Dirt Farming for the first time

[sickbiker]

So I am thinking of growing in dirt on my next grow. I have never done dirt Just looking for some tips and help I only know the hydro way. Any help would be appreciated. I dont know If i can use the same nuts or not what size pots should i use. What type of dirt to use

 

[ozzydiodude]

First off IMO is to find out what you have available to make your soil mix with. Look here for a few ideas of what you'll need soil wise. http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54251

I have seen ppl use the hydro nutes with soil grows with no problems. The more you admend(nutes you add to the soil) the soil, the less you will need to add then watering.

Since you will be growing in the sun the bigger the pot the better. The more root mass a plant can grow the bigger and better it will produce.

 

[Rosebud]

Are you growing inside or out sickbiker, welcome to the dirt.

 

[sickbiker]

I use advanced nuts. And i will be growing in my tent I been having a prob keeping my res temps down so im getting root rot. So i thought i would give soil a go this round.

 

[ozzydiodude]

Man that was a good :joint: I thought you said outside :huh:

The smallest I use inside is 3 1/2 gallon bucket

 

[sickbiker]

lol no inside. I was thinking 5 gal

 

[sickbiker]

ok so i read your link to the soil mixs and now my head is spinning

 

[kiksroks]

ok so i read your link to the soil mixs and now my head is spinning

Fox Farms Ocean Forest or Black Gold bagged soils work well. Cut with perlite, I think half and half would be good. I'm currently growing in 20% perlite and would prefer it lighter. Kinda hard to follow the foxfarms feeding schedule only watering twice a week : / Add some ground dolomite lime for micronutes and to buffer the pH and go to town. I also mixed in some BT to control insect larvae in the soil because I had it. Use Fox Farms trio or whatever nutrients line you like.

Simple.

Also, the general consensus on pot size is bigger is better. Some people use smaller and get great results though. I think with clones you can go smaller than with seeds. 3-5 gallon pots are the norm I think.

 

[Rosebud]

I use 5 gallon pots. I use Fox farm soil with no amendments. I fertilize with Roots Organics. I don't give nuts for 4-6 weeks cause they don't need them. I give them N before they go to flower at half strength, then use the Roots after that for bloom.
Like i said, welcome to the dirt.

 

[kiksroks]

Not that ozzys link is no good. Just for beginners it's a little easier to start with something more basic.

 

[sickbiker]

I use 5 gallon pots. I use Fox farm soil with no amendments. I fertilize with Roots Organics. I don't give nuts for 4-6 weeks cause they don't need them. I give them N before they go to flower at half strength, then use the Roots after that for bloom.
Like i said, welcome to the dirt.

thank u

 

[ozzydiodude]

If you are in a area the has the high $$ soil mixes(IMO the prices I see ain't really that bad) that is the way to go starting out for sure. The soil mixes thread is more for when someone wants to step up to knowing exactly what is in their soil.

If you have the room imo 5 gal is the best and 3 1/2 is the smallest I would use.

 

[Dr. Manny Bowles]

My advice for a very basic beginner soil grow would be like this-

1 gallon pots their first week or two in veg, then 5 gallon pots. FFOF soil, FF 3-pack nutes, CalMag+. RO water if you can get it.

Amend each 1.5cf bag of soil with 3/4 cup finely ground dolomite lime.

Ph your feedings to 6.3 and feed every other watering according to the schedule on the FoxFarm website, adding CalMag+ in with your feedings once in bloom.

^^This is a very basic run down, but will give a beginning soil grower good results if they have their environment dialed. Some strains obviously will react differently to different amounts of nutes, but the FF schedule is pretty dialed as a basic starting point IMO. And the nutes are cheap.

Welcome to soil growing! :farm:

 

[sickbiker]

My advice for a very basic beginner soil grow would be like this-

1 gallon pots their first week or two in veg, then 5 gallon pots. FFOF soil, FF 3-pack nutes, CalMag+. RO water if you can get it.

Amend each 1.5cf bag of soil with 3/4 cup finely ground dolomite lime.

Ph your feedings to 6.3 and feed every other watering according to the schedule on the FoxFarm website, adding CalMag+ in with your feedings once in bloom.

^^This is a very basic run down, but will give a beginning soil grower good results if they have their environment dialed. Some strains obviously will react differently to different amounts of nutes, but the FF schedule is pretty dialed as a basic starting point IMO. And the nutes are cheap.

Welcome to soil growing! :farm:

thanks man what is RO water

 

[Rosebud]

Reverse osmosis I think.

 

[kiksroks]

I just wanted to restate the fact that I have found it next to impossible to feed according to the FF schedule in their soil because it does not dry out nearly fast enough even with 20% perlite added. IMO perlite and quite a bit of it will be required to come anywhere near the 4 waterings/2 feedings a week that my FF schedule shows. . .

I'm not sure if this affects the growth of the plant or not but I, personally, have found it frustrating. Also, I suppose it may be possible that some people only want to water once per week :confused2:

 

[Roddy]

I'm kinda lost there, I don;t recall seeing it say to water/feed 6 times in a week??

 

[Rosebud]

I don't follow their schedule.

 

[ftw]

i tried to grow in miracle grow with newts in it.do not try that. you can not keep ph right.it was suggested that i use miracle grow seed starter.that way the only newts in it are what you put in it.you control everything.just started on this so i dont have it dialed in.

 

[kiksroks]

I'm kinda lost there, I don;t recall seeing it say to water/feed 6 times in a week??

Mine says to feed with Xtbs/gal twice a week and water in between feedings. So if you feed twice a week and water in between. . .4 per week. Never gonna happen in my grow room. maybe its just me. . .

edit: I just googled the schedule and the one that I found is not the same as the one I have here. And it does not say to feed twice a week. I like it better. LOL

edit2: soilfeed.pdf is very different than the schedule I've been using. . .

What is going on here?