How to make a soilless mix

[sproutco]

I dont know if its soilless or not. Depends on what the ingredients of the foxfarm. If the foxfarm contains 40% or so actual soil then the whole mix would be soil. If it is peatmoss, etc...with just some bonemeal etc...added for nutes then the whole thing would probably be soilless. Anyway, use ph 6 for either and you should be okay.

 

[Guest]

Its soil med user,let your ph drop below 6 and you'll find out for yourself lol.This whole thing about soil and soiless is more confusing than its worth.I used to use promix which some people consider soiless,when I first started using it I used it without lime.In flower my ph would drop well below 6 and my plants loked like shitola.I started using 2 tbls of p[owdered dolomnite and damn if it didnt fix the problem 100%Then I started using ocean forest with 2 tbls of dolomite lime,my soil ph normally was in the high sixes and my grows were beautiful.This time around for the first time I'm using 1 tbls of dolomite per gallon soil mix to see if my soil ph will lower a little.Now,using general hydroponics Ph test kit,instead of my runoff being pretty green(near neutral) it seems more of a lime green quite a bit lighter( right where I want it about 6.5)it looks like if it holds me through flowering,1 tbls with ocean forest would be the optimum amount.Soil or soiless,its all dirt to me and if the ph drops below 6,I have problems

 

[kokua]

Because it has a cec just like soil. Cation exchange capacity. http://www.microsoil.com/CEC.htm It retains nutrients. Strongly usually. Hydroponic media like hydroton really only serve to support the plant not retain nutrients. So, soilless mixes serve to both support the plant, retain alot of nutrients between feedings, and provide longer term contact with water rather than frequent waterings (like hydro nft for example). Soilless mixes lean toward soil more than hydro in their behavior. How's that sound...I am so high right now.

Sproutco, what about rockwool? What is it's CEC compared to soil?

What are the advantages to the end user by making their own soilless mix? I mean, to make this mix you are going to have to source out certain products...like the pine bark mulch, peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, lime, gypsum, and who knows what else. Why would the average gardener not just pick up the ready made soilless mix that would be available at the store. Any store that would have those ingredients would have a wide range of ready to use mixes, for not much more $. I can tell ya, I've done it both ways, and mixing soil flat out sucks! The space needed to do this is unreasonable for most, considering this is a private hobby. The dust associated with mixing indoors is not fun to say the least, no to mention errors in mixing that are bound to happen, especially with smokers

Can you tell me what the advantages would be to making your own soilless mix?

 

[vonforne]

I have always considered anything that was carbon based and organic to be soil. When it all decomposes...it turns to dirt.

On the other hand anything manmade and not decomposable....is soiless.

Either can have nutrients added but only soil can sustain a plants life cycle.

Just my

Can you tell me what the advantages would be to making your own soilless mix?

You know EXACTLY what is in it and of what portions. I'am currently doing some soil testing of my own. Matter of fact I'm doing a thread on it with my Dream Goddess seedlings. Basic Organics.
I have been using FFOF. I like it. But I have to guess in what portions the additives are added in. We are talking a mass produced potting soil. So, this run I will use a tried and true base mix with only admendments I will apply myself. I will compare the two at the end to see what gives me the more satisfactory results. After using the FFOF and using my old mix. I will win with my homade SOIL mix. I'm not saying it is better than FF but I have it dialed in. I will continue using FF until I have it dialed in but still you have to guess the portions. And the FF is good soil to start a reuse program. I have been letting it sit a week or two and add some compost and ready to use. It still has enough in it to support clones in their first stage until transplant.

 

[kokua]

FF and other quality soils/soilless mixes tell you EXACTLY what is inside. vonforne, I understand the arguement you bring up about starting from a clean slate and adding only what you want. But my question was geared more towards products like promix and some of the sunshine and black gold mixes that don't have fertilizers. Other than having complete control over the ingredients what is the advantage? Complete control is great, only if the controller has a solid grasp of the subject matter. It is my experience that the vast majority (50% or more) of the ganga growers out there wouldn't be able to tell peat from coir if there garden depended on it. I don't want to come off the wrong way, I think that people should experiment with different medias and see what works best for them. I was just wondering if there were any other possible advantages that i overlooked.

 

[heart2grow]

hi everyone this what im use'n at the momment im still working on it but it seems to be workin great....50% coco fiber....25%vermiculite.....25%perlite....possibly change'n to 60% coco 20%vermi and 20 % perlite but will see what my next harvest looks like..... im also thinkin of adding some nutes to the soil so all i have to do is water during the grow but all in time ...... any suggestions on the nutes i could use for somthing like this organics are prefferd......thanks

 

[vonforne]

I'am currently using OF. There seems to be a noticable difference in the nurtient levels in each plants container. Some show def. and some don't. They are all came from the same clone mother. Same container, same water, same nute levels. Different results. Now with my "basic mix" I have none of this. I will continue to work with the OF, just not on a large scale. I will do a side by side and make my judgement. Their base mix is very good. but I do question the amounts that are put in as additives. I can controll this when I add to my guanos and such to the containers with my mix. With theirs I seem to have to guess what has run out or what is too much. I do agree totally that it is good for some people to pour and grow, if you will. you are right, some do not know one from the other but that is what we are all here for.....to learn and improve to grow the best possible plants for each of us. I use a ProMix product called Majestic earth peat. And I build my soils like FF. Using alot of the same products they use. it is more convienent to just pour it out of the bag and grow......but this is Organics and we are supposed to get our hands dirty. at least I like to.

 

[kokua]

interesting...i've never had any variation from ocean forest. I've used it for a while too. I wonder if you got a bad batch...

 

[Guest]

Well good lord, instead of harassing the guy, search through his posts and he tells everyone that he has grown but he is in a situation at the moment that it isnt prudent to do it.

I call my mix soil because it looks like soil but I guess it is soiless.......semantics....is that enough reason to harass someone?

great idea...I did and it only goes back to october...not sure why.. He's a great member...anyone who tries to help would be.... I got turned by this comment...."These aren't my ugly plants. Sproutco plants look good with few imperfections". Hate me for the way I feel....I 'll live...and my posts and rep show i'm no troll...skeptic yes... he has nothing to prove to me...That I know...keep up the work sprotco...I've watched ya grow since being here...getting better ....i'm just not your biggest fan...stay safe

 

[kokua]

sprout...could you respond to post #43 and #45 when you get a chance.

 

[sproutco]

sprout...could you respond to post #43 and #45 when you get a chance.

I have found that most soil mixes you buy are intended for outdoor or greenhouse use. They are heavy in that they lack aeration and retain alot of moisture. So you can make your own light mix for indoor use. I like a combination of bark and perlite.

Another advantage to making your own soil is not adding so much lime. Most mixes are limed with idea that you are going to use acidic fertilizers. The trend and what I like to do is use basic fertilizers like potassium nitrate and calcium nitrate. Plants love nitrate nitrogen and grow better. Nitrate nitrogen raises ph in time so using little or no lime is beneficial growing with these.

You save money by making your own soil. For about $40 I can make 27 cubic feet of soil. If I purchased this soil already made, it would cost about $108.

Its alot of fun too!

 

[Guest]

Vonforne I use ocean forest with some perlite a 1tbls dolomite lime per gallon and also grow clones mainly.I have noticed,especially with the AK 47 harvest I just did about 20 plants that there were differences in the clones.I took all the cuttings off a single large plant too,but I'm thinking at least in my case it isnt the ocean forest.Its funny some of the clones are real green while some yellowed more quickly along with a few other subtle differences,the clone is only going to be as good as the cutting,and thats where I think the discrepancies lie.Some of my cuttings were just plain healthier,some taken from the top,some from the bottom.I think thats why I'm seeing differences in the outcomes,I hope its not the ocean forest anyway lol

 

[Guest]

So you can make your own light mix for indoor use. I like a combination of bark and perlite.

You don't grow weed....so what exactly do you or have you HONESTLY grown in pine bark and why is it better than other mediums?

You've already been asked this question but you haven't answered...why is that?

Do you have any pics of anything you've grown in this mix?

This thread would be great if it had some supporting evidence to go along with it. I might even try it myself if there was any proof it actually works well with cannabis or anything similar.

Jack

 

[sproutco]

You don't know me. If you have a question I might answer...fine. Comments to add that might help others...ok. Otherwise keep your criticism out of my thread. Thanks and have a nice day.

 

[Guest]

How can you run a thread telling people how to make a "soilless" mix and not back it up?

I did ask you questions for you to answer and you haven't.

What's the point of this thread if you haven't actually used it yourself, know someone who has used it, or read about someone using it AND have some kind of proof or evidence to back up what you're saying?

Who are you then? Are you too good to back up your info?

Without proof it's all BS

Jack

 

[Guest]

You can give me all the negative rep you want like a spoiled little kid sproutco, but how about answering my questions????

Don't you have any evidence to back up your claims or is it really all BS?

If you do I will apologize for questioning you...but it seems you really don't or you would have save all this BS and posted it with your original "tutorial" or when originally questioned about it.

Jack

 

[Guest]

dont feel bad JB...he doesnt like me tonight either...

 

[Guest]

Don't you have any evidence to back up your claims or is it really all BS?

If you do I will apologize for questioning you...but it seems you really don't or you would have save all this BS and posted it with your original "tutorial" or when originally questioned about it.

Jack

Quit being a whiny bitch and look up the info yourself... Google might help in your search...

 

[Guest]

I'm not the whiny bitch here as you so eloquently state.

If someone refers you to their thread like "see how to make a soilless mix in my sig" it makes it seem like they have a clue and can handle a few questions. Why should I have to google it? sproutco doesn't seem to be able to handle the questions very well does he. He can do a hell of a copy and paste job though.

When I posted how tos or tutorials on OG I backed it up with pics of my own plants that I grew and did side by side grows and comparisons.

I asked sproutco a serious question and he responded like a bitch like he was too good to be questioned and gave me neg rep. He still hasn't answered my questions.

If you're going to post a "tutorial" or how to thread and act like you f'n know everything shouldn't there be some proof? I'm not the first to question him in this thread and he didn't answer them either.

If you aren't really sproutco then I sugest you quit bending over for him Indica Sativa.

Jack