Help.......Trouble finding simple FULL PROOF nutrient line/recipe for soil grow.

Indacouch

Well-Known Member
What trouble are you having with ocean forest?

I have a few thoughts on this. One thing is the age of the bag. By 6 months the nutrients are compromised. Eaten by bacteria and fungus.

If stored in wet or humid conditions this can happen faster.

The myco appears and has to eat something. I have seen his happen with open pro mix in my basement before too. Stored in a Rubbermaid style bin. The myco had grown extensively all through the peat mix.

The plants showed deficiencies in it right away. The nutrient charge was gone.
I didn't have any issues for the longest time and always got great results with FFOF..... I read that they actually opened up a second facility and depending on location that could be my issue ...... I started having Def issues as well as the soil itself didn't seem like the same mix...I started finding weird shit in it huge rocks, branches, and mulch the size of a chicken wing...several other friends around me had the same issue ....seemed it was easily solved by ammending it at the start.....However,I never use to have to do that .....quality control and the Def problems are my biggest complaint...I've actually started recycling years and years of my FFOF mountain I have out on the ranch ...I recycled my first time last season using EWC and DTE products ....it did amazing and I'm hoping I can replicate it again this year.....but I went with RO 707 for all my other green houses for the first time instead of FFOF ...I was very pleased with the soil and results ...I did add lots of extra perlite, but I personally like a fluffy/airy soil....I use to order my FFOF to be ready for my green houses when I needed it ..... So I never personally stored it ....my only guess is the new facilities quality control is lacking ....... I'm hoping to get this recycling down good enough not to have to buy soil anymore .....but i still don't trust all my green houses with my recycled yet ....lol .....even though I had awesome results with my plants I grew in it last year.
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
I didn't have any issues for the longest time and always got great results with FFOF..... I read that they actually opened up a second facility and depending on location that could be my issue ...... I started having Def issues as well as the soil itself didn't seem like the same mix...I started finding weird shit in it huge rocks, branches, and mulch the size of a chicken wing...several other friends around me had the same issue ....seemed it was easily solved by ammending it at the start.....However,I never use to have to do that .....quality control and the Def problems are my biggest complaint...I've actually started recycling years and years of my FFOF mountain I have out on the ranch ...I recycled my first time last season using EWC and DTE products ....it did amazing and I'm hoping I can replicate it again this year.....but I went with RO 707 for all my other green houses for the first time instead of FFOF ...I was very pleased with the soil and results ...I did add lots of extra perlite, but I personally like a fluffy/airy soil....I use to order my FFOF to be ready for my green houses when I needed it ..... So I never personally stored it ....my only guess is the new facilities quality control is lacking ....... I'm hoping to get this recycling down good enough not to have to buy soil anymore .....but i still don't trust all my green houses with my recycled yet ....lol .....even though I had awesome results with my plants I grew in it last year.

They have had the eastern mixing place for a few years at least now. And I assume ours comes from there. I have never seen any of the junk in any bag I have gotten but I buy a couple bags at a time only. It has remained consistent. I always need about 25% large perlite to avoid drainage issues.

But the nutrient charge seems to be a bit variable and I attribute it to the age of the bags in the store. On my truncheont the runoff always reads over 3.0 ec when new. Always had great results right from seed.

A few bags I got at a different store than usual. A smaller out of the way store tested at only 1.7 ec.

I think the little store got back stock. I need to find out how to read their date code.
 

Indacouch

Well-Known Member
They have had the eastern mixing place for a few years at least now. And I assume ours comes from there. I have never seen any of the junk in any bag I have gotten but I buy a couple bags at a time only. It has remained consistent. I always need about 25% large perlite to avoid drainage issues.

But the nutrient charge seems to be a bit variable and I attribute it to the age of the bags in the store. On my truncheont the runoff always reads over 3.0 ec when new. Always had great results right from seed.

A few bags I got at a different store than usual. A smaller out of the way store tested at only 1.7 ec.

I think the little store got back stock. I need to find out how to read their date code.
Yeah this trouble for me started a while back. In fact I was so puzzled by the change...that's how I found out they had opened the new facility...I have a great read on it but can't seem to find it ATM ....I've always been pro FFOF and was super bummed when this all started for me. I remember part of the article saying something about them using different stuff in the mix because of the location.....which in turn obviously changed things. I kid you not when I say huge sticks and rocks.

I'm guna have to try and dig up that article for you to read.....see what you think about it ....like I said, I've used ffof as my soil forever until my 2017 season.....felt so different buying another brand ....lol....like I was leaving an old friend behind.
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
Yeah this trouble for me started a while back. In fact I was so puzzled by the change...that's how I found out they had opened the new facility...I have a great read on it but can't seem to find it ATM ....I've always been pro FFOF and was super bummed when this all started for me. I remember part of the article saying something about them using different stuff in the mix because of the location.....which in turn obviously changed things. I kid you not when I say huge sticks and rocks.

I'm guna have to try and dig up that article for you to read.....see what you think about it ....like I said, I've used ffof as my soil forever until my 2017 season.....felt so different buying another brand ....lol....like I was leaving an old friend behind.

I found sticks in happy frog. Never used it again. And I found a piece of some finished furniture in the expensive seed starting one they have. Can’t remember the name right now.

But only fluffy well mixed soil in even the deficient of.

I just wish they would use large perlite. Or at least enough.
 

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
What trouble are you having with ocean forest?

I have a few thoughts on this. One thing is the age of the bag. By 6 months the nutrients are compromised. Eaten by bacteria and fungus.

If stored in wet or humid conditions this can happen faster.

The myco appears and has to eat something. I have seen his happen with open pro mix in my basement before too. Stored in a Rubbermaid style bin. The myco had grown extensively all through the peat mix.

The plants showed deficiencies in it right away. The nutrient charge was gone.
If stored dry and not overly damp, It should last a bit longer....But yeah, organic soils can "sour" by microbial activity over about six months. Storing it "dry" will allow it to go longer....

By the soil sitting too long, the available amount of plant ready nutrient has increased and it won't last so long once planted. The microbes have converted it already... Plant is sitting in "hot" soil....Here is where your problems come from. The nutrient charge isn't technically "gone". Just converted to plant available and the soil won't last after that initial "overfeeding" by the converted nutrient..

It's simple to recharge after use too. Run a few gallons of water through it to wash out any "salt' buildup. Add half the volume back with compost, or mix that 50/50 with EWC and compost

Spread it out and dust it with a Lime (dolo is good for re-amending) and some Garden gypsum (powder, not prills). Add a TBL of a general purpose or maybe a tomato organic dry fert like Tomato tone to every gallon of soil your re-amending
Now add 20-30% more perlite by volume.
"Cook" for about 2-3 weeks and there you have fresh potting soil......

About the hyphae you saw in your soilless mix. Yeah, that's not so good for your soilless mix....You want that to happen in the pots for that. (Seen that happen to Sunshine Mix #4 too)
BUT, when building an organic super soil from scratch. You want to have that happen as the soil cooks for those 30 days!

Just add'in in here

Peace
 

chiqifella

Well-Known Member
Si is awsome Dr. I did a side by side on 2 sage plants from seed before i added si to my roots organic grows. Both sage plants in ffof nothing else except the on that also got silica (Pro-Tekt) not only was the silica one larger with more vegitation ( think from the potasium in the protekt) but the silica plant has much much thicker toughter foilage. If i was to only use one additive besides a base grow and bloom it would be silica.

But, how did it smoke?
:blsmoke:
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
If stored dry and not overly damp, It should last a bit longer....But yeah, organic soils can "sour" by microbial activity over about six months. Storing it "dry" will allow it to go longer....

By the soil sitting too long, the available amount of plant ready nutrient has increased and it won't last so long once planted. The microbes have converted it already... Plant is sitting in "hot" soil....Here is where your problems come from. The nutrient charge isn't technically "gone". Just converted to plant available and the soil won't last after that initial "overfeeding" by the converted nutrient..

It's simple to recharge after use too. Run a few gallons of water through it to wash out any "salt' buildup. Add half the volume back with compost, or mix that 50/50 with EWC and compost

Spread it out and dust it with a Lime (dolo is good for re-amending) and some Garden gypsum (powder, not prills). Add a TBL of a general purpose or maybe a tomato organic dry fert like Tomato tone to every gallon of soil your re-amending
Now add 20-30% more perlite by volume.
"Cook" for about 2-3 weeks and there you have fresh potting soil......

About the hyphae you saw in your soilless mix. Yeah, that's not so good for your soilless mix....You want that to happen in the pots for that. (Seen that happen to Sunshine Mix #4 too)
BUT, when building an organic super soil from scratch. You want to have that happen as the soil cooks for those 30 days!

Just add'in in here

Peace

I looked it up again and fox farm says soil is compromised at 6 months and pro mix 1 year.

Pro mix says the bacteria and fungus can eat the mineral and wetting agent charges and it starts right away after mixing and happens gradually over time.

I do want to add that re using a pre mixed potting soil makes little sense to me. It’s not expensive really. It’s already so compact that it needs perlite. Ocean forest needs additional perlite to drain well out of the bag. And it compacts during the grow and breaks down. And it has the old fertilizer and plant waste in it. And of course the roots which leave very little soil after the grow in properly sized pots. Mine are dense with roots after. What a mess to separate. And the chance of re introducing pathogens to the garden makes it an irresponsible practice to me.


Just my opinion but I will use new soil every time inside.
 

Dynamo626

Well-Known Member
if you mean the side by side it was sage and didnt get smoked lol. as for my flowers they are tasty with as light gray ash. stop using silica half way through flower
 

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
I looked it up again and fox farm says soil is compromised at 6 months and pro mix 1 year.

Pro mix says the bacteria and fungus can eat the mineral and wetting agent charges and it starts right away after mixing and happens gradually over time.

I do want to add that re using a pre mixed potting soil makes little sense to me. It’s not expensive really. It’s already so compact that it needs perlite. Ocean forest needs additional perlite to drain well out of the bag. And it compacts during the grow and breaks down. And it has the old fertilizer and plant waste in it. And of course the roots which leave very little soil after the grow in properly sized pots. Mine are dense with roots after. What a mess to separate. And the chance of re introducing pathogens to the garden makes it an irresponsible practice to me.


Just my opinion but I will use new soil every time inside.
I understand that choice! And respect it too.

"I" like to. I also take the used pot of soil (after leeching it) with the root ball and compost that. Roots are now gone and turned to beneficial additions to that old soil.
I just like doing it. Enjoy working soil.....Part of that Organic ideal I enjoy...
I'll do that like twice and then it goes out to amend/help build the wife's flower garden and the Veggie garden's soil's (Roots and all).....Kinda sandy around here....

Doing what works for "you".
Should always be considered the "right" way...

Peace
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
I understand that choice! And respect it too.

"I" like to. I also take the used pot of soil (after leeching it) with the root ball and compost that. Roots are now gone and turned to beneficial additions to that old soil.
I just like doing it. Enjoy working soil.....Part of that Organic ideal I enjoy...
I'll do that like twice and then it goes out to amend/help build the wife's flower garden and the Veggie garden's soil's (Roots and all).....Kinda sandy around here....

Doing what works for "you".
Should always be considered the "right" way...

Peace

That’s what I will end up doing. Composting it for the outside garden. Just haven’t actually made one here yet.
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
Really does a nice job of helping to build the soil if it's weak/sandy... For clay soils....Amend with Garden gypsum and add the used soil to help after that...

Cool beans Med!

I’m lucky up here. Black dirt all round. And everyone is offering me compost from their farms. Although my friend with the dairy farm wants me to grow in his “black dirt”. It’s from where the cows are buried. Yuck!
 

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
I’m lucky up here. Black dirt all round. And everyone is offering me compost from their farms. Although my friend with the dairy farm wants me to grow in his “black dirt”. It’s from where the cows are buried. Yuck!
Fall downs around here get processed to burger or lean cuts ......Our dairy op is contracted to a family that comes in and buys the fall downs (broken leg, cast withers, etc....NO sick animals are ever sold). The largest dairy op in the state is just a few miles away. The contractor for that op. has only a cpl of contracts.

By law we could process and pkg our's. We choose not to. The meats from these are sold local, and some of the "pay" for the cow is in that meat.

Yeah, I'd be very reserved over using that soil too. Don't know what prion's are in that... Unwanted viral's and bacteria's..

YUCK is right!
 
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