Help with Soil Choice for First Autoflowe Grow

[organicgordon]

I have all my supplies laid out, I got my seeds, and I have access to a bunch of soil/amendments without needing to buy any extra (FFOF, Happy Frog, BioBizz LightMix, alfalfa meal, EWC, perlite, Dolomite Lime, Recharge myco, Mycochum, MegaCrop and Bud Explosion from GLN) but I’m not sure which soil to pick/make.

I’m thinking all BioBizz light or Happy Frog for seedlings stage in a coco coir seedling pot, from a jiffy pellet/dome to sprout the germinated seed to start planted in the pot. After a week or two the coco seedling pot will go in the 5 gallon fabric pot that’ll be the forever home.

What would you suggest for a 5 gallon fabric pot forever home soil mix? I’m thinking equal parts HF/FFOF/BBL, extra dolomite/EWC/perlite for 1/3 total volume. I’m reading so many conflicting opinions I can’t settle on a mix that I feel confident starting off with. Please let me know thanks

 

[Bignutes]

Whatever you decide on make a sample and ph before you commit on full batch. Put in extra calcium like gypsum to offset the ca to mg ratio of dol. Lime. Make aeration portion a minimum of 1/3. Do a drainage test on your sample too, it should drain off the top within 10 seconds or so. Your components are unique so your not going to get an exact answer but follow some general good soil guidelines. Unique in the combination of not in individual components.

 

[wil2279]

Keeping it simple for your first grow is always a good choice... If it were me I'd go with the ffof and I would too dress with some dry fruit and flower nutrients around week 4 or 5... What auto seeds do you have?

 

[organicgordon]

@wil2279 mephisto seeds: CDLC, forum stomper, and a new freebie they dropped (souble grape x sour stomper). I want to go simple but don’t want to burn them in FFOF and ended up spoiling myself in choice, are you sure OF wouldn’t be too hot for a seedling?

 

[Hawg Wild]

Just mix up a batch of living soil. Go with Clackamas Coot's mix as a base and you can always recycle and reamend later. If you avoid hot amendments and going the "super soil" route, your plants will love you for it, and so will your wallet.

 

[organicgordon]

Just mix up a batch of living soil. Go with Clackamas Coot's mix as a base and you can always recycle and reamend later. If you avoid hot amendments and going the "super soil" route, your plants will love you for it, and so will your wallet.

@Hawg Wild so you’re recommending KIS organics for my grow?

 

[wil2279]

@wil2279 mephisto seeds: CDLC, forum stomper, and a new freebie they dropped (souble grape x sour stomper). I want to go simple but don’t want to burn them in FFOF and ended up spoiling myself in choice, are you sure OF wouldn’t be too hot for a seedling?

Last summer I started all my auto seeds in peat pellets and planted directly into ffof and had no issues. I understand the concern though. If you really want to be safe then put 3 gallons of the ffof in the bottom of the pots... And put something light and fluffy with very little nutrients on the top... Like a seed starter mix or something like roots Organic Green Lite. Good luck with your grow.

This summer I am going to be using 5-7 gallon fabric pots... And I am going to be using great lakes water only in the bottom 2/3 and probably a 50/50 mix of ffof and coco on the top... And I won't feed my plants anything other than maybe a few tablespoons of happy frog fruit & flower around week 4 or 5...

 

[Hawg Wild]

@Hawg Wild so you’re recommending KIS organics for my grow?

No. Coot's mix is not a brand. It's a simple recipe that's been around since the 1970s. Forget buying dirt and having it shipped to you. Buy the peat, aeration, and compost/castings locally for pennies on the dollar and just order your minerals and amendments. It's incredibly easy; and a large bale of peat costs about $12 at your hardware store (plus is of a higher grade than you'll find in bagged soils). https://growingorganic.com/soil-guide/coots-soil-mix/