First soil

bgmike8

Well-Known Member
Hello. Ive been doing my honemade aero pretty much since the beginning.

But I've been having alot of little troubles and my ceiling is a little low so im going to try soil.

Tell me if im on the right track here.

Im gonna do 5- 7 gallon fabric buckets.
Each plant will grow into a 3x3 foot net.
Im going to use maybe some fox farm ocean something or other or maybe happy frog...
My understanding is as long as its a good mix that allows air and stuff...
I should probably stay away from miracle grow type shit.

Then im planning on using my dyna gro 2 part.
I suppose i would use the drain to waste doseages....

Hows that sound?
 

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
If your going soil route definitely I concur with @Livingblacksoil

Fox Farms has been spotty my last bag a couple years ago was full of bullshit fish hooks and rusty metal chunks. From what I learned on here other growers said they use residential compost to make their soils so it's not really predictable what's inside it. Lots of people have success growing in Fox Farms but many growers that use it have been learning with it for years usually.

If it were me I'd grow in coco if your coming from hydro but if you want to try soil I'd do buildasoil or use a soil that is actually designed for cannabis. Lots of soils you will find are too boggy and don't have the aeration that cannabis likes.

If you plan on going without any added liquid fertilizers then make sure you size your pots properly, always go a little bigger than you think you need so they don't run out of food.

Also lots of the "top dressing" is dumb for cannabis because they are typically slow breakdown and cannabis plants don't have a lot of time for all that in pots.
 

bgmike8

Well-Known Member
Well shit. I bought 6 cu ft of happy frog cause it was easy to get locally.

I guess if it looks to clumpy or whatever i could buy some perlite to mix in...???

i guess what im thinking too is that i could get away with missing a water here and there with soil.
With my aero, i cant always be there everyday and lots of little headaches like leaking and pump issues.. And if i let the water go low then the pump operates dry.

Plus the height issue because the resevoir and gravity and all...

With the fabric pots i figure i can stick them all under 2 600's for awhile until they get big.
With aero i cant move it around so much so 5 600's just for little guys...

So do you think if the fox farms drains well that ill be okay for 1 grow? I have the dyna gro already so id like to use it too...

Not that i dont value your advice. I do. And i will do further investigation.
But where im at right now is im getting sick of all the issues i was having. I just shut everything down. Figure i could clean everything and move out all my tubs and have seedlings in like 5 days...

See how i like soil and go from there.
Im lazy. Im tired. My kid is excelling in jiu jitsu and im going broke taking him to tournaments. My electric bill is 500 bucks to grow problem plants and deal with leaky setup and now some mold on the bottom of the walls..

Perhaps im being foolish but i was thinking soil might be a breeze. I have about 5 succesful aero grows and a few failures under my belt..
 

inth3shadowz

Well-Known Member
Well shit. I bought 6 cu ft of happy frog cause it was easy to get locally.

I guess if it looks to clumpy or whatever i could buy some perlite to mix in...???

i guess what im thinking too is that i could get away with missing a water here and there with soil.
With my aero, i cant always be there everyday and lots of little headaches like leaking and pump issues.. And if i let the water go low then the pump operates dry.

Plus the height issue because the resevoir and gravity and all...

With the fabric pots i figure i can stick them all under 2 600's for awhile until they get big.
With aero i cant move it around so much so 5 600's just for little guys...

So do you think if the fox farms drains well that ill be okay for 1 grow? I have the dyna gro already so id like to use it too...

Not that i dont value your advice. I do. And i will do further investigation.
But where im at right now is im getting sick of all the issues i was having. I just shut everything down. Figure i could clean everything and move out all my tubs and have seedlings in like 5 days...

See how i like soil and go from there.
Im lazy. Im tired. My kid is excelling in jiu jitsu and im going broke taking him to tournaments. My electric bill is 500 bucks to grow problem plants and deal with leaky setup and now some mold on the bottom of the walls..

Perhaps im being foolish but i was thinking soil might be a breeze. I have about 5 succesful aero grows and a few failures under my belt..
If you want budget and simple...go Coco hempy bucket seriously. Maxibloom is like .06cent a gallon to feed, and you can just buy bricks of Coco for cheap. Plus you don't have to have giant fabric pots everywhere, can grow a tree in 3 gallon buckets.
 

Livingblacksoil

Well-Known Member
Your plan will work. You can grow weed that way. Please don't judge 'soil' based on the harvest.

Easiest to mix dry amendments in soil and add water. Good luck.
 

myke

Well-Known Member
Well shit. I bought 6 cu ft of happy frog cause it was easy to get locally.

I guess if it looks to clumpy or whatever i could buy some perlite to mix in...???

i guess what im thinking too is that i could get away with missing a water here and there with soil.
With my aero, i cant always be there everyday and lots of little headaches like leaking and pump issues.. And if i let the water go low then the pump operates dry.

Plus the height issue because the resevoir and gravity and all...

With the fabric pots i figure i can stick them all under 2 600's for awhile until they get big.
With aero i cant move it around so much so 5 600's just for little guys...

So do you think if the fox farms drains well that ill be okay for 1 grow? I have the dyna gro already so id like to use it too...

Not that i dont value your advice. I do. And i will do further investigation.
But where im at right now is im getting sick of all the issues i was having. I just shut everything down. Figure i could clean everything and move out all my tubs and have seedlings in like 5 days...

See how i like soil and go from there.
Im lazy. Im tired. My kid is excelling in jiu jitsu and im going broke taking him to tournaments. My electric bill is 500 bucks to grow problem plants and deal with leaky setup and now some mold on the bottom of the walls..

Perhaps im being foolish but i was thinking soil might be a breeze. I have about 5 succesful aero grows and a few failures under my belt..
Get yourself a SIP, easiest thing ever. Some dry fertilizer and your set.
Look in the SIP thread or in my sig. You'll thank me later.
 

bgmike8

Well-Known Member
Your plan will work. You can grow weed that way. Please don't judge 'soil' based on the harvest.

Easiest to mix dry amendments in soil and add water. Good luck.
Right. I wont blame my idiocy on the soil.

You know i was wanting to hurry and go but now im thinking thats dumb...
I should do more research.
But ive already ordered stuff and seeds are soaking.

I imagine as long as my soil is decent and i stick to the basics, i should still get a good yield and this will give me the opportunity to clean up and re evaluate my whole project..
 

myke

Well-Known Member
Looks interesting..
Hydro growth with organic flavor.
I switched like you,did rdwc.Went to pots and over watered everything lol.Yellow leaves etc... Went to sips and haven't looked back.Perfect for soil newbs.
 

Livingblacksoil

Well-Known Member
I agree with @myke on SIPs. I am currently in my 1st run in my 1st SIP, an Earthbox. To quote a well known poster "explosive". I am on day 19 of 12/12 and just the other day I topdressed like 5 cups in EB. A WHOLE LOT! Jeremy said that I could slam it, I considered it and said wth, more to gain by trying. Will add at least one more earthbox for next run
 

myke

Well-Known Member
I agree with @myke on SIPs. I am currently in my 1st run in my 1st SIP, an Earthbox. To quote a well known poster "explosive". I am on day 19 of 12/12 and just the other day I topdressed like 5 cups in EB. A WHOLE LOT! Jeremy said that I could slam it, I considered it and said wth, more to gain by trying. Will add at least one more earthbox for next run
Its the water when you have time thats so good,plant gets perfect watering all you have to do is keep the res full.
So simple.
 
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