Soil and ph...

[PurpleZipper]

My first grow was unsuccessful. For the most part I had bad soil. I'm guessing because it had dark bark it turned the leaves dark? Any suggestions on what type of soil to use? I hear a lot about Fox Farm/Ocean Forest or Fox Farm/Happy Frog(it has added dolomitic lime for stable ph). Also, is it safe to assume your ph is good if you only test the water or would it be better to test the soil as well? I just want to grow the most healthy plants I can. ( I have mh 250 watt w/ 24,000 initial lumens, snow white from seed just below light, good temp at about 75 on and 65 off, distilled water with ph a little high at 6.9ish so I drop it with ph down to 6.5 but no way to test soil...only run off, and good vent in and out, square deep 1 gal containers that I may have to change if I can only get through a veg stage I have three new green seedlings I want to transplant to better soil. Is Fox Farm good soil?

 

[purplephazes]

welcome purple ...its purple here ! i would like to say welcome ! soil ph should be at 6.3-6.7max ideally you should test both water and soil although you may test the water run off as well this will give you a (there abouts ) of your soil i see you have done this ... ffof is very popular although its wise to throw some pearlite in there as well this will aid in drainage and keep your soil loose it is advised to use a nute as well for vege plants but not seedlings after 5 weeks its advisable to use npk nutes 10-10-10 levels ..its also advised that you require 5000 lumens per square foot (my math ain't great right now) and yes bro 1 gallon containers are not real flash items or recommended ! 3min-8max gallons is advisable 5 gall is exceptional IMO and yes ffof and pearlite even vermiculite is desirable but do get nutes and use at only 1/4 strength this is important as well ! good luck ! take care ! you require hps for flower although this is for maximal end product results ! and a npk of 10-52-10 for flower cycle although more options are to be considered as you approach that cycle ! take care !

 

[BuddyLuv]

If you use FF ocean forest you should not need to give them nutes for sometime. You can always supplement with earth juice tea if the look hungry. The best way to get and accurate pH reading would be to put a saucer under the bucket, water, let it sit in the water for a few minutes and then check you pH, and get a digital meter. The test strips or pool kits are highly inaccurate when dealing with soil. 6.5-6.9 is what you are aiming for. You want it closer 6.5 during veg and closer 6.8-6.9 for flower.

...also RO water or distilled will keep your pH more stable.

 

[BuddyLuv]

My first grow was unsuccessful. For the most part I had bad soil. I'm guessing because it had dark bark it turned the leaves dark?

 

[PencilHead]

PurpZ, this is my first grow and all my reading and research put me on FF. I'm doing Ocean Forest and all 6 nutes per the schedule except, as PurpP says, go 1/2 - 1/4 strenght at first. I made the mistake of being too cautious and didn't nute until I got a couple of yellow leaves on a couple of my girls--being a newb, I totally freaked. Posted my emergency--emergency to me--and was asked why I hadn't nuted before. Answer: Mostly because I don't know what I'm doing. I nuted and the next day I was rolling again. My luck has been absolutely incredible, but if I were to give anyone a piece of advice I truly believed in it would be: use FF, per their feeding schedule.

pH: I adjust my water then add nutes because, I've added nutes and tested, tested runoff adn FF stays pretty much on 6.5. Ocean Forest is ph balanced when you open the bag.