New Grower Miracle Grow Potting Mix, as bad as I have heard?

[JointOfView]

Hey guys, I have an auto seeds berry ryder in a stealth box, and she is not doing so great ever since i accidentally overwatered her at almost 2 weeks, Her leaves are very droopy and most of them are brown on the tips, so im assuming the overwatering caused some sort of nutrient burn from the miracle grow mix

Im new to indoors, and I admit when i grew outdoors I always just used compost, mixed with cheap potting mix (not mg) and some dirt straight from the earth (lol)

I never had any issues and my plants were usually very healthy, but now that I am trying autos and indoor for the first time, i just used straight MG potting mix with nothing else and my girl is suffering, so what do you guys think? I know that there is alot of talk against MG but is there anyone here who uses it? I want to try and move the plant to a temporary pot and mix something new for her
If miracle grow is ok, should i mix something in it? i picked up some perlite and may go get a few other things if neccesary
All i really have here is wal mart and lowes so my soil choices are limited as you could imagine, i really want to get this MG working out, so what do you guys think?

Here are a few pics, these are old and she has grown about 2 more nodes since, but she is generally still in the same condition of this helps


Im just really new to this whole indoor thing and I am so ignorant when it comes to soil, i know people use blood/bone meal, worm castings, etc, but im not sure if i should mix it with MG or stop using MG completely

actually heres one updated one, you can see how they bottom two round leaves are totally brown and the tips of some of the others are brown as well

 

[The Squid]

To be completely honest with you. At this stage going by that bottom pic. I would scrap that plant and start over. Look for Promix BX or HP or Sunshine Mix #4. Something mostly peat moss with no or little nutrients. Jiffy seed starter mix is good to start in and then you can transplant into some Fox Farms soil. Look for that too.

 

[Muddy]

MG soils are probably even worse than what you've heard. The slow release nutrients they contain can make growing autos, which are a bit nutrient sensitive anyway, very difficult. I agree with Squid, might be best to just start over with some new soil. Even if you do get the problems with these seedlings sorted out in all likelihood they will be stunted and won't get very big or yield much. You probably won't find Pro Mix or Sunshine at the big box stores. Check local hydro stores, nurseries and green house supply stores.

 

[Darwin]

I have had some mg experience and difficult is a good word. The nutes burn your plants an it takes a lot to get it out of there. I'm sorry to say that I agree with squid, I think that girl is doomed You could try flushing with gallons and gallons of plain pH 6.5 water but it will compact the soil and make it hard for her to grow. You may be able to salvage her, but you probably won't get a very big or productive plant. Better luck in the future man.
Let us know if there is anything we an do to help with your next try! Keep growing!

 

[Loud Pipes]

I use MG Moisture Control exclusively for over 4 years now. I had a plant in the BOM of the year contest that yielded 107 grams-a Maxi Gom-that was grown with this soil. Most of the people who bad mouth this soil either haven't used this soil or screwed up the grow themselves and blame the soil. Be very very careful about adding nutes to this soil. I buffer the stuff lightly with lime and will regularily foliar feed nutes. I will add nitrogen and budding ferts to the soil but on a dilluted basis. Always check the PH and if you nute lightly in the soil and add lime the ph should remane stable. Also for the lime about one cup per i cubic ft of soil and no more. This stuff can grow some very nice plants. Start your seedlings in a mixture of MG and peat moss about 50/50. Keep most of the nutes applied to the foliage and you should do OK. It took me a while to learn this soil and now I really like it. Muddy-What was your experience with it?

 

[Muddy]

I've tried just about every soil that Scott's makes at one time or the other. I use them for annual flowers. Moderately priced and available locally. Even when I could get their Organic without the slow release nutes I found it had too much bark and not well suited for germination. I've had good results with some of their other potting soils but don't like them when I transplant to final pots. We generally discourage new growers from using them because of the learning curve that you've experienced. Often, as is the case here, by the time they come to us for help the plants are not in good shape and badly stunted. It's easier to get them started using a more neutral mix like Pro Mix or Sunshine.

 

[40 year smoker]

I have tried MG soil but not the moisture control. I was an experimental grow with bag seeds. The plants were never really healthy. when i finally did chop them down the root ball was really small say softball size.
I honestly can't blame the soil totally, but I have grown other plants, not weed, in that same soil and they thrived. I thought there was a weed killer in the soil, thus the reason for my weeds not growing properly. That was just my guess at the time. I never really confirmed suspitions. Some one here will know that's for sure.
I am going to go DWC when I get back from visiting my daughter and new grandson in April.

 

[JointOfView]

Alright thanks guys, im just gonna take this little lady and put her in a small cup or something and just let her finish her sad little life and mix some new soil and start a new plant done right, i cant bring mysself to kill her tho, i only have a few seeds left haha

where can i find this promix or sunshine stuff? keep in mind, small town, small selection lmao, should i just get anything that dosent have any nutes and add blood meal, bone meal, worm castings, lime, etc. (i have a ph meter so i can test that too)

 

[les_gold]

JointofView:

Amazon.com is your friend. Also, try going to like foxfarms.com and seeing where your nearest provider is. It may be an hour or two drive but definitely worth it.

 

[Loud Pipes]

I've tried just about every soil that Scott's makes at one time or the other. I use them for annual flowers. Moderately priced and available locally. Even when I could get their Organic without the slow release nutes I found it had too much bark and not well suited for germination. I've had good results with some of their other potting soils but don't like them when I transplant to final pots. We generally discourage new growers from using them because of the learning curve that you've experienced. Often, as is the case here, by the time they come to us for help the plants are not in good shape and badly stunted. It's easier to get them started using a more neutral mix like Pro Mix or Sunshine.

I am using a Scotts soil for one TD that i'm growing now simply because I was out of the MG and couldn't get any around here this time of year. I treated it the same as my other plants and it is doing well but is slower growing. I think that what people forget is that growing MJ inside in containers is tricky to begin with. There is a whole lot more to it than the soil. I can't emphasize really good lighting too much. Too often I see a tall scraggly plant with just overhead lights in a otherwise dark closet with nothing on the side or any reflective materials. Another thing is proper watering techniques. I'm watering plants right now as I type this and it may take me an hour. Foliar feeding-make sure you hit the undersides of the leaves. I've ben doing this inside thing since about the mid 1980's and still learn something new on every grow. Anyhow-good luck everyone