Soil for Ace Gear

[Levitationofme]

I need to make up a soil for a grow. My dad grows for himself and now my Mom has medical issues that weed works well on.

A mix that would give him little to do but water them once they were transplanted into final pot. I can monitor from afar and help him with any little issues, but mixing nutrients and staying on schedule is not going to happen.

My first thought was a mix of HF Ocean mixed with HF potting soil, EWC and some pearlite. Then I thought, hrmm why not complicate things and come up with something perhaps more suited to the Sativa's. Is there a balanced blend any of you guys like?

The plan would be to transplant into 5 gal pots after the first stretch.
Only a couple plants at a Time so its a small project.

 

[Koondense]

I stick with BioBizz "light" and "all" mixes.
The light mix is great for adding liquid ferts or as a base for a living soil, the all-mix is great for adding it to the light mix and making it a more complete soil for less liquid ferts or a stronger living soil.
My last try is light mix as base with added S@nnie's organic buffer tabs, Symbiosis, Bacto and a bit of pelletted organic high-K fertilizer. So far it works great, nothing more than Bacto to add and just a bit of Bloom nutes at second half of flowering. Otherwise just tap water(or filtered, RO, demineralized...).
I think the biobizz light mix is the best base for growing any variety. Add some mycorhizza, EWC and lime and you have a great all around soil mix.

 

[HarvestMoon303]

I think that you're spot on with the 5-gal, but I would probably transplant before 12/12 in an attempt to minimize stress. I doubt that it would make that much of a difference, but just kind of piece of mind maybe?

Might want to check out some of the organic starter mixes. They are pretty loaded with nutes (in a good way).

 

[Terpene]

I need to make up a soil for a grow.

My first thought was a mix of HF Ocean mixed with HF potting soil, EWC and some pearlite. Then I thought, hrmm why not complicate things and come up with something perhaps more suited to the Sativa's. Is there a balanced blend any of you guys like?

Originally, I ran a bag of Happy Frog with a 1/2 cup of dolomite lime which works pretty well. If you're looking for simple, this "mix" gets the job done and the plants are pretty happy with no risk of burn.

For the last several years, my mix has been:
1 bag Ocean Forest
1 bag Happy Frog
1 bag Worm Gold EWC
1 cup Azomite (or similar rock dust product)
1 cup Dolomite Lime
This mix works very well for all stages of growth and does especially well with large plants in large containers (5gallon and up). If you're feeling adventurous and want to spend more money you can add oyster shell / blood meal / bone meal / etc, but no more than 1/3rd cup of each as the base mix is more than enough to finish the plants off. I would run a cycle or three and see if you have any deficiency issues (you probably won't) and then add additional ferts/amendments as needed.

My new mix (which I have only just started testing with young plants) is from DankFrank here on IC. My brighter lights (screw in LEDs) and smaller sub-irrigated containers (3.5gallon) have the plants needing more fuel later into their lives as I keep pushing for more stem thickness in the smallest space possible. I haven't run anything to completion in this mix yet. Its a bit hotter and will need to sit for a few weeks before planting.
3 gallon unfertilized garden soil
3 gallon perlite
2.5 gallon sphagnum peat
1.5 gallon coco coir
1 gallon ewc
1 cup kelp meal
1 cup blood meal
1 cup bone meal
2/3 cup oyster shell flour
1/2 cup alfalfa meal
1/2 cup dry molasses
1/2 cup seabird guano
1/2 cup azomite
1/3 cup dolomite
1/3 cup gypsum
2 tbsp Sul-Po-Mg

 

[Levitationofme]

Sweet! Thanks for the responses.

You guys are great

 

[Levitationofme]

Happy New Years Guys! Stay Safe. Smoke weed

 

[troutman]

Get a soil with very little nutrients in it.

 

[yesum]

I am using ffof with ewc and perlite and Rainbow bloom mix. Carries me thru to end without adding anything. Happy Frog has a bloom mix I will try next. The sativas or the landraces anyhow feed lighter.

My water is so high ph and hard I have to use distilled water I buy. Been adding Superthrive to the water here lately. I think it helps but not necessary if all else is good. My seeds were old and needed a lift imo.

 

[k-s-p]

This was a great idea for a thread and I hope it goes multi-page, there should be some good responses.

I use a pretty simple mix that seems to work for me but I know I could probably make it better. It's mostly water only but I do top-dress with some guano in mid flower sometimes.

I use Espoma Plant Tone (3-4-4) I buy at the local hardware/feed store or big box store. It's organic/natural and has mycorrhizae. It helps to grind it to a powder before adding. I add that at 2 - 2.5% to my soil mix of 1 part peat, 1 part compost/EWC, 1 cup of dolomite lime per cubic foot of soil. I add an equal amount of perlite (1 part peat:1 part compost/EWC:1 part perlite) after the mix "cooks".

That's my base and I then can add guano for flowering.

 

[dubi]

Hi Levitationofme,

As i have commented previously many times, i have been growing with a similar soil mix for the last 15 years .... a mix of high quality peat from north Europe, with a bit of coco, worm casting and guano in powder ... quantities depend on the genetics, size ànd stage of the plant, etc ..... it's impossible to provide a soil mix recipe that will work perfectly for all kind of genetics at any stage.

I usually stay away from branded soil mixes as i find most of the times they have too much coco fiber for my taste (it's ok for seedlings and clones, but big plants facing flowering need richer soil mixes).

The nutrient requirements differ greatly from one strain to other.
Tropical sativas like Oldtimer's Haze usually need soft soil mixes, while hybrids like Orient Express, Panama and Malawi x PCK need and can take much higher levels of nutrients.

So the main question is, what genetics are you planning to grow next ?

 

[Levitationofme]

The Panama D X Zameldica

I am low on my mix which is ok. Not enough to bother with. My wife loves any soil I give her. After this couple seeds I plan on moving thru the collection of Regular seeds you so handily sold me starting with the GT then Purple Haze X Malawi then Its farther down the path then I need to or am capable of planning.

 

[Levitationofme]

This is what I have mixed together now.


"We always recommend organic soil and fertilizers, a mix of 50-60% high quality compost, 30 % coco, 10 % worm casting and a bit of perlite, humus .... it's usually the mix we use to grow and breed our strains."



I used mushroom compost

 

[Levitationofme]

I have made a couple 2.5 gallon SIPs and I am happy to report all my fingers are still attached. I am interested in using these as it seems it will be more consistent then my usual, keep everything in my head chaos version of watering schedules.

Last of my soil mix used up. Dropped a Amnesia seed in to give my sip a dry run.


So Perhaps there is a specific blend for that type of indoor set up and the plants I want to grow. It would be interesting to know.

All I need is some Rock Dust to Make one of the fine blends suggested already. And I got time the seeds are just starting out.


I have on hand a bunch of stuff
Bag FF Ocean Forest
Bag HF Potting Soil
Bag HF Seed Starting Soil
Various bags of EWC
Bag of Mushroom Compost
Kelp Meal
Gardening Lime
Soft rock Phosphate

Anything else is coming from Amazon. Local availability is lame.

 

[Levitationofme]

My seeds, now 4 because why not, are soaked over night and 1 germinated quick and popped, next one showing root this morning and placed in a Root riot cube.
2 more to go.

So far so good.

I have everything for Terpines first mix. I am going to toss it together tonight and let it sit until I need it for these plants.