I experimented in last time. The only possible downside is that the space is only 4' tall. I'm concerned how much distance the Summit150 will require between bulb & canopy. I may have to scrog (or do a sea of green without much time in veg.).
I bought the 3.2k, 4k, 6.4k & 10k bulbs. I'd like to try the first 3 bulbs in veg, but I'm nervous screwing around like that might cause too much stretch (when I'm limited for height.). I guess I could buy a 5' tent in a hurry, if I need to.
If anyone has a suggestion for which spectrum bulb would be best to veg under (for compact height), please post. I'm thinking 3.2k. I noticed that once with my LEC315 in a 7' tall tent. It's 3.1k seemed to produce tighter nodes than its 4.2k. (I'm wondering what 6.4k would do. All this sounds backwards. I'd think the cooler light would produce less stretch. But, I've seen the opposite with the LEC315's 3.1k, and Blackstar UFO which was more red.
Footnotes:
[1] Pro-Mix HP is great. But, I don't think it's that great. I don't like having to go to specialty shops for it. I'm planning to make my own using ordinary peat moss from the hardware store, 35% perlite, and add some dolomite & myco.
[2] My favorite soil to grow in is 2 parts Pro-Mix HP, 1 part Kellogg Patio Plus, 1 part perlite. I actually do heaping scoops of Pro-Mix because a perfect 2-1-1 is a little too heavy, slow-drying due to the Patio Plus. 3-1-1 is a little too soilless and fast drying for my taste. Somewhere in the middle. My soil is documented completely here.<<link
[3] My favorite feeding schedule using GrowMore SeaGrow is here.<<link
Changes to the original subject line:
- By DAY 5 (post #6 <<link) I determined the CMH-150 would be too warm for this short 4' tall tent and/or at this time of year (in my desert climate, still warm). This turned into a household LED lightbulb grow which I've done for 6 years. I.e., not a test of something new.
- By DAY 23 (post #16 <<link) I had experienced enough of last year's challenges to conclude that the problem wasn't the cactus mix. The problem appeared the MiracleGro fertilizer, perhaps not having enough urease inhibitor (perhaps exacerbated my my high'ish temperatures). I decided to try GrowMore SeaGrow, which I normally use.
- By Day 26 (post #20 <<link, last post of this page) I aborted the MiracleGro fertilizer. I summarized what I'd recommend if anyone wished to try to use it. I think it would have worked if my temperatures were cooler.
SUMMARY: by the end of page 1, this grow became much less of what the original subject-line stated. It's hardly a cactus-mix grow either. I'm using only 15-20% cactus mix. Page 2 starts as Patio-Plus soil; Sea Grow fertilizer; household LED lightbulb & scrog :END MOD EDIT]
A year ago I experimented with Kellogg Cactus potting mix, MiracleGro All-Purpose & household LED lightbulbs.<<link That went pretty well. It started out rough because the Cactus potting mix was very N deficient. It also seemed heavy/dense which I didn't like. But, being sand (frangible), it dried in 36 hours (which is faster than I like). I think that potting mix would benefit from vermiculite for water retention, and maybe some compost or rich potting mix added to it for better "soil" activity.
Soil
Since then, I've been thinking about how I'd like to replace the Pro-Mix HP in my favorite soil mix with that cactus mix.[1] The cactus mix seemed to act like a soilless medium. So, that's caused me to think about how it might work mixed with Kellogg Patio Plus (which I use in my favorite soil mix).
So, I'm doing that in this grow: 2 parts Cactus mix, 1 part Patio Plus, 1 part perlite.[2] Plus some dolomite lime.
Both the Cactus mix & Patio Plus are labeled 0.30-0.10-0.10. That sounds too strong together. But, the cactus mix appeared to have no nutrients when I used it for that last experiment.
Note: Kellogg Palm, Cactus & Citrus potting mix isn't available everywhere. MiracleGro's cactus mix looks ok (0.10-0.09-0.07). It has the "Moisture Control," which I'd rather not have. But, my experiment using Kellogg Cactus would have benefited from that (it dried too fast). I haven't looked at this product. I'll buy a bag just so I can visually compare it (and say whether it needs perlite, for example).
Nutrients
I was planning to use my favorite nutrient schedule (custom made, using GrowMore Sea Grow as the base, plus various other budget supplements to vary the NPK ratio through the grow, feed the microbes, etc.[3]). That's always worked well for me. I've used it for 6 years, and know how to tweak it.
But, I recently saw MiracleGro Performance Organic Edibles <<link (9-4-12). Wow! I like the sound of that NPK ratio: 2.25-1-3. More people are growing with higher N through the entire grow. And, I know cannabis likes higher K. More people are shunning higher P in flower. So, that NPK ratio sounds like a good fit for this new movement.
I prefer making an example of a single fertilizer product a new grower can easily acquire at the hardware store. (My Sea Grow schedule isn't high-end. But, Sea Grow isn't as readily available at local stores. Plus, my schedule is complicated mixing 4-8 different things together. I'd rather demonstrate a single product that a new grower could easily do.).
Lighting
I've been wanting to try the "Summit 150" CMH <<link which uses a Sun Pulse 150 CMH bulb.<<link (SPD diagrams are in PDFs at that link).
I love my LEC315 which covers 3x3' square at 35w/sq ft. I'm thinking that Summit150 should cover a 2x2' square at 37.5w/sq ft. That would be perfect for the space I experimented in last time. The only possible downside is that the space is only 4' tall. I'm concerned how much distance the Summit150 will require between bulb & canopy. I may have to scrog (or do a sea of green without much time in veg.).
I bought the 3.2k, 4k, 6.4k & 10k bulbs. I'd like to try the first 3 bulbs in veg, but I'm nervous screwing around like that might cause too much stretch (when I'm limited for height.). I guess I could buy a 5' tent in a hurry, if I need to.
If anyone has a suggestion for which spectrum bulb would be best to veg under (for compact height), please post. I'm thinking 3.2k. I noticed that once with my LEC315 in a 7' tall tent. It's 3.1k seemed to produce tighter nodes than its 4.2k. (I'm wondering what 6.4k would do. All this sounds backwards. I'd think the cooler light would produce less stretch. But, I've seen the opposite with the LEC315's 3.1k, and Blackstar UFO which was more red.
Footnotes:
[1] Pro-Mix HP is great. But, I don't think it's that great. I don't like having to go to specialty shops for it. I'm planning to make my own using ordinary peat moss from the hardware store, 35% perlite, and add some dolomite & myco.
[2] My favorite soil to grow in is 2 parts Pro-Mix HP, 1 part Kellogg Patio Plus, 1 part perlite. I actually do heaping scoops of Pro-Mix because a perfect 2-1-1 is a little too heavy, slow-drying due to the Patio Plus. 3-1-1 is a little too soilless and fast drying for my taste. Somewhere in the middle. My soil is documented completely here.<<link
[3] My favorite feeding schedule using GrowMore SeaGrow is here.<<link
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