Soilless Mix / Nutrients Question

[Auburn1985]

I've been growing in Super Soil for several years now, and I want to try something else. Super Soil is great, but I'm a bit tired of ordering all the ingredients, storing them, mixing and storing Super Soil, etc.

My current living situation is not well-suited to hydroponics (I have to carry water upstairs). So I want to try a good soilless mix, and a high quality line of chemical nutrients.

For the soilless mix, I was thinking of using Pro Mix BX, or something else from the Pro Mix line. Is this a good choice, or is something else clearly better?

As for chemical nutrients, I have no idea. Money is not an issue; I want the best. Suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[Grower13]

I use pro mix....... so do many others here......I add some lime....... General Hydrophonics nutes 3 part or 2 part work well and don't cost a fortune...... also check out the Lucus formula using only 2 parts of the 3 part series........ I'm using it now....... working well.

 

[Auburn1985]

I use pro mix....... so do many others here......I add some lime....... General Hydrophonics nutes 3 part or 2 part work well and don't cost a fortune...... also check out the Lucus formula using only 2 parts of the 3 part series........ I'm using it now....... working well.

Do you use the BX, or what? Pro Mix has a lot of different mixes on their web site these days.

Do you add perlite, or does the Pro Mix drain well enough on its own?

What size pots do you use?

Thanks.

 

[Grower13]

I use the bx........ yes I added more perlite....... drains well....... it was just a little to heavy right off the bale(lol) for my likeing......... I like my soil lite and airey........ I have had no ph problems........ seems to take less nutes to satisfy the plants....... could be a good ph doing that.

 

[nouvellechef]

I basically do what was said above. Pro-mix or Sunshine#4, fine grade dolomite lime and GH micro and bloom. That's it.

 

[ozzydiodude]

:ciao::48: check the soil mixes thread for ideas on mixing one or creating your own

 

[Auburn1985]

:ciao::48: check the soil mixes thread for ideas on mixing one or creating your own

Thank you Ozzie...

I'm just so tired of ordering ingredients in bulk, paying for shipping, storing said ingredients, mixing, and storing the resultant mix...

I'd like to think that Pro Mix BX + perlite + powdered dolomite lime would replace the 12 ingredients I've been using in my Super Soil grows...what a PITA...

 

[ozzydiodude]

IMO the Pro-mix BX is just a base it has perlite and lime(not enough IMO) what you dont put in the soil when you make it. You will have to add in the form of liquid nutes.

 

[DrFever]

1 bale of pro mix BX
2 bags of sheep manure
2 bags of sea compost / shrimp compost
2 bags of top soil
1 bag of rinsed perlite
20 cups of sand
20 cups of sprag peat moss
works wonders

 

[Auburn1985]

1 bale of pro mix BX
2 bags of sheep manure
2 bags of sea compost / shrimp compost
2 bags of top soil
1 bag of rinsed perlite
20 cups of sand
20 cups of sprag peat moss
works wonders

Well, with all due respect (and more) Dr. Fever, this is just the kind of thing I'm trying to get away from. I've ordered, payed shipping for, stored, and mixed 12 ingredients for several years now. And I'm just so tired of it.

I'm looking for the simplest, most efficient way to grow buds to get high. The fabled "earthy taste" of bud grown in Super Soil has lost its appeal for me. I take 2-3 hits per nite. So an earthy taste is so like 1970's.

I'm not fussing at you. I'm just ranting in general at 3:00am (I can't sleep after eating way too much pizza last evening...).

I have cabinets to store my soil amendments, kiddie swimming pools and a compost tumbler to mix Super Soil, trash cans to store cooking and ready Super Soil, and it all sticks out like a sore thumb. Not to mention a sore back and neck from mixing Super Soil.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed it all; for a few years. But now, I'm looking for simplicity.

I'm hoping Pro Mix BX + perlite + dolomite lime + chemical nutrients will get me just as high as I'm getting now, so I can get rid of these storage cabinets, child's swimming pools, compost tumbler, and shipping costs.

Maybe...

 

[Grower13]

BTW...... I think TGA is making premixed "hot packs" of Super Soil....... you mix the packs in with your promix or sunshine soil and have supersoil....... the amount you add is dependent on what the strain you growing requires....... seems a lot easier than mixing it yourself....... but it does appear to be costly to do compared to mixing it yourself or using liquid nutes.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Grower 13, I am pretty sure that he would still have to get the kiddie pool out, add, mix, turn, and let it cook.

I don't run soil in the winter at all. It is really hard for me to have a place to mix those 12 ingredients and then let them cook. In addition, I also never noticed any taste difference in my organic grows than I do with my hydro chem grows. I see no reason at all why your plan will not work--a good base soil (or soilless), some perlite, and some lime. I am partial to GH nutes.

 

[Grower13]

Yeah your right THG....... but using promix requires you to mix it in a kiddie pool or something....... I got a 55 gal food grade storage barrel for $20.00..... I dump all my stuff in and roll it around til it is good and mixed...... the lid is water tight..... so it stores well and easy til I need more...... but if the main issue is acquiring all the ingredients to do the mix then the hot packs might be a good solution.

 

[Auburn1985]

Grower 13, I am pretty sure that he would still have to get the kiddie pool out, add, mix, turn, and let it cook.

Yes, and Subcool's TGA "nutrient packs" are $100 apiece. And I don't think that includes shipping.

 

[ozzydiodude]

I have seem plenty of grows where , the grower used the hydro nutes in a soilless mix. You will have to play with the ph of the nutes to find the right place or even let it drift a little to make the plant happy, but ain't that what you do with every grow.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Yes, and Subcool's TGA "nutrient packs" are $100 apiece. And I don't think that includes shipping.

Well, that is quite outrageous--I am not a big fan of his.

Is there a reason that you are using a soilless mixture rather than soil?

 

[Auburn1985]

Well, that is quite outrageous--I am not a big fan of his.

Is there a reason that you are using a soilless mixture rather than soil?

I've been using Roots Organic as my base soil, and lately it has a lot of bugs - fungus gnats in particular. I've read of other people having the same problem.

I just figured that if I used soil instead of soilless, it would eventually run out of nutrients anyway, and I'd be relying on 100% chem nutes at that point.

If I'm going to use chem nutes anyway, it there an advantage to using soil instead of soilless?

Thanks.

 

[ozzydiodude]

IMO when using the chem nutes, the substrate doesn't matter. it's just there to give the plants something to hold on to to support the uppper weight of the plant.

 

[nouvellechef]

Pro mix, fine grade lime, and GH2 part is all I have been using for about 2 years after years of mixing soil. It's all you need. Lime is 1.5 to 2c per cf(7.4gal) of medium. Pro mix bale is 7cf.

 

[Dr. Green Fang]

I use Sunshine Advanced Mix #4 only, and absolutely love it. :aok: good luck with however you choose to continue.