What media to grow in and what nutration

[Seednube]

Greetings
I am a medical patient in MA. I just started growing and have. some question and what media to grow in and how to feed my plants. everyone has there own and different media and feed type.
the environment I have down, that was easy because every one agrees on the parameters. but this I am looking for advice because I read and here different things
I have had 4 back orations and have been unable to work.

I just started growing.. and I know I messed them up
there autos this is my grow space
33x63x96 I will have 3 plants
spider farmer lights
temp and humitiy in under control.

I know some have said it can take 6-12 months to get things correct. I am looking for a starting point. this frist grow i used fox farm soil the ph was around 7 in the soil? but i read that the soil tester may not and probably is not reading the soil correctly? so I got some new soil from main and it test higher was going to ad some sulfur but after reading the back of the bag it talks about square footage but I have a 2 cu foot bag of alkaline soil so I believe. so I looked on u tube and saw a video of peet moss has a lower ph 3.-4 and mixing them will result in lowing the ph of lets say the mix of peet moss and the soil but they were only using 7% soil? and 66% moss and some clay rocks and perlite. with dry nutrition they he sell. so my question are

what to grow in?
what to feed them
only 3 plants
any help would be very appreciated

 

[Formallyhap]

you're fine sticking with the ffof, I would top dress with some pelletized lime.

You can get as complicated or as simple as you want for food. I have had really nice grows with nothing but age old grow and bloom, I would add the PK boost they sell if I was buying now.

I you add some lime to that soil you shouldn't have to worry about PH, not stressing about PH is the biggest advantage to soil as long as you used the proper amount of lime to buffer it. Without buffering any peat based soil is going to drift towards being acidic if nothing else is done.

 

[Like2Grow]

Greetings
I am a medical patient in MA. I just started growing and have. some question and what media to grow in and how to feed my plants. everyone has there own and different media and feed type.
...
I just started growing.. and I know I messed them up
so my question are
...
what to grow in?
what to feed them

You are sweating the details but that's not important yet. For your first plants pay attention to water and light and keeping the plants alive. If your plants live (they probably will, they want to) you will learn things. Under feed if you are watching vendor limits for the first plants and you will likely get less bud but won't kill them with kindness.

You mention you messed them up but don't explain what happened. If you provide details (eg. I didn't water them for 2 weeks and they shrivelled up and died) you will get pretty specific feed back. Most of it is meant kindly. Pictures explain a lot since you can't describe what you don't really know.

 

[Seednube]

you're fine sticking with the ffof, I would top dress with some pelletized lime.

You can get as complicated or as simple as you want for food. I have had really nice grows with nothing but age old grow and bloom, I would add the PK boost they sell if I was buying now.

I you add some lime to that soil you shouldn't have to worry about PH, not stressing about PH is the biggest advantage to soil as long as you used the proper amount of lime to buffer it. Without buffering any peat based soil is going to drift towards being acidic if nothing else is done.

Thanks for your responce

pelletized lime ? will raise the ph ? My thought are the ph in my soil is to high 7.5+ in the FFOF so the way to lower it safely was one of 2 ways from what I read and told is to use (sulfur 6 months) or to cut it with something with a much lower Ph like peet moss coco? but I have heard peet moss to leave it in the rain for months to activate it
my question are
I thought that to start with worm casting 20% (ph7) 50% coco ph6.5ish, 10% perlite ph7.2 20% some organic new soil with lower ph? I have a bag of root organics. I have not sank my ph stick meter in yet. or the left over soil from the first grow? how ever if i only add 20% new soil will that get me through Veg on nutrition?


from first grow? and add nutrition thu veg and flowing ?

thanks agian

 

[Beachwalker]

Greetings
I am a medical patient in MA. I just started growing and have. some question and what media to grow in and how to feed my plants. everyone has there own and different media and feed type.
the environment I have down, that was easy because every one agrees on the parameters. but this I am looking for advice because I read and here different things
I have had 4 back orations and have been unable to work.

I just started growing.. and I know I messed them up
there autos this is my grow space
33x63x96 I will have 3 plants
spider farmer lights
temp and humitiy in under control.

I know some have said it can take 6-12 months to get things correct. I am looking for a starting point. this frist grow i used fox farm soil the ph was around 7 in the soil? but i read that the soil tester may not and probably is not reading the soil correctly? so I got some new soil from main and it test higher was going to ad some sulfur but after reading the back of the bag it talks about square footage but I have a 2 cu foot bag of alkaline soil so I believe. so I looked on u tube and saw a video of peet moss has a lower ph 3.-4 and mixing them will result in lowing the ph of lets say the mix of peet moss and the soil but they were only using 7% soil? and 66% moss and some clay rocks and perlite. with dry nutrition they he sell. so my question are

what to grow in?
what to feed them
only 3 plants
any help would be very appreciated

Do yourself a favor and throw that soil probe meter away. Spend about $20 for a cheap pH and PPM meter combo and do yourself a big favor now while it's still early

Fox Farm soil, a couple of meters and a balanced nutrient like Megacrop would be the easiest to use and your best Pathway to success as a beginner imo. I'm on the coast of Mass, everything's locked down tight here, what part are you in?

 

[Seednube]

You are sweating the details but that's not important yet. For your first plants pay attention to water and light and keeping the plants alive. If your plants live (they probably will, they want to) you will learn things. Under feed if you are watching vendor limits for the first plants and you will likely get less bud but won't kill them with kindness.

You mention you messed them up but don't explain what happened. If you provide details (eg. I didn't water them for 2 weeks and they shrivelled up and died) you will get pretty specific feed back. Most of it is meant kindly. Pictures explain a lot since you can't describe what you don't really know.

My missteps

ph meter was not adjusting correctly way to low ph adding to mush ph down. on week 1-2
weeks 3 I corrected this getting new meter and making sure things were dubble checked

on weeks 3-4
I saw improvements the soil was new so I was told not to add cal-meg and nutes until week 4-5

on week 4 I saw they were starting to flower so I changed the light cycle to 12/12 and added nutrition but i tested and adjusted the water ph 6.4 before adding nutrition then feed the plants with that feed and nutrition tested the water after feeding the plants and the ph was low under 5 with the nutrition. so i learned I have to adjust ph after adding nutrition.

current week 5 watering with just plan ph adjust water the next time I water maybe calmeg.
they are sleeping at the moment but will take some current pic for you these are older ones

 

[Seednube]

Do yourself a favor and throw that soil probe meter away. Spend about $20 for a cheap pH and PPM meter combo and do yourself a big favor now while it's still early

Fox Farm soil, a couple of meters and a balanced nutrient like Megacrop would be the easiest to use and your best Pathway to success as a beginner imo. I'm on the coast of Mass, everything's locked down tight here, what part are you in?

I am in the metrowest yes I x the meter. and I have both ph and pph meter,, was looking at this to test soil LaMotte Garden
have u seen anyone and or head anything about this kit?

what I am looking for is the best media to grow in but is seems the best grow media is to make your own mix and to have complete control over the ph and nutrition but the soil in most like ffof are different for bag to bag. so for my next grow i want to make a mix that i know the starting point for ph and the nutrition weather to add at veg or to just water with correct ph ro water.

https://www.amazon.com/LaMotte-Gard...&sr=8-2&swrs=9BF83898D3763B62A8F14DC07848A614


thanks for the reply

 

[Beachwalker]

It's not really different bag to bag, now that you've got an accurate meter preforming a slurry test will show that ffpf is 6.5 and the PPM is around 500, at least that's the results I've had from bag to bag when I've checked. Only one bag was out of whack, it was a wet bag that had been stored improperly at the hydro store

Edit: regarding what to feed the easiest might be Megacrop, a simple one part balanced nutrient which you feed by PPM, I use Master Blend

 

[MIMedGrower]

you're fine sticking with the ffof, I would top dress with some pelletized lime.

You can get as complicated or as simple as you want for food. I have had really nice grows with nothing but age old grow and bloom, I would add the PK boost they sell if I was buying now.

I you add some lime to that soil you shouldn't have to worry about PH, not stressing about PH is the biggest advantage to soil as long as you used the proper amount of lime to buffer it. Without buffering any peat based soil is going to drift towards being acidic if nothing else is done.

Ocean forest has enough oyster shell to buffer the mix even with my 12 week flowering stains in a 3 gallon pot. Adding any lime would raise the ph out of range.

And pelletized lime would do it very quickly. And you cant really reverse the effects.

If the ph is low it is because of over watering or over feeding.

I have proven this in my room many times with many plants and many different bags.

 

[Beachwalker]

you're fine sticking with the ffof, I would top dress with some pelletized lime.

You can get as complicated or as simple as you want for food. I have had really nice grows with nothing but age old grow and bloom, I would add the PK boost they sell if I was buying now.

I you add some lime to that soil you shouldn't have to worry about PH, not stressing about PH is the biggest advantage to soil as long as you used the proper amount of lime to buffer it. Without buffering any peat based soil is going to drift towards being acidic if nothing else is done.

I agree with this^ I have to add Dolomite all the time to my ffof, I usually add one level tbsp per gallon into my pots when I up pot, and usually water in another one or two tablespoons as needed at some point during flower

Since I started adding the lime the ffof has never gone below 6.0, usually stays in the low-to-mid sixes, good luck!

 

[Seednube]

It's not really different bag to bag, now that you've got an accurate meter preforming a slurry test will show that ffpf is 6.5 and the PPM is around 500, at least that's the results I've had from bag to bag when I've checked. Only one bag was out of whack, it was a wet bag that had been stored improperly at the hydro store

Edit: regarding what to feed the easiest might be Megacrop, a simple one part balanced nutrient which you feed by PPM, I use Master Blend

Thanks
Slurry test is a good reference thanks I will use this. however the starting ph on the water i use for the slurry test do i adjust it?
to 7. my tap water is ph is 9-10 changes for hour to hour so I test it before and after i adjust for watering. now that is have a good meter to test it with

thanks ?

 

[Beachwalker]

Thanks
Slurry test is a good reference thanks I will use this. however the starting ph on the water i use for the slurry test do i adjust it?
to 7. my tap water is ph is 9-10 changes for hour to hour so I test it before and after i adjust for watering. now that is have a good meter to test it with

thanks ?

Use distilled water or reverse osmosis water, might be tough to get distilled during these crazy times

Also my tap water is 8.9 steady how does yours change? what kind of meter are you using, not that probe type right? those won't really tell you anything you have to get a pH pen and calibrate it or consider what I use available $3.50 ish from Amazon

If you use Drops you'll have to filter the slurry water through a coffee filter, I have a cheapo yellow pH meter that I keep for the occasional slurry test hope this helps!

 

[Seednube]

I agree with this^ I have to add Dolomite all the time to my ffof, I usually add one level tbsp per gallon into my pots when I up pot, and usually water in another one or two tablespoons as needed at some point during flower

Since I started adding the lime the ffof has never gone below 6.0, usually stays in the low-to-mid sixes, good luck!

Use distilled water or reverse osmosis water, might be tough to get distilled during these crazy times

Also my tap water is 8.9 steady how did you exchange what kind of meat are you using not that probe me to write those won't really tell you anything you have to get a pH pen and calibrate it

I sent a sample to a friend that is the from each bag to be tested got results back each one is different 7-8-5ph that has this kit
https://www.amazon.com/LaMotte-Gard...&sr=8-2&swrs=9BF83898D3763B62A8F14DC07848A614

HE is a farmer in MA good friend
his results and the is one reason for all this thought along with the time to look at the wall

 

[Beachwalker]

I sent a sample to a friend that is the from each bag to be tested got results back each one is different 7-8-5ph that has this kit
https://www.amazon.com/LaMotte-Gard...&sr=8-2&swrs=9BF83898D3763B62A8F14DC07848A614

HE is a farmer in MA

It would depend how fresh the bags are, the fresh bags that I've gotten are as I mentioned above I think I've seen 6.3 - 6.5 for a variance in pH, and they're usually a little under 500 PPM

The one soggy bag that had been mishandled read over 1700 PPM and I believe the pH was 5.3 or thereabouts

Also consider that so many of us have used ffof successfully for many years, so even a small variant isn't going to have much if any effect, and certainly nothing that can't be quickly corrected

Have you considered promix? it's perhaps a bit more uniform, it might be more to your liking

 

[Seednube]

Use distilled water or reverse osmosis water, might be tough to get distilled during these crazy times

Also my tap water is 8.9 steady how does yours change? what kind of meter are you using, not that probe type right? those won't really tell you anything you have to get a pH pen and calibrate it or consider what I use available $3.50 ish from Amazon
View attachment 954087

If you use Drops you'll have to filter the slurry water through a coffee filter, I have a cheapo yellow pH meter that I keep for the occasional slurry test hope this helps!

Yes I use this form to and helps to have a 2nd reference

thanks for the tip to fitter it

 

[Seednube]

It would depend how fresh the bags are, the fresh bags that I've gotten are as I mentioned above I think I've seen 6.3 - 6.5 for a variance in pH, and they're usually a little under 500 PPM

The one soggy bag that had been mishandled read over 1700 PPM and I believe the pH was 5.3 or thereabouts

Also consider that so many of us have used ffof successfully for many years, so even a small variant isn't going to have much if any effect, and certainly nothing that can't be quickly corrected

Have you considered promix? it's perhaps a bit more uniform, it might be more to your liking

True the ffof many have use with good result that was the reason I used it.
however I do not know what to think after the results of the ph test on the soil samples and the plants I have know I think are stunted in growth. doing better know.
I am going to do a slurry test with the plan adjusted ro water that sat for a day ( this is what i water with) lets see what the result are I have to find my magnet stirrer will post results with ppm

 

[MIMedGrower]

True the ffof many have use with good result that was the reason I used it.
however I do not know what to think after the results of the ph test on the soil samples and the plants I have know I think are stunted in growth. doing better know.
I am going to do a slurry test with the plan adjusted ro water that sat for a day ( this is what i water with) lets see what the result are I have to find my magnet stirrer will post results with ppm

Takes at least a week after watering the first time for ph to stabilize. Results from a fresh bag will vary with moisture levels in storage.

 

[Beachwalker]

True the ffof many have use with good result that was the reason I used it.
however I do not know what to think after the results of the ph test on the soil samples and the plants I have know I think are stunted in growth. doing better know.
I am going to do a slurry test with the plan adjusted ro water that sat for a day ( this is what i water with) lets see what the result are I have to find my magnet stirrer will post results with ppm

I don't mean this in a bad way but if they're stunted it more than likely has to do with grower error; perhaps you can post up some pictures and give us some info and maybe we can help?

 

[Jimster]

Greetings
I am a medical patient in MA. I just started growing and have. some question and what media to grow in and how to feed my plants. everyone has there own and different media and feed type.
the environment I have down, that was easy because every one agrees on the parameters. but this I am looking for advice because I read and here different things
I have had 4 back orations and have been unable to work.

I just started growing.. and I know I messed them up
there autos this is my grow space
33x63x96 I will have 3 plants
spider farmer lights
temp and humitiy in under control.

I know some have said it can take 6-12 months to get things correct. I am looking for a starting point. this frist grow i used fox farm soil the ph was around 7 in the soil? but i read that the soil tester may not and probably is not reading the soil correctly? so I got some new soil from main and it test higher was going to ad some sulfur but after reading the back of the bag it talks about square footage but I have a 2 cu foot bag of alkaline soil so I believe. so I looked on u tube and saw a video of peet moss has a lower ph 3.-4 and mixing them will result in lowing the ph of lets say the mix of peet moss and the soil but they were only using 7% soil? and 66% moss and some clay rocks and perlite. with dry nutrition they he sell. so my question are

what to grow in?
what to feed them
only 3 plants
any help would be very appreciated

I use Promix. It is fairly neutral and has great drainage, especially the HP version. I use regular Jack's 20-20-20 for vegging and the blooming version for flowering. I add some composted manure and Osmokote time release fertilizer to a 5 gallon bucket. I have used this basic recipe for decades with great and easy results. I recommend it for a new grower as it isn't pre loaded with nutes and allows you total control over everything.

 

[Seednube]

I use Promix. It is fairly neutral and has great drainage, especially the HP version. I use regular Jack's 20-20-20 for vegging and the blooming version for flowering. I add some composted manure and Osmokote time release fertilizer to a 5 gallon bucket. I have used this basic recipe for decades with great and easy results. I recommend it for a new grower as it isn't pre loaded with nutes and allows you total control over everything.

Thanks Jimster \

what type? i click on the link and there seem to be many promix that was the why I pick FFOF for my 1st grow. that was what i was told was the easy pick.
please tell me what type you picked and thanks for your response I have looked at jacks as well and i has hear good things like what u said


thanks again