Talk to me about FF Happy Frog and Ocean Forest from seed to harvest

[Bobcat.Branch]

I'm going from coco/perlite to soil this time and I've chosen FF HF and OF. I understand, of course, that I'll be feeding at some point into the grow once the soil is depleted. I also understand that OF is "hotter" than HF, and not really to be used for seedlings.

I have seen a lot of info in a ton of places about using one, the other, mixed, boosted, etc. I would like to ask those here who use those two FF soils what works for them and how they use them.

Does anyone here mix the two? Ratios? Additives like perlite and/or vermiculite?

Grow facts:
- 5 x 5 tent
- FC-6500 grow light
- Hand water, Hand feed
- Total control over nutes, pH, temp, humidity, etc.
- Autoflower this grow, but will be growing regulars after these shitty seeds are done

Thank you in advance!

 

[quirk]

I use equal parts ffof, ffhf and perlite. The face is made up of 5 oz. dry organic grandular chicken manure which takes care of the feeding. This works with my auto grows. Good growing to you.

 

[ArtfulCodger]

I've done many runs germinating in plugs, vegging in HF and flowering in OF. Two tips: 1) dry the soil out outside of the bag for a week or two before you use it. That will kill any bugs or larvae that might have hitched a ride. 2) Both HF and OF hold onto water pretty hard. They're easy to over-water. What worked for me is watering slowly to about 10% runoff, only when the pots get very light. That long dry-back will give your roots a nice long time getting enough air. You might check out Welcome to the Growtent on YouTube. He's taught hundreds of new growers, using HF and OF.

 

[Natep]

I grew with ocean forest for a few years. Follow their feeding schedule. I got away from fox farms and went full living organic. It has been the best choice.

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

I use equal parts ffof, ffhf and perlite. The face is made up of 5 oz. dry organic grandular chicken manure which takes care of the feeding. This works with my auto grows. Good growing to you.

Hey! I saw one of your replies like this in a search result a few days ago during my research. I remember the wheelbarrow . That post/reply is what caused me to join this forum! (And glad I did!)

Thank you for your reply here, too. By adding an equal amount of perlite, how do you find the drainage to be? Would you happen to know how it compares to a simple 50/50 mix of HF and OF? I'll be filling 4 pots today, in fact, and was thinking about a smaller ratio of perlite (roughly 15%).

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

I've done many runs germinating in plugs, vegging in HF and flowering in OF. Two tips: 1) dry the soil out outside of the bag for a week or two before you use it. That will kill any bugs or larvae that might have hitched a ride. 2) Both HF and OF hold onto water pretty hard. They're easy to over-water. What worked for me is watering slowly to about 10% runoff, only when the pots get very light. That long dry-back will give your roots a nice long time getting enough air. You might check out Welcome to the Growtent on YouTube. He's taught hundreds of new growers, using HF and OF.

Thank you, sir! I love the tip about drying out of the bag, but that will have to wait for the next run ... Seeds are soaking now and will sow this evening after I decide if/how I'll mix the two soils (hence, this thread!) Honestly, I'm just looking to get these last 4 GG4 autos done and gone before jumping back into regulars. I'll surely take this advice then!

10-4 on the watering... I'm keen to hear more from @quirk about perlite in his mix.

Finally, I'm checking out that YouTube account you mentioned... Thank you!

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

I grew with ocean forest for a few years. Follow their feeding schedule. I got away from fox farms and went full living organic. It has been the best choice.

This is the direction I'm going. Well, going back to, actually. I got started years ago full organic and slowly became a hydro/soilless (maybe soulless?! ) guy. I want to go back to the simplicity, the mixing of amendments, and getting my hands a bit more dirty. Thank you for helping validate!

 

[Natep]

This is the direction I'm going. Well, going back to, actually. I got started years ago full organic and slowly became a hydro/soilless (maybe soulless?! ) guy. I want to go back to the simplicity, the mixing of amendments, and getting my hands a bit more dirty. Thank you for helping validate!

Check out build a soil. They sell a bunch of good product for the living soil. Their craft blend is the best amendment I’ve found. Now my soil is established I amend with craft blend and worm castings when I flip and when I harvest. The rest of the time I only water. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

Check out build a soil. They sell a bunch of good product for the living soil. Their craft blend is the best amendment I’ve found. Now my soil is established I amend with craft blend and worm castings when I flip and when I harvest. The rest of the time I only water. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

Exactly what I'm talking about!

 

[RoyalCannaSeedbank]

KIS Organics is my go to for soil. Their knowledge of living organic soils for cannabis is unmatched in my opinion.

 

[Natep]

KIS Organics is my go to for soil. Their knowledge of living organic soils for cannabis is unmatched in my opinion.

I’m not familiar with them.

 

[Natep]

I went and found there soil. It is almost the exact recipe I used to make the soil for my 160 gallon bed. I would say that it is probably really good stuff if they got the ratios dialed in.

 

[RGWD0202]

I went and found there soil. It is almost the exact recipe I used to make the soil for my 160 gallon bed. I would say that it is probably really good stuff if they got the ratios dialed in.

Pretty close to my soil recipe as well. I’m really enjoying the living soil

 

[Ninjadogma]

This is my grow-to soil of choice. I'll get around to trying Fox Farm at some point but the stuff works great and the only thing you need to go with it are the amendment mixes. Found it on the shelf at DIY. I went almost 3 months of veg with no amendments on my winter grow and no deficiencies... But based on the disbelief and skepticism I've been met with, that's not a normal expectation, even with Recipe 420.

Recipe 420 BHANG Potting Soil - EB Stone & Son Inc

100% Natural & Organic Great water holding formula Super charged performance

www.ebstone.org

This pic was snapped Dec.18th, clones went into the pots October 1... was a couple days after the flip and BEFORE I add. Everything they ate, they got from the dirt. Of course the rest of the story, I was so impressed with things that I waited too long - a week after the flip - to amend, and they got hungry before dinner was ready.

 

[quirk]

Hey! I saw one of your replies like this in a search result a few days ago during my research. I remember the wheelbarrow . That post/reply is what caused me to join this forum! (And glad I did!)

Thank you for your reply here, too. By adding an equal amount of perlite, how do you find the drainage to be? Would you happen to know how it compares to a simple 50/50 mix of HF and OF? I'll be filling 4 pots today, in fact, and was thinking about a smaller ratio of perlite (roughly 15%).

This ratio gives me a nice light, fluffy, well draining mix in my 5 gal airpots or fabric pots, that always takes 1/2 gal to saturate the medium to a slight runoff. No more, no less.

 

[Natep]

If you are going to make a living soil do not use perlite. Pumice is a better option. When you water perlite will rise to the top. The pumice stays more neutral and won’t rise or sink.

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

If you are going to make a living soil do not use perlite. Pumice is a better option. When you water perlite will rise to the top. The pumice stays more neutral and won’t rise or sink.

Good tip!

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

This ratio gives me a nice light, fluffy, well draining mix in my 5 gal airpots or fabric pots, that always takes 1/2 gal to saturate the medium to a slight runoff. No more, no less.

Ok, this speaks to me... Repeatable procedure and known watering quantity greatly eases the mind and workload. Exactly the kind of insight I was looking for!

This also makes it easy for someone to tend to the garden if I'm away for a few days and the need to water/feed arises. Bueno.

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

This ratio gives me a nice light, fluffy, well draining mix in my 5 gal airpots or fabric pots, that always takes 1/2 gal to saturate the medium to a slight runoff. No more, no less.

Also, I'll be using 5 gallon fabric pots, too, so even better.