Grow Mediums "Times are a changing, continued."

[pop22]

4Depending on where you live look for local sources of potting soil. I get mine at nurseries, greenhouses and the local farmer's market. It's funny but the only time I've had bugs in soil i bought were all from big, commercial brands. I stick with light potting mix or any that's not heavily pre-amended, If doing organic, I blend my own. Or currently, I feed my soil Megacrop. Build a soil is nice but rather expensive. I can buy 3 Cu.Ft of potting soil and a bag of Epsoma or Jobe's garden blend or tomato blend, a bag of worm castings ad some blood meal for a 1/3 of build a soil.

On the other hand, you can get bugs in any soil from anywhere. And 90% of the time, those bugs are not a problem or even beneficial. Top dress your pots with an inch or so some kind of mulch, bark or even grass clippings, etc, it will stay dry and suppress larvae from hatching. You can also put down a layer of Neem cake below the mulch. A dose of mosquito dunks in water before you even start is also a good preventative.
I've never had a bad bug problem with soil, and I've been using it for years.

The brand I use lately is Lambert's, a Canadian company. Very nice potting soil and a 3.0 Cu.Ft bag costs me $14.99

hey Pop22! Ive grown to really value your experience and opinion -- despite the fact that im almost completely turned off from soil, you may be the only one that can convince me to give it another shot. If my goal is to grow with as little worry as possible over pests, what soil would you recommend (im going to be growing with an autopot next)? I know there are "build a soil" you can do, etc etc...but the world of soil is vast and i had a really bad bug experience with Fox Farms (as well as having zero transparency in regards to the levels of amendments/nutrients they put in their soil, making it so difficult to figure out how much to feed my plant). Help?

 

[briefbriefs]

4Depending on where you live look for local sources of potting soil. I get mine at nurseries, greenhouses and the local farmer's market. It's funny but the only time I've had bugs in soil i bought were all from big, commercial brands. I stick with light potting mix or any that's not heavily pre-amended, If doing organic, I blend my own. Or currently, I feed my soil Megacrop. Build a soil is nice but rather expensive. I can buy 3 Cu.Ft of potting soil and a bag of Epsoma or Jobe's garden blend or tomato blend, a bag of worm castings ad some blood meal for a 1/3 of build a soil.

On the other hand, you can get bugs in any soil from anywhere. And 90% of the time, those bugs are not a problem or even beneficial. Top dress your pots with an inch or so some kind of mulch, bark or even grass clippings, etc, it will stay dry and suppress larvae from hatching. You can also put down a layer of Neem cake below the mulch. A dose of mosquito dunks in water before you even start is also a good preventative.
I've never had a bad bug problem with soil, and I've been using it for years.

The brand I use lately is Lambert's, a Canadian company. Very nice potting soil and a 3.0 Cu.Ft bag costs me $14.99

Thank you! With this whole covid thing its been a beast to get to any local nurseries to browse around for soil. Im hoping soon enough they'll be able to open back up to the general public and i can see what they offer.

 

[pop22]

It's the only thing I've left the house for since the beginning of March!I got there early and waited for them to open lol! I was the only customer and everyone wore their masks. And I didn't have to yell at anybody because they all had their noses covered!


:smoking:

Thank you! With this whole covid thing its been a beast to get to any local nurseries to browse around for soil. Im hoping soon enough they'll be able to open back up to the general public and i can see what they offer.

 

[JohnEMad]

4Depending on where you live look for local sources of potting soil. I get mine at nurseries, greenhouses and the local farmer's market. It's funny but the only time I've had bugs in soil i bought were all from big, commercial brands. I stick with light potting mix or any that's not heavily pre-amended, If doing organic, I blend my own. Or currently, I feed my soil Megacrop. Build a soil is nice but rather expensive. I can buy 3 Cu.Ft of potting soil and a bag of Epsoma or Jobe's garden blend or tomato blend, a bag of worm castings ad some blood meal for a 1/3 of build a soil.

On the other hand, you can get bugs in any soil from anywhere. And 90% of the time, those bugs are not a problem or even beneficial. Top dress your pots with an inch or so some kind of mulch, bark or even grass clippings, etc, it will stay dry and suppress larvae from hatching. You can also put down a layer of Neem cake below the mulch. A dose of mosquito dunks in water before you even start is also a good preventative.
I've never had a bad bug problem with soil, and I've been using it for years.

The brand I use lately is Lambert's, a Canadian company. Very nice potting soil and a 3.0 Cu.Ft bag costs me $14.99

Hi pop22,
I appreciate you sharing information on how you use soil mixed with coco. I have one plant growing in that basic mix and it is real healthy looking and half way through flower has not given me one inch of trouble.
Was wondering if you care to tell us what basic percentage of soil to coco you use.
I am real interested in going to the soil direction in a mix that still holds properties of coco/perlite for good air to the roots and good drainage.
Thanks much.

 

[pop22]

I use about 33% ( or less ) of the total mix. The rest of the mix is my normal organic mix

https://www.autoflower.org/threads/...anic-growing-for-begginers.46735/#post-876838

Hi pop22,
I appreciate you sharing information on how you use soil mixed with coco. I have one plant growing in that basic mix and it is real healthy looking and half way through flower has not given me one inch of trouble.
Was wondering if you care to tell us what basic percentage of soil to coco you use.
I am real interested in going to the soil direction in a mix that still holds properties of coco/perlite for good air to the roots and good drainage.
Thanks much.

 

[Nosias]

Today is
May 31, 2020 This is day 30

1 - DUTCH PASSION: ULTIMATE
2 - FAST BUDS: GREEN CRACK
3 - LINDA SEEDS: MAZAR KUSH
4 - LINDA SEEDS: AFGHAN SKUNK
5 - ROYAL QUEEN: WHITE WIDOW
6 - ROYAL QUEEN: NORTHERN LIGHTS

This grow continues to offer me small challenges as each plant continuously is acting like an unique individual that they are. Ok Why do I grow different strains per grow? The harvest is for me. I have found that the more I grow (the ladies) the more I vape. Here at our place we have staid in place during these changes so I am very lucky that after 49 years of marriage we are still happy and in love. So I have consumed a lot more. OK ok back on point I want diversity. If I smoke the same strain all day it does not provide me what I am looking for.

I am very pleased with this start and I am planning my next grow ladies now. Waiting on my back orders from Linda Seed. They should be here by Tuesday. The ladies are getting 14 grams of MC2, 8 ML of Cal/Mg and 6 grams of Sweet Candy for a 12 liter rez fill up. I like the 12 liters or 3 gals. All of these ladies are hungry so I keep seeing yellowing fan leaves and hear them say "do not let us be your next victims. PLEASE". As we say all of the time Listen to them. They will tell you. All of the ladies are on the rez, I have two of them hooked up. 4 of the 6 have air domes. The two that do not have the air domes also have the Grodan/rockwool 4" block. I am seeing if this could be a way to use less coco. Pop22 says to use some potting soilin the next grow. We will see.

The tallest lady is 18" this morning and she is ROYAL QUEEN: WHITE WIDOW. There are two ladies who have been topped: ROYAL QUEEN: NORTHERN LIGHTS , DUTCH PASSION: ULTIMATE. I am seeing how this works for me. on with the pics. I still have the older six ladies in the tent. They are mostly 10 weeks old and developing some nice buds.

Green Group ROYAL QUEEN: WHITE WIDOW - FAST BUDS: GREEN CRACK - LINDA SEEDS: AFGHAN SKUNK - DUTCH PASSION: ULTIMATE
LINDA SEEDS: MAZAR KUSH - ROYAL QUEEN: NORTHERN LIGHTS

Mo pics

Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe

 

[Shiva's Mistress]

So beautiful there @Nosias !

Some photos of the older blooms?

I can see you there chilling out in the garden!

 

[Nosias]

So beautiful there @Nosias !

Some photos of the older blooms?

I can see you there chilling out in the garden!

Thank you. The ladies are getting a little tight in there but in a couple of weeks they will be harvested.

Yes. Here is the link to page 5 of the grow I started but burnt 5 of the ladies with a high , for coco, PH.. https://www.autoflower.org/threads/times-are-a-changing.76842/page-5

Yes again. I sit in my folding chair and just talk to them and try to let them know I am here. I thought it maybe a lady who comments. You are good.

Bear Lake, CO in Rocky Mountain National Park. Oct 2019

 

[St. Tom]

Thank you. The ladies are getting a little tight in there but in a couple of weeks they will be harvested.

Yes. Here is the link to page 5 of the grow I started but burnt 5 of the ladies with a high , for coco, PH.. https://www.autoflower.org/threads/times-are-a-changing.76842/page-5

Yes again. I sit in my folding chair and just talk to them and try to let them know I am here. I thought it maybe a lady who comments. You are good.

Bear Lake, CO in Rocky Mountain National Park. Oct 2019
View attachment 1197402

wow is that were you live its like paradise to me you know i live in a rough arse city also your plants are looking Stella and all them strains wowser

 

[Nosias]

wow is that were you live its like paradise to me you know i live in a rough arse city also your plants are looking Stella and all them strains wowser

I am on the "front range" of the Rocky Mountains north of Denver. I am 5 miles from the Rockys and it is a 45 minute drive to National Park.
I am 5050 feet (1539 meters) in elevation where I live now. I am on the very western edge of our Great Plains in USA. I lived in Houston TX for 28 years so I know a city, .

The ladies are always not real happy in the tent. But I will continue with one strain per pot. I just love to hear them chatter to each other.

Back yard shot. Last snow fall this spring. Taken April 17, 2020

This is a pic of the the PGA TPC Colorado. newest course. It sits 1 mile away. Ok you can not see it. but the silo is on the 17th green. Yardage is 779 yards. WT Heck !!

A nice mountain stream.