This is the subject I both anticipated and feared. After having a shaky start to growing my own using “a pot for pot” set up I have made the jump to a tent. I have an AC Infinity 3x3 tent with a Mars Hydro Smart FC3000 300W light. I will be attempting to grow ILGM autoflower Super Mix (Gorilla Glue, Bruce Banner and Girl Scout Cookies Extrm) using 3gal fabric pots. Now I need to learn about soil mixes, nutrients and water ( was using bottled spring water). So for my first inquiry, what or which soil should I use. Based on what I’ve seen on the forum either Fox Farms or Coast of Maine will be the best way for me to go. Having said all that please give me your suggestions.
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Forget Fox Farm and go with the Coast of Main Stonington blend and get yourself some Jacks 321 and Silica. Its what i was recommended here by experienced growers and its working great. Dont forget to get some microbes like Recharge or TPS Billions and some unsulphured black strap molasses and pH up&down. This will be all you will need to grow some great flowers.
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Here is my way, but there’s lots of different methods. Use fox farm happy frog soil mixed with perlite, and fox farm fruit and flower 4-9-3 per the instructions on the package. Then top dress with the fruit and flower after 6 weeks, then once a month after that. PH your water to 6.5, and I do use a little kelp me kelp you during veg, bio thrive bloom during flowering, and Recharge every week, or so. All organic.
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Welcome to the community , 3x3 space Will be a better fit for two plants.
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Ive been using stonington blend for a few years, i use their amendments along with worm castings and teas. Im now starting to mix their other soil mixes in and recharging with the stinington blend food i already have.
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This is one thing i skipped over and went straight to Jacks 321. I had every intention on getting the Plant food and Buds & Bloom top dressings but, i figured it might be too much fertilizer on top of Jacks…? I could be wrong though…?
Especially if they get bigger sized.
I have the non smart fc3000 in a 3x3 good choice IMO. Mars lights (especially the sp and fc models) are great and reasonably priced.
Super expensive! If bottled is your desire I suggest getting RO from a filling station at the local grocery store or gas station. Its about 30 cents a gallon. Beware of filling stations that sell high PH alkaline water, dont want that stuff. You will want to supplement your RO water with calmag of some type. If organic is your desire, get organic calmag (from TPS for example)
Aerated tap water works well as long as you dont have chloramine (different then chlorine) and or alot of salt in your tap water.
If organic is your desire go with Coast of Maine if synthetic nutes are in your future go with FF. No matter what soil you use, add 25% med sized perlite (dont get the small rice sized stuff from hardware store go to a hydroponics store and ask for med grade perlite.) Buying soil and ammendments in bulk will save you lots in the long run.
I have 2 years experience with FF and autoflowers. I would recommend you go with both Ocean Forest and Strawberry Fields, if FF is your desired soil.
Fill the bottom 1/3 of your pot in SF and perlite (25%) then the top 2/3 with OF and perlite (25%). You shouldnt need to feed until week 5 or 6. Plant directly into pot.
Id go 5 gals personally
Happy to help further if I can. Give a tag @Docnraq if you got more questions.
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my first question is what does RO mean. I’m that new to this! However on the subject of water, I see people using purified and distilled water. I know that the chlorine is unwanted but doesn’t distilled and purified water eliminate beneficial minerals. My first plant was in a 2gal pot so using bottled water was a negligible expense. That is why water is mentioned in my post headline. By the way many thanks to all who replied!
Reverse Osmosis
Purified works, many optuons available. If you have chloramine in your water get a zero filter. Contact local water municipality to find out, ask for water report.
Distilled is about 1.50 a gallon. RO water is much cheaper. You can also get an RO filter for your home for a cple hundred bucks.
Yes using a pure water source will remove minerals, nutes and calmag will replace what is lost. Tap water can be full of salt, or lead and heavy metals and rust as well as various bacteria that arent good. It really depends on your water. Im from AZ and our tap is more salt and chlorine then water. Get that local water report and you will know alot more.
My avg water consumption for an autoflower in a 3gal pot is 3/4gal every 3 days each plant.
No worries, thats what this forum is all about. Im here to help. No questions are stupid and happy to answer any you have.
For my part, you are most welcome my friend.
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To Docnraq: I like the way you breakdown my post to give me answers. The water aspect of growing I have a handle on now. Thanks again!
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To ChittyChittyBangin: I would like to ask you a few soil questions about Coast of Maine. On their website under amendments they list the following, Kelp meal and Lobster Shell meal, liquid Squid fertilizer and Wiscasset Blend earthworm castings. Which ones do you use and what is meant by “tea”.
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This is their cannabis feeding schedule.
I use their Stonington Blend Organic Plant food for veg, i use their Buds N Bloom for Flower. I use worm castings and seabird quano to brew teas as an added bonus during flower. Ill add molasses to them also to feed the microbes in the soil. @mulligan
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Clarity, am I right?
A tip if you @ infront of docnraq you get @Docnraq which will notify me to your post, great way to ask a specific grower a question, and the system notification aids in response.
All kinds of stuff can go into teas, plants love em! @ChittyChittyBangin built me one of these, sucker works great!
For clarity the first video is not me. I worded it poorly in the post.
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One more thing about watering. Should the plant be watered until water Is seeping from bottom of the fabric pot. Is Stonington Blend a “super soil”. Can it be used without anything added. Also what are your opinions on using a jiffy pellet to start a seedling.
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Yup, water until you get some run off to test the pH and EC so you know whats happening at the root zone.
Coast of Main Stonington blend is loaded with nutrients for 4-6 weeks. Then you get to add fertilizers after that. By checking run off you will know when to start with the fertilizers. 1000 ppm is a good range. From start to finish its said here. A little more or a little less is fine. In flower it wont hurt to be on the higher end, like 1300 ppm if it looks like it could use it.
I never get fancy with germinating seeds. I just use the paper towel meathod but i am starting to understand that soaking in a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water in a shot glass for 24 hours before transferring to the paper towel promotes germination rates.
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Yes, however that isnt a good way to calculate saturation as speed and quantity of pour can effect how fast runoff shows. I shoot for 20% runoff. 3 cups is 20% of a gallon to give you an idea.
Yes but that is never a guarantee, genetics and stiff can change the amount of nutes needed to complete a run.
Lotsa problems with them. Some use them with success but I dont personally use them
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Oh hey thought id talk about liquid ph stabilility. Its important when adding only water to your plant the liquid be ph stable. This means it has at least 350ppm tds. If not it wont hold its ph.
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@Docnraq, here is a picture of my first grow, meaning after 4 Bruce Banner seeds(#1 died from stretching, #2 I dropped, whereabouts unknown, #3 and #4 didn’t sprout) #5
was first and only plant to grow and produce something to smoke,(about 6 to 8 single steamroller hits) wasn’t expecting anything but it got me stoned, which gave me the resilience to go on.
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Im at work for another 4 hours, dont wanna leave you hanging. Respond after I get home.
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@ChittyChittyBangin . I’m going with Stonington Blend, what nutes and or amendments should I have around so as to be prepared for my plants needs. Also I have seen molasses mentioned elsewhere. what is for, what does it do
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