My New Journey... and Soil!

Grow Cycle Seedling
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Hello all!

This is my first post here, and I am very excited to say that my first batch of seeds from ILGM are on the way! I’ve ordered the “Auto Supermix Pack,” and I am so thrilled to begin my journey as a personal grower.

I am a MO Medical Marijuana card-holding patient, and I’ve also received my cultivators license, so, yayyyy! I am able to have six seedlings, six in the veg state, and six flowering pants, at once in, in my secure space.

I’m thinking of setting up an entire room dedicated to my grow (eventually), but I’m going to start out a little small. Probably try my first six plants starting in my closet, with whatever materials I can get, as I go.

I have read a, lot on the ILGM site, a few threads here in the forums, have read the ILGM “bible” and most of the guides, have appreciated the comments from Robert and all of the incredible, seasoned growers in here, and have been greatly enjoying watching the educational videos from Bill Ward and Mr. Canuck’s YouTube channels! (Any other recommendations for vids are more than welcome!)

My first question:

So I’ve been reading a LOT about soils. Since I’m in the US, it seems like my online soil-ordering options are a bit more limited than what I see others using in Canada, etcetera. I’ve heard that using a Fox Farms, Happy Frog & Ocean combo, mixed at a 2:1 ratio, is a “good mix to try and start with.” I’ve also read about using Miracle Grow, but have heard that it’s probably too hot to start with, and maybe not the best choice. I’ve heard of Gaia Green, which looks great, but I don’t think I can get the actual living soil here, it looks like just the nutrients are available on Amazon. In any case, I want to start out right, and as organically as possible! What should I order for soil, and about how much, for starting six indoor auto plants? I’m thinking 5 or 7 gallon fabric pots, maybe bigger if needed. (10 gal?) My seeds could be here very soon… so naturally I’m psyched to start off this new journey the right way!

Any suggestions would be great!

(I’ll likely be asking about grow tents and lights, next.)

Please be gentle, it’s my first time. Lol.

Thank you all, and looking forward to taking you on my adventure with me! :heart:

On to the search for SOIL!

Blessings and Healthy Growth,

Bel

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Welcome to the community @Beltana glad to have here

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Welcome, amazon delivers 90% of my stuff, I’ve had them ship anything from fox farms, hydro tin, natures organics to coco coir.

Have fun and good luck, don’t let a bad run or two stop you. There’s a learning curve to everything and sometimes we have to forget what we thought we knew to succeed.

Happy growing!

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I use fox farm soils, i start with light warrior in a starter pot, then trnsplant to 2 or 3 gal pot of happy forg , then transplant into 7gal of ocean forest, so far its working for me. The light is going to be your most important purchase(imo), so dont buy a cheap one.alot of good advice on this site

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Thank you!

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Excellent, thank you!

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Thanks! Glad to be here!!!

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And you won’t need nutes for a good while, iam in my 8th week of veg and have yet to feed my plants

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What many do is take a 5-7 gal pot.

Fill 2/3 with oven forest
1/3 with happy frog
And a solo cup in the middle for light warrior

This way you aren’t making the plant reroot itself every time you transfer pots. Less transfers give for bigger healthier plants in less time.

But that’s a lesson learned in time

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My bad , didn’t see the auto part , @PharmerBob is exactly right and that is what i did with my autos

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Okay great! Thanks. So I’ll order some Ocean Forest, some Happy Frog & some Light Warrior. Off to town for a bit, then I’ll check back in to see what’s new. I appreciate you all!

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Hey! Just wanted to welcome you to the best forum around! Lots of super great people here! (I’m tossing a bone to all!) I’ve gotten some excellent info from these folks! AND proud to be a small part. Again, welcome!

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Thank you! So glad to be here!

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So…

I am planning on just starting out in my current little room, on a desktop, near a west-facing window, and then moving the plants into to a closet, where I can control the light, etc.

Is that alright to do?

I would like to stay away from tents, if that is at all possible. (Is that possible? If not… I’ll have to do some major learning and investing, as I go and grow.)

Eventually, I’ll have an even larger room ready (a bedroom that isn’t being used, which is probably at least 12X12), as my final grow room. (Alternatively, there is also a larger closet in there, as well.) The walls of the room itself are white. There are two windows. I could black them out, if needed, with curtains or what have you.

Will there be a sufficient way to control and monitor the humidity in just that “regular” bedroom? As I mentioned, it’s fairly large, and has a peaked ceiling ^ in the middle.

I may do some companion planting in there too, to keep the girls company.

Just wondering why so many people use tents, if it’s a need, or if it’s generally for space/temp/humidity control reasons. I am wondering what it will take to make a room into an indoor greenhouse, basically.

Any input from anyone, is most welcome and appreciated!

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You don’t have to have a tent. There are lots of options. Different scenarios for different types. ie, photo/auto. Autos are forgiving of some light pollution. Humidity you can control various ways also. You have several questions,and that leads to more questions on this end.
Check out some posts here, and you can probably find the answers you look for. Tag folks for info. This forum is full of fine people with loads of knowledge.
Happy grow!:sunglasses:

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Welcome
Ozarks beautiful part of the country.
I use fox farm ocean forest. Started with autos in OF. I start seeds in a good seedling mix and then blend in some of this mix on top of the OF. This provides a little cushion for the young plant to get established. I buy a lot of my growing supplies at a local farm supply store. Prices beat amazon by a lot.
Starting seeds by a window is ok up to a point. It will provide warmth but glass filters the sun too much so you will have to watch for excess stretching. Before you know it you will have a 9" toothpick that will fall over from its own weight. You will need to add extra light when you see its first real leaves.
A tent is convenient. Primarily for the reasons you mentioned. Temperature, humidity and also light control when you start growing photoperiod strains. Those same attributes will also have to apply to your closet.
Ask away to the forum in general or tag someone you want to reach out to specifically.
Good luck

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Okay!

The winter awfulness is just about to pass here in Southern Missouri, (we had a bad couple of real bad weeks here) the sun is starting to shine, and I’m about to get real with setting up my indoor grow space.

So I’ve got my auto mixpack of seeds, (BB, GSCE & GG) some peat pellets to start them in, and a bag 'O Fox Farms Light Warrior just for more medium to start the seedlings in when they take off. I’m guessing it will all happen pretty quick. I’m planning to order the actual soil soon… (probably today) and I’m going to go with the “2/3 Ocean Forest, 1/3 Happy Frog, and the top layer of Light Warrior idea” that @PharmerBob suggested up there. I’m thinking of layering it all as sort of a, little bowl within a bowl within a bowl type method in my pots.

I’ve got 7 gallon fabric pots, and an LED shoplight, just for now, (just for starting the seedlings.) Is only 250 watts and about four feet long, just picked it up at Walmart for a “beginner’s item.” Hope this is okay, just to start with.

Now… I’m off to look for a tent (decided that would be best and most reliable) and most importantly, lights. I want to get a great tent, so I’m thinking Gorilla.

Now… for the lights. I can’t spend an extreme fortune, but I want things to go well. I’ll need something that can handle six auto plants to start, and 18, eventually. I’m thinking a 4X8 grow tent for these.

Soooo. Lights? I’ll probably only need one for the first six plants, (right?) but then another, when the space gets going with the 6 seedlings, six veg and six flowering pants in there at the same time. Does that sound like a big enough space for this particular venture, and what would you all suggest for lights (I’m certain you’ve all heard this question a thousand times, so forgive me.)? If I spend five hundred bucks on this awesome tent, then that will leave me about five hundred or a little more for some lights, at least for now.

I’m planning to order them pretty quickly, and I’ve heard so much about the awesomeness of LED lights on so many different groups, from the top of the line crazy expensive Chills, to ordering generic stuff from Alibaba. (And some of these look fine, at least to a beginner’s eyes but I sure can’t wait weeks or months for them to get here, either.)

Any suggestions are more than appreciated!!!

I’m about to get my first grow on!!!

I’m so excited, to say the least. :smiley: But I want to do this right.

Thank you all, you have been so helpful and kind.

Blessings and all Good Green things,

Bel

:seedling::potted_plant::evergreen_tree::deciduous_tree::palm_tree::cactus:

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Belated welcome to the forum. SW Missouri here as well.
Sutherlands is where I get Fox Farms soil locally. If you are in Springfield at some point IGS (Indoor Grower Supply) is a nice place to get soils, nutes, and other fun stuff.
Glad the freezing spell is over. Now on to tornado season…Yay!

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Hello, and thank you for the welcome, neighbor!

Yep… the only place to get FF around here is Orschelen, and they said the bags usually don’t last the week once they put them out on the shelves. (Lol. I can imagine.)

I’ve heard of IGS! I’ll definitely visit them on my next trip up there. Sounds like a cool place.

SO glad that freezing spell is over. Whew. Just had to get our pipes fixed in the wellhouse, and other things, from all of that craziness. It’s beautiful out here today on the farm though… if not a bit warm and humid! I’m busying myself cleaning up my future grow room today, and BOY, I’ve got a big job ahead of me. It’s filled with stuff. :flushed:

Spring cleaning energy!!! (And hopefully not many tornadoes!)

Hope to see ya 'round the forum, and thanks again for the welcome!

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