Hi everyone, I’m starting to get everything I need hardware wise to get up and running, but I’m a bit stuck on which soils I should choose from. I don’t know if I’ll be able to start mixing my own quite yet as I don’t trust myself, so I’m looking to see what you guys recommend and use. I’ve done some reading and found some budget growers will just go to Home Depot and buy organic potting mix but I’m weary about doing that as I’m not quite strapped for cash but I’d rather take it a little bit slower on my first attempt. If you guys have a good source or some brand recommendations I’d greatly appreciate it!
If you can get a hold of either ocean Forest or Happy Frog from foxfarm and get a bag of cheap perlite you need to mix about 30% in. I've heard nectar of the Gods is very good if you can get that but that's probably even harder to find trust me if you don't put perlite in your soil whatever you choose to go with your going to have issues I use all Fox and I'll never change probably My summer journal Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
I've always used ocean forest (with additional perlite) but have a bag of happy frog I haven't tried yet. From what I've read, happy frog is a lighter mix with less nutrients giving us more complete control of the nutrients the plants get.
Good to know. I’m leaning towards the Ocean Forest to start and found an 8 qt bag of Epsoma organic perlite for $13 on Amazon. Should I go with something like that for the perlite? I don’t want to skimp if I don’t have to but I also don’t want to spend more on it than I’d need to.
As far as I know, perlite is perlite and in my opinion $13 is a bit much. I say that but don't recall what I pay for perlite so it may be about right.
I've been mixing equal frog and ffof and throwing in 30% perlite I think it's a great mix you end up getting back one hour all the stuff out of the 1 and kelp out of the other if I'm right Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
I try to set seedlings off in a light mix then pot up into a nutrient rich soil also always with perlite. i was using plagron soil for a while it is good stuff heat treated compost but its just got so expensive now. It would have cost me about 600-800 quid doing all the plants ive got. Weve been buying pallets of a cheaper compost 'westlands' and mixing in perlite bat poo and molasses seems to be nearly as good as these £12-$15 bags.
I started out thinking ocean forest was too hot to start seedlings in but after seeing so many others doing it decided to try it and have had no problems starting 'em off in the ffof.
Coco + Perlite pretty cheap and great to grow in! my Coco + perlite mix cost me less that 10USD and i have extra for the next couple grows!
These guys have all given great advice for starting out in soil. Many growers have cut their teeth on Fox Farm products. I would get coarse or chunky perlite from Precision Perlite. It seems to hold up better, especially if you’re going to eventually recycle your soil. If concerned with burning seedlings in the ocean forest (it seems some do and some don’t), when Up potting, fill 2/3 with OF, and the top 1/3 with the lighter happy frog and mix it a little where the rootball goes in. If you would like to explore the realms of coco growing, search out some coco journals on here. I have one, Mick Foster has a couple and I believe Xeno321 has one as well. It’s a hydro medium that gives the “feeling” of growing in soil.
That all sounds like great advice and plan to do as you suggest since I have a large bag of ffof & hf. Would also like to know how to recycle that soil mix since I already have it and later will explore coco growing since soil really is a pain in the ass for me. Thanks! *edit: Is there any way to get the perlite out of the used soil mix so I could use it outside someplace (like a garden or flower bed) after its been 'recycled'?
ProMix hp right out of the bag works for me. I pay around $35 for a 60lb bag. No mixing no messing around and contains no nutes.
Just reuse the perlite too. Buy some organic amendments and add them in along with beneficial bacteria and microbes to break down root matter. Some mollasses water to keep barely moist and let it cook for a month or two. I’m on my third cycle with mine. Just transplanted my tomatoes into some and mulched with grass clippings.
HeY Z! GooD LucK with Your GroW are you going to be making a JournaL? Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk
I plan on it! I am getting all of my requirements added to a list and will be buying it all very shortly. I still likely have a couple of weeks before my seeds even get here so I'll definitely be on here a lot asking questions until then