Need Help First Soil Indoor Grow.

[Midwestjay]

I'm using Fox farm ocean forest potting soil. Should I put it straight into the pots or should I mix pearlite or regular potting soil. Also how hard do I pack the soil. any input for soil set up is welcomed. Please brother's I need the help.

 

[lemons]

are you transplanting into it or starting seeds in it?

 

[Midwestjay]

Starting the plants in it. The seeds are in paper towels now.

 

[Midwestjay]

I'm a hydro guy and really don't know how hot this soil is nutrient wise . They see going in 3 gal pots.

 

[Nog]

Better off to get a proper seed raising mix, the particles are finer which helps the fine roots of sprouts get a foothold.

And if you can get some fine, not coarse, perlite, then mix a bit of that in with the seed raising mix.
Helps the roots stay aerated.

Main thing is don't over water the sprouts, or you will get damping off or fungus gnats or just general lack of oxygen to the plants roots which will kill them.

All seed raising mixes and potting mixes are different, some hold water like a magnet which can make overwatering a problem, and some need to be watered often.

 

[Dunge]

FFOF is too strong for seedlings.
It will kill.

When your plants are big enough to transplant, I would use it straight out of the bag.
Fill the pot and run a stick through it to eliminate air gaps, transplant, then fill the pot.
I like to fill with as much soil as will mound up in the pot then press that top soil down to level.
After watering in this will compact to a small head space which allows for watering space.

It's a "super soil" so go easy on fertilizing for the entirety of the grow.

 

[NCascadeSolo]

You can use it. mix it 50/50 perlite/soil Don't give them ANY nutes till they need it. Most times in veg. I don't use nutes ever. ( I veg. anywhere from 3-8 weeks depends) A real long veg. might get some food. I go by what it looks like they need as individuals.
Week 1 flower is usually 1st feeding for me. 2-3 times watering a week. 90% the time I'm a straight water guy. Foiliar feeding is how I add any extras I think they want.

 

[NCascadeSolo]

Get the FF feed schedule, you can grab it off their site or in store most the time. It has some good breakdowns of when/what u can give them..beware as u know; they also try and push tons of UN-nessecary stuff u won't need with good genetics and some tlc. best of luck,!

 

[Midwestjay]

Any recommendationso on a starter soil? And how long before I transplant to ffof soil?

 

[NCascadeSolo]

I started most recent run this time with O.F. 1 part perlite. small handful in solocups. water with room temp only, I'm getting some pics. All are doing great except my capser og and one LASun. *'bout 35 seeds popped 12 days ago.* Hope I can pics uploaded today..

 

[Midwestjay]

Better off to get a proper seed raising mix, the particles are finer which helps the fine roots of sprouts get a foothold.

And if you can get some fine, not coarse, perlite, then mix a bit of that in with the seed raising mix.
Helps the roots stay aerated.

Main thing is don't over water the sprouts, or you will get damping off or fungus gnats or just general lack of oxygen to the plants roots which will kill them.

All seed raising mixes and potting mixes are different, some hold water like a magnet which can make overwatering a problem, and some need to be watered often.

Thanks for the reply. From all you guys replies I guess I'll be starting in solo cups with a starter mix. I'm guessing we transplant when I get the second set of real leaves? Any input is great. I've got years of hydro experience and my buddy and his wife have outdoor and house plant experience. Just have to put it all together lol. So any advise is greatly appreciated.

Get the FF feed schedule, you can grab it off their site or in store most the time. It has some good breakdowns of when/what u can give them..beware as u know; they also try and push tons of UN-nessecary stuff u won't need with good genetics and some tlc. best of luck,!

I will Def be doin a pearlite mix. Glad to know I can go 50% that really stretches out the soil. Thanks man

 

[Midwestjay]

I started most recent run this time with O.F. 1 part perlite. water with room temp only, I'm getting some pics. All are doing great except my capser og and one LASun. *'bout 35 seeds popped 12 days.* Hope I can pics uploaded today..

Thanks brother I appreciate the help

 

[NCascadeSolo]

Thanks for the reply. From all you guys replies I guess I'll be starting in solo cups with a starter mix. I'm guessing we transplant when I get the second set of real leaves? Any input is great. I've got years of hydro experience and my buddy and his wife have outdoor and house plant experience. Just have to put it all together lol. So any advise is greatly appreciated.

I will Def be doin a pearlite mix. Glad to know I can go 50% that really stretches out the soil. Thanks man

For sure, you can't go to much perlite. I should have added a little more to mine then I did. Only about 90/10 is what they're in now.

When in solo cups I fill cup little more then half with soil about cup of perlite mixed up good of course and never PACK it. I don't scoop them full I pour it in. :) I don't like to leave them in those for more then a 4-5 weeks.
Then either into 5gal or ground.

You'll do awesome bro not doubt! :smoking:

 

[Midwestjay]

So in the final pots what ratio ffof to pearlite?

 

[Midwestjay]

Also these are my pots. Should I add holes to them? I know they need to drain at the bottom just don't know how much.

 

[Midwestjay]

These feel like dummy questions lol but jus never done the soil thing. The growing part I got handled. I also have these soil meters. Was told by a few people they are a good idea.

 

[Nog]

Definately add holes, lots of them, to those pots.
Otherwise water will pool in the bottom and your plants will rot.

And don't pack the soil down, you want it aerated, not packed hard so there are no air spaces in the soil.
The plants roots need air.
The soil will settle after you have watered it a few times.

And you only need about 20%, maybe 25% perlite, in the final growing medium.
I just do it by sight, dump a bag of potting mix into a wheelbarrow and add a bit of lime and then some perlite and mix it together, and if after this I think I don't see enough perlite in it then I mix in some more.
I also go by the weight of the filled pot; if it feels a bit heavy then I think I haven't put enough perlite in.

Best to leave them in the beer cups till they are about 8 inches high, if you plant a small plant in a big pot you risk over watering it, as the big pot holds more water, and a small plant can't use that water up.

I use potting mix, maybe that is different to potting soil, with no added worm castings or anything.
I fertilize with water soluble fertilizer from the garden shop, not any special fertilizers for MJ, just the one's you use for normal plants.
I use a high nitrogen one for veg, about 25% nitrogen, and use it at a higher rate than recommended, as MJ will handle that, and we want our plants to grow really quick, something which general gardeners may not want.
Being water soluble it is taken up by the plant straight away, and you will see results in a day.

And then for flowering I use a water soluble fertilizer for flowering and fruiting plants, which has about 15% pottassium I think.

 

[Midwestjay]

Definately add holes, lots of them, to those pots.
Otherwise water will pool in the bottom and your plants will rot.

And don't pack the soil down, you want it aerated, not packed hard so there are no air spaces in the soil.
The plants roots need air.
The soil will settle after you have watered it a few times.

And you only need about 20%, maybe 25% perlite, in the final growing medium.
I just do it by sight, dump a bag of potting mix into a wheelbarrow and add a bit of lime and then some perlite and mix it together, and if after this I think I don't see enough perlite in it then I mix in some more.
I also go by the weight of the filled pot; if it feels a bit heavy then I think I haven't put enough perlite in.

Best to leave them in the beer cups till they are about 8 inches high, if you plant a small plant in a big pot you risk over watering it, as the big pot holds more water, and a small plant can't use that water up.

I use potting mix, maybe that is different to potting soil, with no added worm castings or anything.
I fertilize with water soluble fertilizer from the garden shop, not any special fertilizers for MJ, just the one's you use for normal plants.
I use a high nitrogen one for veg, about 25% nitrogen, and use it at a higher rate than recommended, as MJ will handle that, and we want our plants to grow really quick, something which general gardeners may not want.
Being water soluble it is taken up by the plant straight away, and you will see results in a day.

And then for flowering I use a water soluble fertilizer for flowering and fruiting plants, which has about 15% pottassium I think.

Thanks for the reply

 

[Nog]

Just remember that potting soils are different from potting mixes.
Potting mixes don't actually have soil in them, they have bark, coco fibre, peat moss, whatever, varies from brand to brand, but they have no soil in them.
They are best for growing in pots as they don't compact like soils do, they remain more aerated.

Potting soils are best for raised garden beds, things like that.

Really growing in potting mix with water soluble fertilizer is not much different from growing hydroponically, in that you are growing in a soil-less medium and delivering the fertilizer with the water.
You just don't use the fertilizer every day, more like every two weeks, as the potting mix does retain it for about that time.

That's unless you are intending to grow organic, which I have no experience with, and I don't know if you can do that in a smallish pot, maybe only in the ground or in a really big pot.

 

[SwizzleStix]

Dude just start them in some water until they sprout a little toss them in soil and cover them with a clear solo cup for two weeks. No nutes