help me get started

Hey all.
I just germed some seeds and they are in Rapid Rooters waiting to sprout as we speak.
I was going to do Hempy, but organic and the ease of it, plus better quality, makes me want to switch.
So how do I go about this?

I can go get black kow soil, mushroom compost, black kow manure, or a local organic potting soil line, or I could get any brand off Amazon.

I would then transplant the Rooters into a 18oz cup filled with the potting soil would for 2 weeks and then into a half gallon pot for 2-3 weeks then a 3 gallon pot to flower.

That will give me about a month to "cook" my soil.

So to make enough I need 15 gallons of organic mix.

I need a shopping list!

2 cubic feet topsoil
1 bag bloodmeal
1 bag dolomite lime
1 bag bonemeal
1 cubic feet perlite
1 cubic feet compost
1 bag EWC

Is that it? That's all I will need to make a soil that will last throughout flower with only RO water? Thanks

Big Dawg, I'd start by reading the first few pages of the ROLS thread. I'd start with the base 33% of each Sphagnum peat moss, aeration, and high quality humic material - aka EWC or vermicompost. From there amendments and rock dust can be added. Lots of ways to skin a cat, but start reading that thread and a lot of things will make more sense!

Peace!
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That and id skip the cups and go from plugs to the half gal they'll outgrow the cups pretty fast less transplanting =less shock

Okay, so from what I understand, I mix up that base soil mix, which will last through veg if I am uppotting from a solo to 1/2 and then I can be cooking a flower version of this with the added amendments and rock dust for 4 weeks and then just transplant into that mix 2-3 days before they go to flower.

With so many variables I think its kind of difficult to say exactly how long a soil will last in veg. But definitely you can get something going and then upcan them into something else later.

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Okay. Any reccomendation for good EWC I can get from amazon or wally world? I have access to mushroom compost or manure if that will work instead.
I know there are a lot of factors, but I am also if the impression that I will need to veg for roughly 35 days once sprout occurs to equal a 2 ounce per plant goal in 3 gallon pots. Sound about right? Is there any real benefit of using smart pots or air pots vs plastic?

I'm just having a hard time planning how much I will need. I believe I will need 1.5 cubic feet of the mix for flowering and then about 1 cubic foot of the base soil mix, ugh, math is NOT my strong suit.

vitamin_green_inc said:

Okay. Any reccomendation for good EWC I can get from amazon or wally world? I have access to mushroom compost or manure if that will work instead.
I know there are a lot of factors, but I am also if the impression that I will need to veg for roughly 35 days once sprout occurs to equal a 2 ounce per plant goal in 3 gallon pots. Sound about right? Is there any real benefit of using smart pots or air pots vs plastic?

Click to expand...

I'm really not familiar with EWC at amazon or WW. Can I ask approx where you are at? US? East, west, south? I might be able to throw out some other suggestions. Vegging for 35 days from seed sounds doable. If you run out of juice you can always bubble some kelp or alfalfa.

There is definitely benefit to using smart pots - less issues with plants getting root bound or over watered.

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vitamin_green_inc said:

I'm just having a hard time planning how much I will need. I believe I will need 1.5 cubic feet of the mix for flowering and then about 1 cubic foot of the base soil mix, ugh, math is NOT my strong suit.

Click to expand...

1 cu ft = 7.48 gallons if that helps. Yell if you need help with measurements.


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Southeast US. I can just follow that recipe at the link you posted and just double it to make 3 cubic feet, which I am okay with as long as its okay for the mix to sit for awhile, like 3-4 months

vitamin_green_inc said:

Southeast US. I can just follow that recipe at the link you posted and just double it to make 3 cubic feet, which I am okay with as long as its okay for the mix to sit for awhile, like 3-4 months

Click to expand...

Off the top of my head, I'd look for Worm Power and Coast of Maine compost products. These would both be excellent choices. Don't forget to check craigslist, garden centers, nurseries, etc. It is definitely ok for you mix to sit. Keep it at a good moisture level - ie don't let it dry out. It's always good practice to plant a cover crop in it if possible.


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Okay thanks, is it possible to use the mushroom compost or the black Kow manure compost instead of EWC? I can just go right down the street and get those is the only reason I ask. If not that's fine, just double checking before I start sourcing all this

No replacement for ewc find tbe best you cam get it