Growin w/ Happy Frog

[CannaRed]

I used both hf and O. F. For a while. And used the dirty dozen suitcase nutes.

But a couple years ago I switched to Fox Farms Salamander Soil. It's Coco and no peat. I love it. Doesn't become anywhere near as hydrophobic as peat when it dries.
I water with calmag and silica only for several weeks, then start feeding with GH Flora series.

 

[DoloDankness]

I used both hf and O. F. For a while. And used the dirty dozen suitcase nutes.

But a couple years ago I switched to Fox Farms Salamander Soil. It's Coco and no peat. I love it. Doesn't become anywhere near as hydrophobic as peat when it dries.
I water with calmag and silica only for several weeks, then start feeding with GH Flora series.

I've never heard of the Salamander Soil, I have some coco already do you think I could just mix it with the HF?

 

[CannaRed]

Some people do. A ive seen differing ratios. I don't think you can go wrong.

 

[DoloDankness]

Good to hear, I'll probably add some coco when I transplant along with some perlite.

 

[wvkindbud38]

Yea I've used Ocean Forest since probably 98-99 and just always liked it better. But it's a dead debate, both are great soils if you know how to mix them!!!

 

[wvkindbud38]

There's nothing I've ever bought from Fox Farm I've not liked. Marine Cuisine, America Pride, Open Seasame, Beastie Blooms, Cha Ching. And the liquid trio, I've been a VERY pleased customer around 20yrs. I've used them all over the years, it's just what you like best. Fox Farm used to catch a lot of flack about price.....but I see new companies charging what Fox Farm does. I guarantee it will grow some of the finest plants in the world is how strong I feel as using the products multiple times I mentioned.

 

[wvkindbud38]

There's also maxi Crop liquid seaweed I like to use early on in flowering, it's been a staple to many grows. I wouldn't start a grow without liquid seaweed from maxi Crop, good soil with some perlite and dolomite in the mix. Maybe some miccorrihizea!!! And your growing monsters!!! That's what my studies have showed, I'm just sharing. Just find a PH that works good for you, guys have really lowered it the last 10yrs. I remember 6.0 was my flowering ph. But a lot of these companies will recommend you stay around 6.5. Anything under 5.8 and I start having problems. I just keep to my 6.5 in Veg and 6.2 or so flowering maybe a tad lower

 

[JustSumTomatoes]

I've used HF for most of my grows and love it. Unfortunately, it's not available in my area currently. Works great for seedlings and doesn't burn them in my experience.

 

[DoloDankness]

There's also maxi Crop liquid seaweed I like to use early on in flowering, it's been a staple to many grows. I wouldn't start a grow without liquid seaweed from maxi Crop, good soil with some perlite and dolomite in the mix. Maybe some miccorrihizea!!! And your growing monsters!!! That's what my studies have showed, I'm just sharing. Just find a PH that works good for you, guys have really lowered it the last 10yrs. I remember 6.0 was my flowering ph. But a lot of these companies will recommend you stay around 6.5. Anything under 5.8 and I start having problems. I just keep to my 6.5 in Veg and 6.2 or so flowering maybe a tad lower

Thank you very much for all of your great information, I appreciate you sharing everything! I'm definitely looking into getting some miccorrhizea, have heard nothing but great things about it. Right now I am getting distilled water and out of the gallon its testing at around 6.4 on my ph meter so I just water with it, no ph up or down.

 

[mexweed]

have any users of happy frog ever noticed the soil developing a funky smell, it reminds me of the smell of garbage, like a musty almost slightly chocolaty smell

I have noticed a similar smell when I walk by bushes and other landscape plants in the beginning of spring, I assume it's the composted forest humus and guano

I just planted 6 seeds in small cups with it and they all sprouted, I've had the bag for a while and it's down to maybe the last 2 or 3 gallons so I think I'm just going to get a fresh bag because whenever the smell does kick up it's pretty gnarly for indoors

 

[DoloDankness]

Thats interesting mexweed, I haven't smelled anything strange really. I will let you know if it happens later in veg. I doubt I'll be able to smell it in flower, but who knows! Maybe I just never took notice, but the way you say it makes it sound pungent lol.

 

[nickman]

Okay well looks like we'll see what happens! What is insect frass?

Sorry took so long to get back with you, but insect frass is insect poop basically...!!!...

Cricket frass or insect frass...!!!... both great products in my eyes... ... ...

It’s got something in it called chitin... I think that’s what it’s called...???...
You can also find it in lobster compost too...!!!... which is also a good compost to use in my eyes... ... ...

 

[DoloDankness]

All good nick! I've heard of the lobster compost before but never the insect! Very interesting. Will definitely look more into it.

 

[mexweed]

yeah when I smell the small cups the seedlings are in it literally smells like garbage, I tried looking it up and only found one other incident of someone saying their bag of roots soil smelled like garbage, so it has to be a similar ingredient, composted forest humus, guano, oyster shell, maybe when the mycorrhizae feeds on some of that stuff and then it dries out and sits for a while

this round I am planning on using only happy frog amended with biolive and aerating insect frass for watering

 

[DoloDankness]

Just transplanted today, added some extra perlite to the soil. I didn't really measure anything just added some perlite to the soil enough that it would make it more aerated. Here are some pics of the garden.


Forgot to add that I did pick up that smell ya'll were talking about during the transplant. Definitely a little nasty lol. If it makes the plants happy it makes me happy so let the soil be stanky! Lmfao

 

[Sunshineinabag]

Thank you for that! I do have some Dr. Earth's dry amendments, do have any opinion on that brand? Ever heard anything bad??

id add large chunky perlite to the happy frog, then either use a compost manure or a compost tea to feed ............they may be heavy feeders who knows

 

[Sunshineinabag]

Sorry took so long to get back with you, but insect frass is insect poop basically...!!!...

Cricket frass or insect frass...!!!... both great products in my eyes... ... ...

It’s got something in it called chitin... I think that’s what it’s called...???...
You can also find it in lobster compost too...!!!... which is also a good compost to use in my eyes... ... ...

chitin is tech N-acetylglucosamine and a long chain polymer, its uses in nature are...making shells of insects, arthropods and crusteaceans shells strong.

 

[mexweed]

it seems to not be as bad now that the soil has gotten wet a few times, it certainly can't be bad I sprouted 6 seeds in 5oz paper cups with it and they're the best looking seedlings I've had in years, I am definitely never buying any sort of seed/clone rooter cube ever again, I'm going to try cloning in it with aloe gel too

 

[DoloDankness]

Word man great to hear!! I used a peat pellet to start the seedlings and then just placed them in solo cups with the soil. I haven't ever tried cloning using the soil before so stop back in and let us know how it works!!

 

[DoloDankness]

I'm definitely going to be looking into getting miccorizhea and maybe even crustacean shells before I transplant again for the last time and flip them into flower.