How dry is dry when talking about soil?

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Bombtombadill

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Hi all, here is an interesting question for you. I am weighing my soil now to prevent over watering. My Fox Farm Happy Frog soil and transplanted dry plant weighed in at 9 pounds 9 ounces dry--- I watered and let it go around 4 days and weighed again---- The weight came in at a little over 7 pounds. (my plant was very happy dry as well).... This means there was over two pounds of water in my soil right out of the bag...

So for now, I take new soil out of the bag and dry it with a fan for a few days...My point? The soil is very wet out of the bag ! This is something to consider, especially for new growers. I'm learning fast that MJ loves some dry soil and too much water is one of the worst things you can do to your plant.

Side note: I've been through 3 bags of fox farm soil and all have been quite wet out of the bag, not soaking wet, but there is a lot more water hiding in there than you would think....
 
Hi all, here is an interesting question for you. I am weighing my soil now to prevent over watering. My Fox Farm Happy Frog soil and transplanted dry plant weighed in at 9 pounds 9 ounces dry--- I watered and let it go around 4 days and weighed again---- The weight came in at a little over 7 pounds. (my plant was very happy dry as well).... This means there was over two pounds of water in my soil right out of the bag...

So for now, I take new soil out of the bag and dry it with a fan for a few days...My point? The soil is very wet out of the bag ! This is something to consider, especially for new growers. I'm learning fast that MJ loves some dry soil and too much water is one of the worst things you can do to your plant.

Side note: I've been through 3 bags of fox farm soil and all have been quite wet out of the bag, not soaking wet, but there is a lot more water hiding in there than you would think....
I purchased organic plain soil this time for my transplant and it was also very wet. Let it dry out a bit before I used it too
 
I purchased organic plain soil this time for my transplant and it was also very wet. Let it dry out a bit before I used it too

What organic soil did you go with?

I almost went with organic soil this go around, but had great luck with happy frog last grow and decided to go with what I know works. (Ocean Forest was a disaster, I tried every trick I could with that soil too)

I almost went with Coast of Maine Platinum and another soil called Great Lakes... (great lakes is expensive but highly recommended by a grower I know...) I decided against Coast of Maine due to so many negative reviews with bugs in the soil. The great lakes soil seems to follow a no nutrient feeding schedule and use of more soil. I'd like to try great lakes soil, but a ten gallon pot in my little grow space might not be so good....(they recommend big pots and light waterings--no nutrients..)

Great Lakes Water Only | 2 cu ft | Detroit Nutrient Company

Stonington Blend—Grower’s Mix for Container Gardening (coastofmaine.com)
 
I actually forgot the name of the soil but it was a soil sold at my local nursery. My first grow was very successful with ocean forest but I kept hearing everyone having bad luck with it so I went with happy frog for my second clone grow. I had problems with ph midway into flower when I noticed after everyone advised me to check my ph runoff that my ph out was 5.5 way lower than my ph in. This explained why the plants were not accepting cal mag when they so desperately needed it. After doing so research I decided to go it’s naked soil adding my own nutrients instead of using preloaded soil as I think somehow the preloaded stuff had something to do with the low ph.
 
I actually forgot the name of the soil but it was a soil sold at my local nursery. My first grow was very successful with ocean forest but I kept hearing everyone having bad luck with it so I went with happy frog for my second clone grow. I had problems with ph midway into flower when I noticed after everyone advised me to check my ph runoff that my ph out was 5.5 way lower than my ph in. This explained why the plants were not accepting cal mag when they so desperately needed it. After doing so research I decided to go with naked soil adding my own nutrients instead of using preloaded soil as I think somehow the preloaded stuff had something to do with the low ph.
 
I grow with pro mix peat based blend...no nutes or anything else to add nutes...I know what my plants want and they get it when I add it...I don't care to have some guy to feed my plants for me...build your own soil medium and feed what you feel important...
 
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Hi all, here is an interesting question for you. I am weighing my soil now to prevent over watering. My Fox Farm Happy Frog soil and transplanted dry plant weighed in at 9 pounds 9 ounces dry--- I watered and let it go around 4 days and weighed again---- The weight came in at a little over 7 pounds. (my plant was very happy dry as well).... This means there was over two pounds of water in my soil right out of the bag...

So for now, I take new soil out of the bag and dry it with a fan for a few days...My point? The soil is very wet out of the bag ! This is something to consider, especially for new growers. I'm learning fast that MJ loves some dry soil and too much water is one of the worst things you can do to your plant.

Side note: I've been through 3 bags of fox farm soil and all have been quite wet out of the bag, not soaking wet, but there is a lot more water hiding in there than you would think....
Just go by feel. You know what it felt like at 7 lbs so shoot for that weight. As the plant gets bigger, it will weigh more but you will get accustomed to how it feels thru the grow.
 
I actually forgot the name of the soil but it was a soil sold at my local nursery. My first grow was very successful with ocean forest but I kept hearing everyone having bad luck with it so I went with happy frog for my second clone grow. I had problems with ph midway into flower when I noticed after everyone advised me to check my ph runoff that my ph out was 5.5 way lower than my ph in. This explained why the plants were not accepting cal mag when they so desperately needed it. After doing so research I decided to go it’s naked soil adding my own nutrients instead of using preloaded soil as I think somehow the preloaded stuff had something to do with the low ph.

Interesting, I'm not sure if you remember but my second Northern Lights grow started to yellow 6 weeks into flower as well. (In Happy Frog--you were one of the people helping me troubleshoot). I'm not sure if I had too much growth happening for the amount of soil, the plants were yellowing normally as they can late flower, or if I had salts building up in the soil. My run off was OK though around a PH of 6.5. It's tricky troubleshooting when there are so many variables you know? I wound up moving up from 2.5 gallons of soil to 5 gallons, hopefully to get less yellowing during flower. I'm also taking it really easy with nutrients and have moved to Dyna-grow Bloom, and MagPro. (I'm also playing with Open Sesame, Beastie Bloomz and Cha-ching, but I'm not sure I want to add those to my Dyna Grow feed schedule.... Its a fine line between overfeeding to lockout and giving your plant the good stuff it needs.

I'll keep my eyes on your current grow to see how you do in your new soil. We'll see how well my Durban Poison does in happy frog, fingers crossed so far so good.
 
^^^^^what boo said. No frog...no ocean forest just peat moss with perlite. My plants get what I feed them.. nothing more.

Peat moss and perlite has little nutrients in the soil right? I've considered this route but it seem tricky to me !
 
Peat moss and perlite has little nutrients in the soil right? I've considered this route but it seem tricky to me !


ive grown in 100% Perlite , many years , no problems

like others have said , growing with a medium that has zero nutrients , the plants feed on whatever nutrients the grower gives them

what is tricky is growing in a medium that is pre-loaded with nutrients because one never know what nutrients are actually in the medium and what did they leave out or worse yet , what did they put to much of in the medium and then one gets a hot mix and burns up the plants..

so it’s tricky because one does not know whether the plants will be starving or burned up

adding ones own nutrients takes all the tricky guess work out of pre-loaded mixes
 
ive grown in 100% Perlite , many years , no problems

so it’s tricky because one does not know whether the plants will be starving or burned up

This is what I figured, thanks. I'll stick with soil for a few more grow but you have my curiosity up. When I gain a little more skill with nutrients, maybe I'll give it a try. Thanks !
 
This is what I figured, thanks. I'll stick with soil for a few more grow but you have my curiosity up. When I gain a little more skill with nutrients, maybe I'll give it a try. Thanks !



some easy nutrients to start with if you switch No a non-loaded medium like Perlite , are General Hydroponics Flora Micro and Flora Grow and use the Lucas Formula for a feeding schedule , 8ml Micro to 16 ml of Grow per gallon of water

easy to follow and the nutrients have buffers in then to keep your Ph in line

Cutting Edge Solutions I think also have a 2 part nutrient products

cheers
big
 
some easy nutrients to start with if you switch No a non-loaded medium like Perlite , are General Hydroponics Flora Micro and Flora Grow and use the Lucas Formula for a feeding schedule , 8ml Micro to 16 ml of Grow per gallon of water

easy to follow and the nutrients have buffers in then to keep your Ph in line

Cutting Edge Solutions I think also have a 2 part nutrient products

cheers
big

Nice, I'm adding a lot of PH up to my nutrient water now almost as much as the amount of added nutrients. Dyna-Grow is HOT. I'd love something more PH neutral, I'll check out General Hydroponics.

I will say this though, my plants F ing LOVE Dyna-Grow. After feeding bloom and Mag Pro my plant goes nuts. I've never seen leaves point and pray so nicely like they do after a feed of MagPro. My plant looks like an 18 year old man with a hustler magazine---if that makes any sense...

Weighed my plant last night and decided to go one extra dry day. Soil weight 7.2 Pounds !!!

Moral of my story here: There is a lot of water in bag soil, you may think you are dry but the only way to know for sure is to let your plant get all that water out for you. Your plant will tell you when it needs water. At this point my plant is telling me to get the F outta here with all that extra water fool!
 
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