Indoor auto soil recommendations
- Thread starter y2kayo
- Start date
That is a difficult question to answer without knowing where you live in the world.
Promix and Fox Farm are good soils and are easily available on the internet.
Are you looking to mix your own soil? or buy the bag?
Stay safe, and grow well my friend,
Tok..
Promix and Fox Farm are good soils and are easily available on the internet.
Are you looking to mix your own soil? or buy the bag?
Stay safe, and grow well my friend,
Tok..
Welcome to the group.
It is hard to answer your question without knowing more.
Are you asking about a soil already mixed up and available in a bag? If so, what is the name of the company that is on the bag?
Avoid buying a bag of soil that is labeled as "top soil" since these are often mixes of humus or compost mixed in with a typical top soil and are meant for outdoor work. We used this type of soil mix for filling in small holes and top dressing bare spots in lawns before putting down grass seed.
Most likely what you are looking for is going to be something called a "potting soil". Those are mixes intended to be used in flower pots or growing containers either indoors or outdoors. Avoid buying these based on the price. Instead choose the one to buy based on the reputation of the company and the ingredients.
Potting soils mixed with a base of coco coir are usually going to require being watered more often, almost every day. There is often some peat moss and a bit of compost mixed in but a fertilizer has to be added to the water each day.
A potting soil that is peat moss and/or compost based is closer to a natural soil that most are familiar with. These do not require daily watering and the grower can often go anywhere from 4 or 5 days between water to as often as every other day. Plus fertilizing is often once a week as compared to the everyday feeding that is often required for coco coir based mixes.
It is hard to answer your question without knowing more.
Are you asking about a soil already mixed up and available in a bag? If so, what is the name of the company that is on the bag?
Avoid buying a bag of soil that is labeled as "top soil" since these are often mixes of humus or compost mixed in with a typical top soil and are meant for outdoor work. We used this type of soil mix for filling in small holes and top dressing bare spots in lawns before putting down grass seed.
Most likely what you are looking for is going to be something called a "potting soil". Those are mixes intended to be used in flower pots or growing containers either indoors or outdoors. Avoid buying these based on the price. Instead choose the one to buy based on the reputation of the company and the ingredients.
Potting soils mixed with a base of coco coir are usually going to require being watered more often, almost every day. There is often some peat moss and a bit of compost mixed in but a fertilizer has to be added to the water each day.
A potting soil that is peat moss and/or compost based is closer to a natural soil that most are familiar with. These do not require daily watering and the grower can often go anywhere from 4 or 5 days between water to as often as every other day. Plus fertilizing is often once a week as compared to the everyday feeding that is often required for coco coir based mixes.
- Thread starter
- #4
Is there any certain promix or fox farm bag you would recommend?
I need to be able to buy a premix rather than mixing 20gal + of all sorts of stuff together as I am only having two plants going at a time. I live in Canada and I plan on doing SIP in 5gal buckets.
I don't mind buying additional things to mix in, in order to maximize my grow.
Any recommendations on fertilizer, nutrients ect?
- Thread starter
- #5
Thank you for your insight, much appreciated!
Never used Promix, but I have used Fox Farms Ocean Forest for many years with great success, it also doesn't hurt that I'm close to where it's made, and I get it "dirt cheap". People say it's a hot soil, but I think that's way overplayed! I plant seeds directly into it and have never had burn issues. The only amendment I would use is about 15-20% additional perlite, although on my current grow I also added a cup of diatomaceous earth (DE) to each 5 gallons. The perlite really loosens up the soil and the DE will provide slow release of Silicon. As far as nutrients, you need to decide whether you're going organic or synthetic. Don't fall into the "extras" trap, you need NPK and micronutrients, the amounts of each change as the grow progresses from seedling to veg to flower. You don't need the myriad of supplements that are out there, IMHO, most only result in very expensive runoff!
I use Sunshine #4 or Promix hp Most potting soils are Check the bag label peat moss, perlite, dolomite lime, & wetting agent & need a fertilizer.
Be careful of potting soils like M*racal grow that have time release fertilizer for seedlings
I have not used Fox Farm, but many growers on the site like it and swear by it.
I have used Mother Earth Terracraft Potting Soil, and found it to be satisfactory. Hint: add perlite.
I have been using more and more Promix HP and other types of promix. Like the results and it doesn't have extra nutrients is the soil that I know of.
I am currently using Promix Organic and found it to be a little moist for my liking, so I added about 20% more perlite for drainage and air circulation.
Check around and see what others are using and ask questions.
Be safe, and grow well my friend,
Tok..
I have used Mother Earth Terracraft Potting Soil, and found it to be satisfactory. Hint: add perlite.
I have been using more and more Promix HP and other types of promix. Like the results and it doesn't have extra nutrients is the soil that I know of.
I am currently using Promix Organic and found it to be a little moist for my liking, so I added about 20% more perlite for drainage and air circulation.
Check around and see what others are using and ask questions.
Be safe, and grow well my friend,
Tok..
Right. For the most part the major fertilizer companies will have several basics which can be used together or separately. Look on their websites for the schedules which will tell us how much to use and when.Those basics are enough to get most of us through grows which produce healthy and productive plants.
I do not see anything wrong with the "extras" but those often are for growers who want to experiment or have special situations which come up with their preferred soil or hydro blends. It is just part of life but often most of us will run into problems when we start using the "extras" without a good reason, especially before we have figured out how the basics fertilizers work in our own unique situations.
- Thread starter
- #10
Hey I got a hold of some ocean Forrest locally for a really good price,
It doesn't say bat guano on it anywhere though. I find it odd, maybe the Canadian version doesn't have it?
Should I buy some to mix in?
I get my OF close to the source in Humboldt County. I have heard that there are some regional differences depending on where it's made. If there's no bat guano, my guess is they added something else to compensate. I wouldn't worry too much, within a couple weeks the available food will be used up and you'll need to feed, at that point follow the manufacturers instructions for whatever nutes you're feeding. I always start about 1/2 recommended strength, then adjust, if the plants handle it well, then increase towards max.
This is the first time that "bat guano" has shown up in this message thread. Why are you looking for this guano? Is it a "must have" for your soil? Just asking because there are natural and organic substitutions that can be used if so.
Need Fer Weed
Well-Known Member
I do Autos never did a photo , I use Fox Farm Happy Frog Potting Soil. Sum peeps say the Fox farm Ocean Forest is too hot fer Autos. I do add bout 25% perlite and Worm Castings To the soil prior to potting. Happy growing.
