FFOF = Super soil?

Doomhammer69

Well-Known Member
Now my understanding is FFOF is type of organic soil that is "hot" so you start your seedlings in light warrior, then a couple to few weeks transplant into FFOF with a little buffer of light warrior to avoid hot shock.. if that makes sense? So my question is If FFOF is Hot, why isnt it good enough to run through the whole grow, maybe adding big bloom. I have ran all my grows with FFOF, but maybe a full month into Veg I started using Grow big, I wondering If I can just skip that. I would love to create some of these super soils, however I am not in position to create this where I live, And I don't really grow enough for that much soil. Any advice or ideas, would be much Appreciated
 

Alienwidow

Well-Known Member
No your doing it right. Dont change. Ffof isnt super soil. Youll get deficiancies after just over a month of good growing. You can transplant as they grow and ride it out as the container gets bigger using the new soils nutes for food, but itll run out eventually. Also that second month is good to get some nitrogen into them so they dont yellow as much in flower. Ffof has crushed oyster for calcium but i still would add some cal mag after a while. Feed em.
 

mr sunshine

Well-Known Member
Now my understanding is FFOF is type of organic soil that is "hot" so you start your seedlings in light warrior, then a couple to few weeks transplant into FFOF with a little buffer of light warrior to avoid hot shock.. if that makes sense? So my question is If FFOF is Hot, why isnt it good enough to run through the whole grow, maybe adding big bloom. I have ran all my grows with FFOF, but maybe a full month into Veg I started using Grow big, I wondering If I can just skip that. I would love to create some of these super soils, however I am not in position to create this where I live, And I don't really grow enough for that much soil. Any advice or ideas, would be much Appreciated
If you mix happy frog with Forrest and warrior and lime it's better.. ffof on its own has enough food for 2 maybe 3 weeks. Feed veg nutes first 2 weeks of flower then maybe half and half till you feel you only need bloom.
 

Doomhammer69

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the input guys, Every time I buy a batch I soak it a little and let it set, then ph some run off, I have always been lucky with ph readings above 6.3 and never higher than 6.6, that's with a ph water of 6.5. I wonder if I just use Big Bloom if that will keep the microbe life going? along with molasses, in flower. I know I think to much , All my harvest have done very well IMO, But I always learn something, so that is good. Now they have the whole bush doctor series out, looking at some of that,
 

Ryan70c10

Member
You could add Epson salt for cal mag can't remember how much but I know if u search the forms in organic it fell you. Or just add calmag
 

Grandpa GreenJeans

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the input guys, Every time I buy a batch I soak it a little and let it set, then ph some run off, I have always been lucky with ph readings above 6.3 and never higher than 6.6, that's with a ph water of 6.5. I wonder if I just use Big Bloom if that will keep the microbe life going? along with molasses, in flower. I know I think to much , All my harvest have done very well IMO, But I always learn something, so that is good. Now they have the whole bush doctor series out, looking at some of that,
Don't rely on being lucky. One day it runs out. Just add lime to the mix ahead of time. It's hard to get it in later, and it takes awhile to start working.

Ffof can be hot. It varies from batch to batch and where it came from. I think the stuff that comes out of South Carolina is usually hot. Clone may burn initially, but power through it everytime.

3-4 weeks is accurate but it depends in weather your plant is a light or heavy feeder.
 

Grandpa GreenJeans

Well-Known Member
You could add Epson salt for cal mag can't remember how much but I know if u search the forms in organic it fell you. Or just add calmag
Not to be a dick, so please don't take it that way.....
Stop giving advise if your not sure about the answer. Adding epsom salts to a fortified mix is going to do 2 things.
1. Acidification from the sulfate, and too much sulfur although be it immobile, will lock out zinc and iron.
2. Antagonize the uptake for Nitrogen and possibly/most likely compete with calcium.

Just plain ol dolomite is best. Powdered for fast action and granular for gradual.
 

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the input guys, Every time I buy a batch I soak it a little and let it set, then ph some run off, I have always been lucky with ph readings above 6.3 and never higher than 6.6, that's with a ph water of 6.5. I wonder if I just use Big Bloom if that will keep the microbe life going? along with molasses, in flower. I know I think to much , All my harvest have done very well IMO, But I always learn something, so that is good. Now they have the whole bush doctor series out, looking at some of that,
No just big bloom in and of itself will not get them through mid flower...but if you give a regiment of AACT using big bloom, molasses & fresh worm castings, kelp meal, etc, you can. FFOF is a good base but I found to make it into super soil it needs to be recycled & amended a couple times.
One thing most new organic growers lack is a supply of fresh compost. Compost is what will supply food to your plants by promoting microbial & fungal activity. Dry amendments in the soil cannot be taken up by the plants without being first consumed by microbes which live in the stomach linings of earthworms. The best thing you can do to turn your FFOF soil into super soil is to start a worm bin & then recycle your soil with worm casting & dry amendments & allow it to set for 30+ days. After a few runs you'll notice your buds getting bigger & more resinous with super happy vibrant plants.
 

Doomhammer69

Well-Known Member
No just big bloom in and of itself will not get them through mid flower...but if you give a regiment of AACT using big bloom, molasses & fresh worm castings, kelp meal, etc, you can. FFOF is a good base but I found to make it into super soil it needs to be recycled & amended a couple times.
One thing most new organic growers lack is a supply of fresh compost. Compost is what will supply food to your plants by promoting microbial & fungal activity. Dry amendments in the soil cannot be taken up by the plants without being first consumed by microbes which live in the stomach linings of earthworms. The best thing you can do to turn your FFOF soil into super soil is to start a worm bin & then recycle your soil with worm casting & dry amendments & allow it to set for 30+ days. After a few runs you'll notice your buds getting bigger & more resinous with super happy vibrant plants.
Thats what I would love to do, but alas I am unable at this point and time. I will continue with what is working. And set a big goal of getting into a better grow situation. Right now I am in a tent in a duplex, Garage if small and truck takes that up.. I know where there is a will there is a way, I just dont have the space to store such quantities of soil and other things that come along with it.
 

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
I recycle in an 18 gal tote bin...that is pretty much all the space you need but either way bagged compost/castings work as well just maybe not as active as fresh from the worms ass. A tote bin in your garage takes up very little space; my worm factory is 2 sq ft & provides free compost year round. Space is not really much of an issue plus you can keep your recycling soil outdoors if you had to...
 

Grandpa GreenJeans

Well-Known Member
I recycle in an 18 gal tote bin...that is pretty much all the space you need but either way bagged compost/castings work as well just maybe not as active as fresh from the worms ass. A tote bin in your garage takes up very little space; my worm factory is 2 sq ft & provides free compost year round. Space is not really much of an issue plus you can keep your recycling soil outdoors if you had to...
Totes are awesome, and stackable! IMO it's an ideal recycling bin.
I was thinking about using my 20gal smart pots to recycle in and stack them to retain more even moisture. In my mind this is going to allow excellent Gas exchange for the fungi as they are co2 intolerant.
Thats what I would love to do, but alas I am unable at this point and time. I will continue with what is working. And set a big goal of getting into a better grow situation. Right now I am in a tent in a duplex, Garage if small and truck takes that up.. I know where there is a will there is a way, I just dont have the space to store such quantities of soil and other things that come along with it.
Shoot, even a 20lb bag of casting from the grow shop should be fairly fresh. At least better than none.
Give some serious thought to recycling and enriching your soil. Mother nature doesn't use pH pens, or TDS meters. She doesn't use any influencing alteration factors. Just plain water is all.
 

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
No just big bloom in and of itself will not get them through mid flower...but if you give a regiment of AACT using big bloom, molasses & fresh worm castings, kelp meal, etc, you can. FFOF is a good base but I found to make it into super soil it needs to be recycled & amended a couple times.
One thing most new organic growers lack is a supply of fresh compost. Compost is what will supply food to your plants by promoting microbial & fungal activity. Dry amendments in the soil cannot be taken up by the plants without being first consumed by microbes which live in the stomach linings of earthworms. The best thing you can do to turn your FFOF soil into super soil is to start a worm bin & then recycle your soil with worm casting & dry amendments & allow it to set for 30+ days. After a few runs you'll notice your buds getting bigger & more resinous with super happy vibrant plants.
I hope to see you around more! I know good help goes unappreciated most of the time, but that sounds like solid advice...

GreaseMonkey has helped me a great deal with my compost pile. The problem is, I have to wait a few months for it. I am in a similar situation, I had some soil aged and ready, but it is not enough. I got FFoF and thinking of top-dressing with Bio-Live and EWC. I had the individual amendments, but I used most of them in my compost, and this box was $13 and has most everything in it. Sorry if I am thread-jacking, but maybe we can both get a solid answer.

DESCRIPTION:
A rich, organic fertilizer mix infused with a generous amount of benficial bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi to stimulate rooting, vigor and optimum plant development. Bio-Live encourages rapid colonization of soil and soil less mixes and may be combined with other DTE fertilizers to further improve plant growth and yields.

Ingredients: Fish Bone Meal, Fish Meal, Alfalfa Meal, Crab Meal, Shrimp Meal, Langbeinite, Humates, Kelp Meal, Mycorrhizal Fungi and Beneficial Bacteria
 

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
I also came across Cotton Burr Compost at my landscaping store, I can read about it but info really goes back and fourth about it's usefulness.
 

Doomhammer69

Well-Known Member
So after more research, I have found what I believe to be a good compromise for now, and that is dress my soil with earth worm castings, I have one of those 2 gallon boxes with a lid , I can hold a couple bags of soil in there easy, Ill add the worm casting, fish meal, kale, I have a list on my favorites list and I will let that sit, when this harvest is ready in 4.5 to 5 months my soil should be ready.
 

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
So after more research, I have found what I believe to be a good compromise for now, and that is dress my soil with earth worm castings, I have one of those 2 gallon boxes with a lid , I can hold a couple bags of soil in there easy, Ill add the worm casting, fish meal, kale, I have a list on my favorites list and I will let that sit, when this harvest is ready in 4.5 to 5 months my soil should be ready.
It should be ready in less than half of that time!
 
Thanks for the input guys, Every time I buy a batch I soak it a little and let it set, then ph some run off, I have always been lucky with ph readings above 6.3 and never higher than 6.6, that's with a ph water of 6.5. I wonder if I just use Big Bloom if that will keep the microbe life going? along with molasses, in flower. I know I think to much , All my harvest have done very well IMO, But I always learn something, so that is good. Now they have the whole bush doctor series out, looking at some of that,
Big bloom is chems. It will not keep a microbial life happy or healthy. It will most likely kill the population of microbes sending soil into a downwards spiral. If you want.organic you meed.to start a worm bin get a few amendments to start with abd work toward organic. Its hard to just jump to organics with no compost worm bin leaf molds etc. Can you do without sure but makes ot alot harder
 
I hope to see you around more! I know good help goes unappreciated most of the time, but that sounds like solid advice...

GreaseMonkey has helped me a great deal with my compost pile. The problem is, I have to wait a few months for it. I am in a similar situation, I had some soil aged and ready, but it is not enough. I got FFoF and thinking of top-dressing with Bio-Live and EWC. I had the individual amendments, but I used most of them in my compost, and this box was $13 and has most everything in it. Sorry if I am thread-jacking, but maybe we can both get a solid answer.

DESCRIPTION:
A rich, organic fertilizer mix infused with a generous amount of benficial bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi to stimulate rooting, vigor and optimum plant development. Bio-Live encourages rapid colonization of soil and soil less mixes and may be combined with other DTE fertilizers to further improve plant growth and yields.

Ingredients: Fish Bone Meal, Fish Meal, Alfalfa Meal, Crab Meal, Shrimp Meal, Langbeinite, Humates, Kelp Meal, Mycorrhizal Fungi and Beneficial Bacteria
You could use epsoma plant tone as well as its usually easy to find.every were
 

Grandpa GreenJeans

Well-Known Member

DESCRIPTION:
A rich, organic fertilizer mix infused with a generous amount of benficial bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi to stimulate rooting, vigor and optimum plant development. Bio-Live encourages rapid colonization of soil and soil less mixes and may be combined with other DTE fertilizers to further improve plant growth and yields.

Ingredients: Fish Bone Meal, Fish Meal, Alfalfa Meal, Crab Meal, Shrimp Meal, Langbeinite, Humates, Kelp Meal, Mycorrhizal Fungi and Beneficial Bacteria[/QUOTE]

I'm gonna look for this. Only thing extra that I'd like to see in it is squid meal.
I've used alot of squid before and to me it makes a difference in the plants aroma and the fungi really love it.
 

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
Big bloom is chems. It will not keep a microbial life happy or healthy. It will most likely kill the population of microbes sending soil into a downwards spiral. If you want.organic you meed.to start a worm bin get a few amendments to start with abd work toward organic. Its hard to just jump to organics with no compost worm bin leaf molds etc. Can you do without sure but makes ot alot harder
This is bullshit...big bloom is not chemical it is 100% organic. It is not OMRI rated but I know first hand it is safe for no till or living organic soil grows. I have been using it in my teas for over a year now; there's no question fresh EWC & guano tea is more active than anything sitting on a shelf for a time but it's NOT synthetic. Most of fox farms other bottled nutrients are synthetic I agree but BB is the sole exception.
 
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