Using Promix with Earth Juice, amend or no?

[jsmits420]

Hey everybody how's it goin'?? I'm ready to get my hands dirty again and this will be my first legit grow on here. (I'll start the journal once I get all the ideas out of my head and on paper and get some beans popped and I've done the research!) Done a couple grows in the past with Super Soil but I'd like to cut down on the hassle/wait time and go with something like Promix Hp and maybe add some worm castings and run with my Earth Juice Nutes I have... So here it goes, any suggestions and ideas will be greatly appreciated!! :icon_smile:

What's laying around:
-1 bale of Promix HP
-2 bags of Happy frog
-1 bag of Black Gold Garden Compost
-1 bag of worm castings
-1 bag of Happy Frog Fruit and Flower Fertilizer (mainly to top dress if I run straight promix)
-and I have some other odds and ends that I can't think of at the moment (stoned and it's late...not moving )

I'd really like to keep it simple stupid.... so if I can run Promix HP, maybe with the worm castings and solid gold added with some dolamite lime to buffer the ph down the road that'd be great. And just feed with the full line of Earth Juice nutes.

OR

Can I just run Promix straight up in my 5 gal pots after I use Happy frog for the seedlings for the first couple weeks in 1 gal pots, then transplant to the 5 gallon smartpots where they'll live in their cozy 4x4 tent under a nice warm 1k air cooled hood :hubba:

Obviously I've never used Promix or any soilless medium for the matter so I'm new to this and anyyyy information would be greatly appreciated. Remember, I'm trying to keep it simple!!
But that doesn't mean I'll slack and not do what's needed. I'm a perfectionist so if I need something else I'll get it. But I feel as though I have some pretty good stuff and I just need a few points in the right direction. Thanks guys!! :48:

 

[Melvan]

I add nothing to my ProMix BX (which is ph neutral at the start) other than feed. I use no additives, no casting, no guanos. Just the GroTek line of feeds, with the addition of 1/2 tsp/gal MG 15-30-15 Bustin Bloomz to every feeding to handle ph. I don't even have a way to measure ph anymore, as this method has worked with my water for ages.

I also start my seeds only in the ProMix. I use a GroTek product, VitaMax Plus, as my seedling feed, really awesome stuff.

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65541&highlight=Melvan's+****

 

[jsmits420]

Thanks for the quick reply! Amazing **** I might add, definitely want to get going now asap!! So should I just return these bags of stuff that I don't need (the castings, black gold compost, happy frog, etc.?) and get a different lineup of nutes or do you think the EJ will be ok. I'd really like the best, obviously. The guy at my shop was ranting over the cyco line but I wasn't really listening. I guess my next question is, what are some of the best nutes to run with straight promix? Thanks again!!

 

[jsmits420]

Another question Melvan, how do you go about feeding schedules and such? and since you can't ph I'm guessing you just run straight tap water? I was gonna run distilled water but I'm obviously learning abou5 this promix. But after seeing your results I'm headed to the hydro store today to return this stuff and most likely get a new line of nutes if I can avoid bubbling AND get better results than the EJ. Hopefully I get some more suggestions so I can pop beans tonight and start my journal. I'm itchin!! I have about 60 seeds from nirvana waiting on me... again, any help needed lol!

 

[Melvan]

I use to run the Earth Juice line in the same manner as I run the GroTek, but I found that it's N was a bit low, so I ended up using a bit more of the Grow and Bloom than is recommended. You can probably offset what I think is a lack of N with the worm castings, which a cup per gallon bucket should do you. And, as Pro-Mix tends to settle over time, adding some extra perlite to help keep it looser isn't a bad idea, although all I do is pick up my buckets and squeeze them around the outside to loosen it.

I think many, many people amend their ProMix, and I'm sure someone here will have some extra thoughts on all the extra stuff you have, and will advise you how to use it, I just don't use any of it, so I can't tell you.

I have a deep spring fed well, no city tap. It's filtered at the pump, again at a second pump, and then again when it comes into the house. So, I do have a bit of an advantage over tap water. I'm not saying you won't have to ph, I'm just saying the MG makes it so I don't have to ph.

Edited to add that with the GroTek, I do not use the water soluable granules, which are Bloom Blaster and Monster Bloom, everything they provide is already in the MG.

GroTek has a feed schedule on their website, I pretty much follow it exactly.

 

[Rosebud]

Dont' take the happy farm or the worm castings back. They are good stuff. You can use the castings for tea, yum, or top dress in veg for slow release N. THe happy frog has some great michorrazia (sp) and that is very good for new roots to spread. Greenest of mojo to you.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

It sounds as if you want to be totally organic? If you want to go organic, you are not going to want to use any nutrients or supplements that are not organic.

If your pH is not really out of whack, it should not be a worry with an organic grow.

 

[jsmits420]

Ok cool. What I'm thinking since I don't want to go all out and mix a ton of stuff and let it sit like SS,since I'm trying to pop seeds now, is run what you suggest per the ewc addedin for extra N. I'll return the HF as this is just want I used for the first 2-3 weeks before I x-planted into my SS. I'll be going by the store later so I'll love to hear more suggestions as to which route to go, and any more suggestions on nutes would be appreciated. I know the EJ is good stuff, I just want the best I can get because I need my meds as I just had surgery and if there's a better line to use without the hassle of bubbling like AN, Grotek, Canna, or something that I just ph that'd be great. Once again thank you for your response Melvin!! It's greatly appreciated and I sure hope you follow along with me on my journey coming up soon

 

[jsmits420]

Sorry I was typing that on my phone and didn't see the other responses in time. Ok so I'll keep the castings and should I take back the happy frog soil but keep the happy frog fruit fertilizer to top dress? And thg are you suggesting to stay with the EJ lineup? Everything I've read says that bubbling it for 24-48hours and up until use you don't even need to worry about ph. That's the main goal. I'd like to feed, and watch them ladies grow! Thanks for the quick input and sorry I'm typing slow I'm on a phone

 

[jsmits420]

Yes thg, I'd like to be as organic as possible. But if there's a better line of nutrients that take less effort and produce better than EJ I'd be willing to sacrifice.

 

[Rosebud]

You are doing fine. I am bubbling some earth juice with some added molasses and some other stuff right now. They do love the bubbly. I am not familiar with happy frog fertilizer, the soil is great and has nutes that last 3 weeks in it but it is the mycorrhizae that makes it so good.

 

[Rosebud]

Keep the earth juice... the nutes are only one small piece of this big pie of growing.

 

[Melvan]

If you're going to start the seeds direct to the Pro-Mix then for sure see if you can find the VitaMax Plus. Use 2ml/gal to moisten the pro-mix. And give 2ml/gal once a week for a couple weeks.

 

[nouvellechef]

I will answer your PM here so everyone can see. I really can't give advice on all sorts of different nutrients I have never used. Have no idea whether it will turn out good or bad.

If you really want to keep it "simple stupid", your on the right track. I don't like starting seedlings in any mix that has nutrients. I drop them in water, when they pop open and have a little 1/2" tail, I go straight into pro-mix, just plain tap water, not soaked either, you will drown them.

Once they get a few sets of leaves, they go into a larger, for me, final home/bucket of again, plain pro-mix.

At this point it gets really easy. I use only 3 items the entire cycle. Dolomite lime, fine ground only, this will be mixed in with the pro mix when you start filling your buckets at a rate of 1.5c per cf of medium.

The other 2 items are General Hydro micro and bloom at a rate in veg of 1tb micro to 1.5gal of tap water. Bloom would be same, but 1tb of bloom added along with the micro. It simply does not get easier than this. After I got bored of the organic soil mixing, I did this routine and have been doing it for couple years now, with jaw dropping results. GL

PS, you can substitute Sunshine Mix #4 for pro-mix.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Yes thg, I'd like to be as organic as possible. But if there's a better line of nutrients that take less effort and produce better than EJ I'd be willing to sacrifice.

Growing organic is kind of like being pregnant--you either are or you aren't. Generally speaking chemical fertilizers are going to play havoc with the beneficials in your soil, often killing them. So that is why chemical nutes and organic growing aren't compatible--you are either organic or you are not. So, check out everything you are putting into your soil. If it is not organic, I would not use it. There will be an organic something you can use in its place. I think that you should plan on an organic grow being a bit more work than a non-organic.

When I grow organic, I use a SS, but also feed organic teas. I have a tea brewing right now that I will give the girls later today. I have not been growing organic long and have not used any pre-made organic nutrients. However, there are several people on here who use EJ products and really like them. I also don't run Pro Mix, so not sure what it needs to be amended with (if anything). I use an organic soil that I get from HD that already has things like perlite, lime, compost, and other goodies already in it.

 

[bwanabud]

Growing organic is kind of like being pregnant--you either are or you aren't. Generally speaking chemical fertilizers are going to play havoc with the beneficials in your soil, often killing them. So that is why chemical nutes and organic growing aren't compatible--you are either organic or you are not. So, check out everything you are putting into your soil. If it is not organic, I would not use it. There will be an organic something you can use in its place. I think that you should plan on an organic grow being a bit more work than a non-organic.

When I grow organic, I use a SS, but also feed organic teas. I have a tea brewing right now that I will give the girls later today. I have not been growing organic long and have not used any pre-made organic nutrients. However, there are several people on here who use EJ products and really like them. I also don't run Pro Mix, so not sure what it needs to be amended with (if anything). I use an organic soil that I get from HD that already has things like perlite, lime, compost, and other goodies already in it.

:yeahthat: Great post

 

[Wetdog]

Just an aside. JMANSWEED (Nute Study, stickied above), mentioned to me that he had some most excellent results using EJ and Supersoil. It was an accident that he added the EJ to the SS, but the results were impressive.

Worth a mention.

Wet

 

[jsmits420]

Yes THG, I would def. like to keep it organic then as I'm organic with all my foods I eat as well so why not with my meds, it's all going into my body right lol? So I guess the plan should be along the lines of what NC said and just feed with EJ bubbled. The Pro Mix I got is the HP version for high porosity but should I still add some more perlite in there?
The plan would be:
Germ in water (tap water that sits for 24hrs or some distilled water? Never done this method to germ so sorry for the newb question) until the taproot pops at 1/4-1/2" , then plant straight into promix in smaller containers. Let them stay there for a week or two until they develop a few sets of leaves. Then move them to their 5 gallon smart pots filled with promix where they will stay. **NC-do I need to add the DL to the entire bale? Or if I'm just running 3-4 5 gallon pots at a time do I need to add it to the individual 5 gallon pots and just mix it thoroughly in a bin for each individual 5 gallon portion? Sorry for the confusion, I'm just super OCD and want to have everything documented, planned, and scheduled out so there's no surprises down the road and I have a *facepalm* moment) I will then feed them on a schedule of feed water water feed with bubbled earth juice per the 3lb method. With some ewc teas brewed in there every now and then to give the ladies some extra goodies, and occasionally top dressing with worm castings or Happy frog. Maybe I should top dress the promix with Happy frog while they're in the smaller containers if they aren't the size I'd like and they start getting hungry after a week or so since HF is typically what I start my plants in anyways. Sorry If I'm all over the place, I just want to have this down pat and do my research before I pop some beans. Even though I'm itchin!! I've had success planting straight into HF and I've never tried promix, so sorry if this is annoying to some I'm just trying to get as much information ahead of time as I can. Thanks to all!!

 

[Rosebud]

I think you should mix in a the happy frog for the mycorrhizae to help with root production. Please go to Mandalaseeds.com and read on their reccomendations on starting seeds. Thanks.

 

[jsmits420]

Ok now I'm confused, NC suggests no nutes for seedlings straight into promix with just water jntil a few sets of leaves. But Melvan, you suggest VitaMax? Could I get away with straight promix for a week and if they show signs of hunger top dress with happy frog or some ewc? Just want to get this right. I'm going to be running a side by side comparison of my SS with just water after starting in HF, with this new method with the promix. I'm trying to find the method I like the best, with the best results possible. Thanks again in advance! All the input is greatly appreciate! You guys rock