First Grow Soil/Medium help Indoor's

S

Sussy

Member
Got my seeds today and am keen to get one setup under my LED's. Been looking all over at recommendations for mediums which has been confusing. I am confused at Widow Maker's thread where it says "You want a soil rich in nutrients. Unless its a seedling"

Do I use a potting mix without any nutrients added, then mix with perlite and peat moss? When do I transfer this to a nutrient rich soil?

Im looking at >LINK< for the seedling then going to either >LINK< or >LINK<

Are these soils alright and also what would be a good percentage of perlite and peat moss?

Im thinking of using Dutch Master Gold One Grow and Flower as nutrients, when is a good time to start adding the Grow nutrient?


Is there anything im missing? Im in Aus so finding the right stuff can be a bit tricky or expensive.

Thanks
 
Mr.Head

Mr.Head

Well-Known Member
My 2 cents. Spend the next 2-4 weeks reading about building an organic soil. Then build it yourself with locally sourced goodies. If done right all you need to do for the entire cycle of the plant is add water everything it needs is in the mix. I start my seeds in the same mix my plants finish in. They get water, if I am feeling adventurous maybe some Coconut water and some worm castings.

It will seem complicated at first, and will probably be really overwhelming but in the end you will have healthier plants that are easier to grow :) No chemistry lab to measure your nutrients and hope you don't burn your plants while you find the right dosage for the strain.

You can make a good organic soil with Worm Castings, alfalfa meal. Bone Meal, Fish Meal, Crab Meal, Neem meal, blood meal, and some rock dusts AND don't forget your lime. Or even less than that. Usually I buy a kilo or two of each thing and that will last me 3-4 soil mixes. A 56 liter tub of soil will get reused 2x over the year and thrown on the ornamental/veggie garden each spring with enough kick left in it to make a gorgeous garden. My flowers last year were the largest they have ever been.

Teaming With Microbes, Teaming with Nutrients are books people swear by if you're taking this approach.
 
GrowinDad

GrowinDad

Well-Known Member
I will give you the opposite option :-) Get a very neutral soil and then you can control the nutes. I miz roughly equal parts of Earthgro potting soil (no time release nutes in it), peat moss, perlite and vermiculite. And I use DynaGro nutes.

I do start them out in MG Seed Starter (seed or clones) as it has what they need early on. But once they get out of their Solo Cups, I use that mix and then can adjust nute needs as needed and according to the feed chart.

To answer - you add nutes when the plant shows she needs them. Usually getting a lighter green which shows she needs N.
 
Mr.Head

Mr.Head

Well-Known Member
2-4 weeks is a total exaggeration :) you can learn what you need to know in a few days but there is just so much info out there and the more you know the better your garden will look.
 
S

Sussy

Member
Mr.Head said:
My 2 cents. Spend the next 2-4 weeks reading about building an organic soil. Then build it yourself with locally sourced goodies. If done right all you need to do for the entire cycle of the plant is add water everything it needs is in the mix. I start my seeds in the same mix my plants finish in. They get water, if I am feeling adventurous maybe some Coconut water and some worm castings.

It will seem complicated at first, and will probably be really overwhelming but in the end you will have healthier plants that are easier to grow :) No chemistry lab to measure your nutrients and hope you don't burn your plants while you find the right dosage for the strain.

You can make a good organic soil with Worm Castings, alfalfa meal. Bone Meal, Fish Meal, Crab Meal, Neem meal, blood meal, and some rock dusts AND don't forget your lime. Or even less than that. Usually I buy a kilo or two of each thing and that will last me 3-4 soil mixes. A 56 liter tub of soil will get reused 2x over the year and thrown on the ornamental/veggie garden each spring with enough kick left in it to make a gorgeous garden. My flowers last year were the largest they have ever been.

Teaming With Microbes, Teaming with Nutrients are books people swear by if you're taking this approach.
Click to expand...

I'll have a look into it, I was gonna go as basic as possible for my first grow but may as well learn it now

I've got a small sized setup in my bedroom, would anything in the soil be dangerous in this area? I don't have a carbon filter yet but will try and get one going before flowering
 
GrowinDad

GrowinDad

Well-Known Member
No worries on the soil. But smell will pop up before flower. Once they become real plants, smell starts. Especially in the late afternoon and right after lights out.
 
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