wyteberrywidow
Global
Im subbed im a mg soil user myself.
A test in progress.... Miracle Grow soil vs. Fox Farms soil. Is MG really that bad?
- Thread starter jawbrodt
- Start date
GrowTitans
Member
I'm just past a week into my first grow and I've just transplanted 16 seedlings into MG Potting Soil. Even though I got the "6 month time released nutrients" bag, I'm not too worried about it. Before I transplanted each seedling, I sifted the soil and carefully removed each of the yellow nute balls from the medium. I found this tip from another MG user on RIU. I'm thinking that will be enough to keep this soil usable for my seedlings.
As far as performance goes after the transplant, I was actually shocked by the lack of transplant shock that I got from this "hot" soil. I must note that the previous medium that I sprouted the seedlings in was about as soil-less as I could get. I'd just moved into a new home last fall and I simply used some soil in a 5 gallon pot in the backyard. It was left in the shade of a tree and didn't even have any weeds growing in it. From what I could tell it looked like it was several years old, with very little wood chips left in the soil. It had the consistency of a gray sand like mixture with some chips thrown in for taste.
Point being, I was expecting to lose at least 2 days worth of growth from the 5 day old seedlings. They now have been in the new soil since Sunday and out of the 16 I transplanted, only 2 are showing any negative signs, post transplanting. It was truly a very happy surprise to see that they were actually growing new sets of leaves and adding on to stem height since the transplant. I believe some have started to form the second node, as of the 9th day.
I was actually hoping that I hadn't jumped the gun transplanting so soon after sprout, but as I was using such a bad soil to start with, I wanted to put them into something more substantial. I didn't even think that the transplant went that smoothly. I watered the seedlings an hour before the process, to soften the roots a bit. But when I did my flip, the sand like soil just spilled out of the cup, leaving the seedling and it's roots lying on my palm in a handful of soil. Being as careful as I could, I planted each one, gently holding the seedling up with it's stem as it was being planted as quickly as possible.
During this I found that I was correct to transplant this early, as I corrected one noob mistake I made first thing. I had placed a bottom layer of pea gravel in each solo cup that I was sprouting in. With at least 3/4 of the seedlings I found that they had already hit the bottom layer of pea gravel. Now if they hit the bottom the quart sized paint mixing cups I have them in now, they will just be able to bottom feed on marginally good wet soil.
Sorry if I'm thread-jacking or anything like that, as this is my first post I guess I have alot to get out. Can't wait to see how this goes, as I'd like to see the differences myself on a personal level.
Also, if anyone could let me know if simply removing what I would guess to be at least 90% of the "time released nutrients", if that would make it safe for me to use DynaGrow 9-3-6 on them when they start to veg?
As far as performance goes after the transplant, I was actually shocked by the lack of transplant shock that I got from this "hot" soil. I must note that the previous medium that I sprouted the seedlings in was about as soil-less as I could get. I'd just moved into a new home last fall and I simply used some soil in a 5 gallon pot in the backyard. It was left in the shade of a tree and didn't even have any weeds growing in it. From what I could tell it looked like it was several years old, with very little wood chips left in the soil. It had the consistency of a gray sand like mixture with some chips thrown in for taste.
Point being, I was expecting to lose at least 2 days worth of growth from the 5 day old seedlings. They now have been in the new soil since Sunday and out of the 16 I transplanted, only 2 are showing any negative signs, post transplanting. It was truly a very happy surprise to see that they were actually growing new sets of leaves and adding on to stem height since the transplant. I believe some have started to form the second node, as of the 9th day.
I was actually hoping that I hadn't jumped the gun transplanting so soon after sprout, but as I was using such a bad soil to start with, I wanted to put them into something more substantial. I didn't even think that the transplant went that smoothly. I watered the seedlings an hour before the process, to soften the roots a bit. But when I did my flip, the sand like soil just spilled out of the cup, leaving the seedling and it's roots lying on my palm in a handful of soil. Being as careful as I could, I planted each one, gently holding the seedling up with it's stem as it was being planted as quickly as possible.
During this I found that I was correct to transplant this early, as I corrected one noob mistake I made first thing. I had placed a bottom layer of pea gravel in each solo cup that I was sprouting in. With at least 3/4 of the seedlings I found that they had already hit the bottom layer of pea gravel. Now if they hit the bottom the quart sized paint mixing cups I have them in now, they will just be able to bottom feed on marginally good wet soil.
Sorry if I'm thread-jacking or anything like that, as this is my first post I guess I have alot to get out. Can't wait to see how this goes, as I'd like to see the differences myself on a personal level.
Also, if anyone could let me know if simply removing what I would guess to be at least 90% of the "time released nutrients", if that would make it safe for me to use DynaGrow 9-3-6 on them when they start to veg?
moash
New Member
wait til they start showing signs of deficiency before u add nutrients
but yes that will work fine when it is needed
jawbrodt
Well-Known Member
Holy crap, I think this is going to be a popular thread. 
Looks like I'm not the only one who wants to know the actual results. Sweet. 
I already know what the FF will do, as I've just vegged them in it, for a little over 6 weeks(had a slow start. my own fault). Here's what the MG has to compete with,.....
Looks like I'm not the only one who wants to know the actual results. Sweet. I already know what the FF will do, as I've just vegged them in it, for a little over 6 weeks(had a slow start. my own fault). Here's what the MG has to compete with,.....
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RavenMochi
Well-Known Member
Hell yes, I'm subbed...
assasinofyouth420
Well-Known Member
me too.....
MoneyCount
Well-Known Member
I wonder how many guys make sure not to use MG's gardening soil in pots and not use the potting mix in in-ground gardens? Bet it happens alot without guys realizing which bag they pick up. Also this test isnt to show that MG is a bad soil,some guys probably do very well with MG without problems,but I think you'll do alot better with FF.
lime73
Weed Modifier
Sweet......subscribed! nice to see someone is doing a side by side. Love the idea of seeing it yourself, no better way to know than to just do it...as Nike would say!Finally, I've decided to find out just how terrible MG soil really is, and am testing it myself. I'm using MG Potting mix, the kind that "Feeds Up To 3 Months", against Fox Farms soil, which if a 50/50 mix of Ocean Forest and Happy Frog. The only thing added to either of them, is perlite,(approx 25%) so that their drainage qualities are near the same.
I plan to get the verdict, at week 4 of 5 or veg. That should show clearly, which soil is more fertile, or how similar they actually are. I also plan on giving them nothing but Calmag Plus and Dynagro Protekt(silica supplement), via root-feeding, which'll keep things pretty even. All other feeding will be foliar, til it's time for 12/12. Should be interesting.
Here's some pics. They are newly rooted clones of Ice, going strainght into their 4 gallon pots. That should keep things even, plus, prove/disprove the myths against MG burning plants with it's time-released nutes, and also focus on overwatering issues, which it's known for. The FF is in the closest two pots, and the MG is the two in the back.
Can't wait to see those bitches get bigger.
I also us Mg soil...so this will def be interesting to SEE!
. peace
jawbrodt
Well-Known Member
Agreed. I'm doing it, in hopes of proving that it can perform as well as FF, with the simple addition of enough perlite. I've used it with really good results, but it's been so long that I can't say for certain, if it worked as well as FF. I'm guessing it'll be really close, at any rate.
MoneyCount
Well-Known Member
IMO I believe the addition of earthworm castings,bat guano,and the fish & crab meal in FFOF has to be an advantage in plant developement. I'd love to see MG out perform, but I dont think it will. Wont do bad.....but not better!
jawbrodt
Well-Known Member
I'll be foliar feeding regularly, and am hoping that'll take care of evening out the differences in nutes, between the two. I'm with ya though, that I really doubt it'' outperform FF. If it does, that'll pretty much tell us that drainage/aeration is the most important quality of a soil, IMO. I'm trying to eliminate the differences in nutes between the two, trying to find out which soil keeps happier roots. At any rate, it should be fun to watch.
MoneyCount
Well-Known Member
Thats for sure. I'll be watching this thread like I watched my girls....24/7 Hehe This is like Myth Busters.
This is like Myth Busters.
Spanishfly
Well-Known Member
Should you find that MG is the dog´s bollocks and grows magnificent plants nobody will take any notice - they will still slag off MG.
But I applaud your practical initiative - to try it out and see what really works instead of just repeating what you read.
MoneyCount
Well-Known Member
Now FF soil is organic,and the type of MG your using(potting mix and not the MG organic choice potting mix)is that making this test a little uneven? Or will that matter?
jawbrodt
Well-Known Member
Well, I didn't go out and buy the soil, or I would've went with MG Organic. I've had that bag of soil laying around here since Spring, and wanted to put it to good use. The point I'm hoping to prove, is that those time-released nutes are harmless, as I believe they are.
MoneyCount
Well-Known Member
Ah.....ok I wouldnt have bought the soil for the test either!! But you should've asked me for MG Organic...wife has half a bag for her vegetable garden!! Hehe
jawbrodt
Well-Known Member
Ah.....ok I wouldnt have bought the soil for the test either!! But you should've asked me for MG Organic...wife has half a bag for her vegetable garden!! Hehe
Well, I think that means that you should put it to good use, and start a comparison, of your own. Eh?
LOL, Seriously though, I'm thinking that there's going to be poeple who argue that the Organic MG is the stuff to avoid, and then I'll end up doing a second test, after this one. Sound about right?lol
RavenMochi
Well-Known Member
for the remainder of the time I attend this class/experiment I'm calling prof., kay jawbrodt? 
if ff outperforms mg SIGNIFICANTLY, then I might actually change over, but if the difference is minor, none at all, or mg does better, I'm staying with mg, its just alot easier for me to get around here, and I don't like the idea of ordering a crapload of soil online, that just doesn't look good...I prefer paying cash for things like that...
if ff outperforms mg SIGNIFICANTLY, then I might actually change over, but if the difference is minor, none at all, or mg does better, I'm staying with mg, its just alot easier for me to get around here, and I don't like the idea of ordering a crapload of soil online, that just doesn't look good...I prefer paying cash for things like that...