[DR0ck]

I'm on my first grow with 4 auto plants. Each are in FFOF. Two plants are roughly 5-6 weeks in flower, the other two are 3 weeks into flower.

But I'm seeing low pH in my soil (5.6-5.7) across all of them and they are all showing symptoms that I think I was mistaking for nutrient deficiency. 3 of the plants are in 3 gallon fabric pots and one is in a 5 gallon. The symptoms are worse in the 3 gallons. I've added dolomite lime and thing seem to be improving but only more time will tell.

Is this common? I thought I had read a lot of people use FFOF for a full grow for autos. I don't remember anything about soil ph problems. Maybe it's something unique with my setup? I always pH my water to about 6.5 and I'm not adding anything else besides ph down.

My next grows will be photoperiod and I really don't want to be dealing with pH issues. I'm considering using FFOF with some California super soil concentrate or some kind of super soil setup.

My main two questions if you've used FFOF
1) do you have similar pH issues?
2) do you ever have to feed otherwise? Either for autos or photoperiod

Thanks!

 

[GNick55]

I'm on my first grow with 4 auto plants. Each are in FFOF. Two plants are roughly 5-6 weeks in flower, the other two are 3 weeks into flower.

But I'm seeing low pH in my soil (5.6-5.7) across all of them and they are all showing symptoms that I think I was mistaking for nutrient deficiency. 3 of the plants are in 3 gallon fabric pots and one is in a 5 gallon. The symptoms are worse in the 3 gallons. I've added dolomite lime and thing seem to be improving but only more time will tell.

Is this common? I thought I had read a lot of people use FFOF for a full grow for autos. I don't remember anything about soil ph problems. Maybe it's something unique with my setup? I always pH my water to about 6.5 and I'm not adding anything else besides ph down.

My next grows will be photoperiod and I really don't want to be dealing with pH issues. I'm considering using FFOF with some California super soil concentrate or some kind of super soil setup.

My main two questions if you've used FFOF
1) do you have similar pH issues?
2) do you ever have to feed otherwise? Either for autos or photoperiod

Thanks!

shouldn’t be using ph stuff with fox farm soils,.. and you’ll probably have to be feeding a month after transplanting or of soil usage,..

 

[DR0ck]

shouldn’t be using ph stuff with fox farm soils,.. and you’ll probably have to be feeding a month after transplanting or of soil usage,..

1) "Ph stuff"? You mean the dolomite lime? Could you clarify do you mean i shouldn't need to use the lime? Because my runoff ph was 5.6. What should I have done otherwise.
2) And if you are saying I would need to feed nutrients a month after transplant would you think then that it's more likely in facing deficiency and not ph? I'd that what you mean?

For reference. This is the post I used to plan my grow. They seemed to say FFOF by itself will carry an auto for the grow.

https://www.invalid.com/t/ffof-fox-farms-ocean-forest-made-simple-autoflower.996511/

 

[defective]

I’ve used it indoor and outdoor with autos and regs…i don’t check runoff nor do I check ph and have never had an issue…I do however add dry nutes from day one along with some worm castings and compost.…dr earth flower girl is what I’ve been using.

 

[DR0ck]

I’ve used it indoor and outdoor with autos and regs…i don’t check runoff nor do I check ph and have never had an issue…I do however add dry nutes from day one along with some worm castings and compost.…dr earth flower girl is what I’ve been using.

Ah okay. Thank you for replying.
I actually added the Dr earth bud and bloom booster to one of my plants (while ago) and she's actually the one that went the longest without symptoms. How often are you using that? And any other amendments besides the Dr earth, worm castings and compost?

 

[GNick55]

1) "Ph stuff"? You mean the dolomite lime? Could you clarify do you mean i shouldn't need to use the lime? Because my runoff ph was 5.6. What should I have done otherwise.
2) And if you are saying I would need to feed nutrients a month after transplant would you think then that it's more likely in facing deficiency and not ph? I'd that what you mean?

For reference. This is the post I used to plan my grow. They seemed to say FFOF by itself will carry an auto for the grow.

https://www.invalid.com/t/ffof-fox-farms-ocean-forest-made-simple-autoflower.996511/

i thought you said you are using ph down when watering?
the lime is fine,..

 

[DR0ck]

i thought you said you are using ph down when watering?
the lime is fine,..

Yes sorry I am. I misunderstood. So you are saying no need to oh the water going into FFOF.
But what about the feeding part? Can you comment on the likelihood FFOF needs additional nutrients at some point? And when would that be. Thanks

 

[GNick55]

Yes sorry I am. I misunderstood. So you are saying no need to oh the water going into FFOF.
But what about the feeding part? Can you comment on the likelihood FFOF needs additional nutrients at some point? And when would that be. Thanks

yep most who use it are adding nutrients anywhere from 4-6 weeks,..

 

[painfree]

Dr. Earth 2 teaspoons a gallon just as

 

[defective]

Ah okay. Thank you for replying.
I actually added the Dr earth bud and bloom booster to one of my plants (while ago) and she's actually the one that went the longest without symptoms. How often are you using that? And any other amendments besides the Dr earth, worm castings and compost?

Ya no prob, yes, with the compost and worm castings I find I need a little more perlite,… with autos, I didn’t add anything else, but for a boost or to counter any deficiencies I may see, I have some botanicare pure blend bloom, which is a liquid organic that I’ve used indoor as well…meant to post earlier.

 

[Week4Bytch]

I'm on my first grow with 4 auto plants. Each are in FFOF. Two plants are roughly 5-6 weeks in flower, the other two are 3 weeks into flower.

But I'm seeing low pH in my soil (5.6-5.7) across all of them and they are all showing symptoms that I think I was mistaking for nutrient deficiency. 3 of the plants are in 3 gallon fabric pots and one is in a 5 gallon. The symptoms are worse in the 3 gallons. I've added dolomite lime and thing seem to be improving but only more time will tell.

Is this common? I thought I had read a lot of people use FFOF for a full grow for autos. I don't remember anything about soil ph problems. Maybe it's something unique with my setup? I always pH my water to about 6.5 and I'm not adding anything else besides ph down.

My next grows will be photoperiod and I really don't want to be dealing with pH issues. I'm considering using FFOF with some California super soil concentrate or some kind of super soil setup.

My main two questions if you've used FFOF
1) do you have similar pH issues?
2) do you ever have to feed otherwise? Either for autos or photoperiod

Thanks!

 

[Week4Bytch]

You could do a soil only grow if you up pot your plants to new soil when they flower. Meaning a three to a 5 gallon and so on. And all you need is some very good earth worm castings. No need to pH your water. Just mix in 1/3 earth worm castings into the pots. And yes Fox Farm soil by itself can get really low pH. I helped my daughter with a high school project on just the very thing. We did 6 party cups and measured the pH daily while growing a plant that excels at helping the soil release Phosphorus in the soil. I think it was Buckwheat. We did two cups with just Fox Farm soil. Two cups with fox farm soil with cow manure based compost, and two cups with fox farm and earth worm castings. To make a long story short...the cups with the earth worm castings held a pH of 6.5 and the Buckwheat grow out better in those cups. So I'm not just shittin ya when I recommend..
Drop some EARTHWORM CASTINGS in that soil next time.

 

[sammyDGAF]

Yes sorry I am. I misunderstood. So you are saying no need to oh the water going into FFOF.
But what about the feeding part? Can you comment on the likelihood FFOF needs additional nutrients at some point? And when would that be. Thanks

I use fox farm ocean floor every year. I grow outdoors and I make my beds like this.. I dog 30" holes in the ground, save the top soil from that.. then I put bag manure on the bottom 6" across.. then I put back some top soil to fill hole some.. then I mix top soil with ffof for another 6-8" and finally I surround my plants in ffof to the surface. Mind you after the plants are about 18" tall... I start dakine 420 nutrients once a week I give them the grow, base, sticky icky and low doses of calmag. After they veg and start to pee flower, I'll switch my grow for bloom. There is a transition point there where I cut down on grow and ramp up bloom. Here are my plants so far this year headed into pee flower.