soil mix question

[ncbud]

I realize I should've asked about my soil mix before I acted, but it's done now. I used 2 parts peat moss and 1 part "miracle grow perlite" to put my seedlings in. Do you think this'll be ok? I figured that the miracle grow perlite would give em something to eat until they were old enough to feed. By the way, this is my first indoor grow.

[gorilla]

You should be fine, ncbud.

I have no experience with the miracle grow perlite, but you've probably got the right idea about it giving them a little something to eat since your soil has no nutes otherwise.

What do you plan on feeding them? They will probably like a feeding a few weeks after sprouting.


Welcome to HGB dude. Glad to have ya.

peace!

[Fing_57]

I figured that the miracle grow perlite would give em something to eat

"miracle grow perlite" 0.04-0.01-0.06

your plants get about nothing from it
Perlite is puffed rock ... they put a few drip of food in the bag

http://www.homegrownbud.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=8856&stc=1&d=1170534402

[ncbud]

Thanks for the welcome and info. What I planned on giving them is a 30-10-10 rhododendron fertilizer. Home Depot didn't have a "MJ Mix", so I looked for something high in Nitrogen. Since peat is basically devoid of nutes and the MG perlite I added is so weak, should I give them a weak dose now or wait till they've established themselves?

If they're too young to feed, or if the 30-10-10 isn't a good idea, should I be adding some other kind of goodness to them now?

Thanks again for your attention.

[drumin]

Be careful with that fert you got there. It's a whole lot of N compared to the P and K. If I were you, I'd either find a "grow store" in your area and check out the Fox Farms ferts for your "tomatos" or look for Peter's plant food. I use the Peter's 20-20-20 for vegging and Peter's 10-50-10. I learned from our esteemed Rev to use 1/2 the indoor dose and I use them with Fox Farms soil. Take that rhododendron fertilizer back to HD. ;)

[thecowboy]

Rhododendron`s are an acidic soil loving plant , so the fert`s you have mixed with almost straight peat is askin for trouble, I think your PH will dive bigtime.
Put a little dolomite or horticultural lime in your medium to balance out the peat.
cowboy

[ncbud]

Thanks for the info, I found a fox farms supplier yesterday just a few miles from here, I'll go get some of their tomato fert. I haven't actually given them any of the rhododendron juice yet.

[gorilla]

Hey ncbud. The whole fox farms product line is sweet, and if you have the finances, I recommend you go for the whole shabang. :P Get Fox Farms Grow Big and Fox Farms Big Bloom at least... This way you have a nutrient for veg and flower. They will last a long time.

With these you can do a water/feed/water/feed type of schedule and grow some serious plants. :cool: We like ferts made for MJ around here because they are much easier to help people with, and the plants react how we want them to. :p

So. How's everything else? What kind of light are you using? Do you have any questions about how tall you should let your plant get, or how to commence flowering? Have you read through the Grow Guides on this site?

Hope you're a master gardener soon than later bro.

Peace.

[eyeseaire]

Fox farm fer sure buddy. The easyiest way to get yourself going with very little effort is get a hold of there soil and plant yer seed, and water with uh, water for like the first three weeks or so. There soil has enough nute to keep em goin for a while.
Mixin your own soil is cool, but difficult, and takes practice, and its usually better to practice on something cheaper.
If you can afford too, get there liquid nute line too, and least the main three, tiger, grow, and bloom. go half dose at first and notice if the leaf tips yellow, or if the leaf curls, and if you notice no change go a little heavier at your next feeding.
If you keep usin the old nutes you should most def go half dose at first, and you will need a high P low N fert for flowering later, as this fert is not gonna cut it during the flower cycle
good luck bro

[eyeseaire]

I didn't notice cowboys post he's gotta a good point about Rhodadendrons, being acid soil plants, and MJ generally does better at close to neutral

[ncbud]

I bought a 400 watt HPS system and a MH conversion bulb. I'm using the MH bulb for veg and plan on switching in the HPS for flowering. The timer's got em on 18 hours of light a day. I read that plants don't benefit from more than 18 hours of light a day.. whether that's true or not, I'm sure 18 hours is enough to keep them from flowering and, as I really love the plants themselves I don't feel good about not allowing them the rest of darkness.

I tested the ph of the soil last night (as watered with my tap), and it's 6.5. I tossed out the rhododendron ferts, but finance doesn't allow the fox farm nutes yet, so I gave them each half of a fert stick I had on hand. They're 12-6-6, and "half a stick" is quarter strength recommended on the package. I figured they needed <i>something</i> to eat while I mustered funds to the visit the fox farms store.

The only real concern I have at this point is environmental. They're in my basement, and I think the basement is getting close to 60 degrees sometimes. I haven't put a thermometer down there yet, so I can't say exactly how cold it gets. My gas furnace is down there and my ducts leak enough heat to keep it comfortable, but it's certainly a little colder than the 72 I keep the house.

Speaking of which, anyone know of a safe way to route some Co2 from the furnace to the plants? I've got Co2 detectors down there so I could play with it pretty safely.

[drumin]

Sounds like you are getting your head on a bit straighter now. Better to ask first, do after. :gthumb: I wouldn't worry about CO2 if I were you, it's a much more advanced process and requires pretty strict setup. For the non-commercial grower it's probably not going to be cost effective anyway. I don't think anyone on the board here is using it which should tell you something. ;)