1.5 cu.ft. bag of Fox Farms Ocean Forest, 1 cu.ft. bag of Fox Farms Light Warrior, to this add 30% Botanicare Coco Coir and 10% Perlite. How far would this mix get me until I needed to feed? Could I start seeds in this mix? Would I treat it like a soil still, or more like coco? How will this affect watering? This is going to be a guerilla grow in the woods, so I don't want to have to go water them 2 times a day or something. I will be close to them would like to go see them maybe every second or third day, if possible. Any other tips, feel free to share. Thanks!
Grow Mediums This Mix Sound OK?
- Thread starter Hummanuh
- Start date
Free Flow
Hydro Junkie
@912GreenSkell this is the outdoor guru.
G.Leave
Cultivators Club
Are you planting in pots or in the ground? If they are in the ground water retention will be far greater, and you could potentially only have to water every 3-5 days(depending on heat, humidity, and soil aeration)
I had planned on 3 gal. pots, but in the ground is sounding like the way I want to go. I have really sandy soil here where I live. Very hydro-phobic too. For my vegetable garden, to break that bond, I used blue Dawn dish soap as a surfactant on the soil because the water just beaded up on the surface w/o draining properly at all. The woods where I'm growing is the same soil, except there is a good layer of black compost on it maybe 4-5 inches deep. Would it be a good idea to use the surfactant on the soil around and under the soil I place into the holes? How big of holes? Any other tips, good reads, etc. would be much appreciated. Thanks!
G.Leave
Cultivators Club
Hmmm never grow in soil quite like that before!! check this guide out https://www.autoflower.org/threads/maximizing-outdoor-autos-guide-to-growing-under-the-sun.56402/
Sand and more compost go nicely together. Water it with lots of humates and bacterias to get it more broke down before transplant day, which will be even earlier with all the life, not sure about direct seeding, but humates and beni's both help with that as well. And don't forget your streptomyces bacteria at transplant, they help prevent and even correct root rot, which could be an issue with the water not wanting to drain naturally.
Sounds like a nice mix. Very similar to how I've started and continued a few grows.
So it's 60% soil, 30% coco, and 10% perlite. All good quality sources.
How far.... prob until the plants are maybe 3 weeks old.
Depends how big they'll get. Maybe up to the 5-8th node or so.
After that, I'd guess that N and prob Ca / Mg deficiencies will show.
Good chance Ca / Mg def show before that, cos the high coco %.
Can start seeds in it, no problem.
I'd treat it like soil, because it's 60% soil.
But ... cause of the coco, it's prob gonna have Ca / Mg problems...
I'd prob water a lot like soil.
How much you need to water them in the woods depends more on your native soil and climate.
If the native soil in the holds water nicely and the climate has had high rains,
or ongoing spring rains, then you're fine.
Needing to water 2x per day outside is ... kind of unheard of.
Unless you're growing in a desert or something??
If it is very, very dry in your area, could drop some water crystals in.
But make sure to use small amount, and pre-soak / expand them.
Otherwise, a big amount of powdered crystals will explode the soil when it rains....
I'd add some dolomite lime to your mix, to deal with Ca / Mg issues from the coco.
Oh, when you first soak to prepare your coco, you could do it with some kind of Ca / Mg nute.
Low dose, but good soak. Could maybe use lime, but then watch the pH (lime is 7.0).
Or use some kind of high Ca / Mg nutrients into your holes.
If you're growing guerilla style, you don't want to visit that much.
That's a warning, but I'm guilty of this myself, so ..................
Come and check out the Outdoor Growing forum here at AFN.
Lots of good reading and journals!
For size of holes... we need more info!
What strains are you growing, and how many?
So, like, how much soil (gal, liters, whatever) per plant.
What's your climate, temps, sunshine hours?
For most autos, that breeders say finish 8-10 weeks,
I'd go with 2-3 gal = 8L of soil each.
So, your hole is going to have to be that big.
It's about ... 8" x 8" x 8" deep = 20cm x 20cm x 20cm.
If you're doing some big XXL type autos, 11+ weeks, big yield strains,
then probably 3-5 gal = 11L soil each.
Bigger the pots the bigger the plants. But only up to a point.
Then it's a waste of space, because roots don't have time to get big enough to use it all.
If it's hotter, then they'll get taller / leggier.
If it's colder, shorter, and will have slower growth.
So, lots of factors at play.
What strains are you growing, and how many?
So, like, how much soil (gal, liters, whatever) per plant.
What's your climate, temps, sunshine hours?
For most autos, that breeders say finish 8-10 weeks,
I'd go with 2-3 gal = 8L of soil each.
So, your hole is going to have to be that big.
It's about ... 8" x 8" x 8" deep = 20cm x 20cm x 20cm.
If you're doing some big XXL type autos, 11+ weeks, big yield strains,
then probably 3-5 gal = 11L soil each.
Bigger the pots the bigger the plants. But only up to a point.
Then it's a waste of space, because roots don't have time to get big enough to use it all.
If it's hotter, then they'll get taller / leggier.
If it's colder, shorter, and will have slower growth.
So, lots of factors at play.
And another idea is something I have been pondering using indoor for my next grow, it has been proven to me already on outdoor photo strains, never seen it in action on auto's though. RTI Extreme Gardening Azos (it converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammoniacal nitrogen that the plants can use), keeps things easier on you and the plants.
Yeah, def try to prep the soil and the holes outside well before planting out.
Throw in some earth worms if you can, too!!!
I've been using mycorrhizzae in my grows for the roots, and it's great.
Get the soil alive and healthy before you plant out.
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