A test in progress.... Miracle Grow soil vs. Fox Farms soil. Is MG really that bad?

jawbrodt

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the input. Do you have an opinion on the nutes as far as working with MG? Simpler the better for me. I have some 4 weeks from seed, I was thinking very light Big Bloom but been afraid to try it. I tried it on 6 week old (practice) clones the last watering and I don't see anything different. I'm also trying to find the best way to boost the N without messing up P and K. I am learning the ropes here so I am sorry if it's rude of me to post on this thread. Thanks again!
No need to apologize, it's okay to ask a question or two, especially now that the test has been ended, prematurely, I might add.lol There are tons of options, for nutes, so it's almost impossible for me to say "use 'brand X', it's the one you want". Your main decision, is whether you want to go with organic, or chemical, nutes. Other than that, nitrogen is nitrogen,(for example) no matter what brand you choose. Yes, there are some differences, but unless you are a skilled grower, fine-tuning your grow,(or getting ready for the Cannabis Cup.lol) I wouldn't worry about it. What you should be looking for, is a veg-biased fert, high in N. Also, it's likely that you didn't see any change with your 6-week old clones, because they weren't hungry yet. Plants aren't like animals. They won't take in what they don't need, and if they aren't lacking, they don't need fed. They can't be force-fed, and get big and fat, like people can. :wink: If all their nute requirements are satisfied, the best way to speed things up, is to increase lighting. Anyway, I'm getting side-tracked....I use Dynagro nutes, which contain all the necessary micro nutes, and are a good choice, for new growers. Very easy to use, cheap, and work great.

I'm not sure what you mean by "messing up the P and K", but I can say that if you use a fert high in N, during veg, that you won't have to worry about overdosing the P and K. They are all being used, simultaneously, not just the N, although nitrogen is recognized as the dominant nutrient used, during veg(building foliage). There's really no risk of "messing it up", unless you do something extreme, like using a fert which contains just P, for example. :)
 

Ego Fum Papa

Active Member
not everyone likes hydro bro... sure, you get faster growth and more plants in a smaller space, but some of us dont really care for science and scientific equipment.... growing good pot in hydro is cookie-cutter science... growing good pot in soil is an art, and appreciated by many connoisseurs worldwide ;)
Sorry to butt in, but I completely disagree with this asinine statement. Cookie cutter science in hydro? Soil is an art? So only soil is appreciated by connoisseurs worldwide? I think this thread proves how good MG is so I am not debating that. But please explain how hydro is a "cookie-cutter science" and soil is an art? I think they're pretty similar as far as it being an art and experimenting what works the best for both styles of growing. You're taking the same hard headed stance against hydro as some are against MG. "Can't we all just get along?"
 

Windex

Member
If you know youre being watched just ditch everything or not. Dont do it half assed. Just my 2cts :)

PS. I hope you wont get caught!
 

jawbrodt

Well-Known Member
If you know youre being watched just ditch everything or not. Dont do it half assed. Just my 2cts :)

PS. I hope you wont get caught!
No worries man, I've been cleaned out for more than a week. I gtot everything out of the house, the night I posted that I was being watched. Sucked ass, but I chopped those plants in this test, into tiny pieces, and buried them in the ground.lol Man, that was tough, knowing what they would've looked like, in 8 weeks. :weed:
 

jawbrodt

Well-Known Member
Sorry to butt in, but I completely disagree with this asinine statement. Cookie cutter science in hydro? Soil is an art? So only soil is appreciated by connoisseurs worldwide? I think this thread proves how good MG is so I am not debating that. But please explain how hydro is a "cookie-cutter science" and soil is an art? I think they're pretty similar as far as it being an art and experimenting what works the best for both styles of growing. You're taking the same hard headed stance against hydro as some are against MG. "Can't we all just get along?"
Agreed. Actually, IMO, they're quite similar, if you look at the basics.....roots need moisture, nutes, and oxygen, to grow, and those types of growing, just deliver those, differently. Soil just gives you more leeway, whereas hydro is more precise. Strip all the nutes/minerals from the soil, and the two are basically, the same thing.(within reason) Coco growing, is a good example of that.
 

phyzix

Well-Known Member
No worries man, I've been cleaned out for more than a week. I gtot everything out of the house, the night I posted that I was being watched. Sucked ass, but I chopped those plants in this test, into tiny pieces, and buried them in the ground.lol Man, that was tough, knowing what they would've looked like, in 8 weeks. :weed:
Some smoke isn't worth your freedom. Stay safe.
 

Ego Fum Papa

Active Member
Agreed. Actually, IMO, they're quite similar, if you look at the basics.....roots need moisture, nutes, and oxygen, to grow, and those types of growing, just deliver those, differently. Soil just gives you more leeway, whereas hydro is more precise. Strip all the nutes/minerals from the soil, and the two are basically, the same thing.(within reason) Coco growing, is a good example of that.
well said :bigjoint:
 

countrygirl

Member
No need to apologize, it's okay to ask a question or two, especially now that the test has been ended, prematurely, I might add.lol There are tons of options, for nutes, so it's almost impossible for me to say "use 'brand X', it's the one you want". Your main decision, is whether you want to go with organic, or chemical, nutes. Other than that, nitrogen is nitrogen,(for example) no matter what brand you choose. Yes, there are some differences, but unless you are a skilled grower, fine-tuning your grow,(or getting ready for the Cannabis Cup.lol) I wouldn't worry about it. What you should be looking for, is a veg-biased fert, high in N. Also, it's likely that you didn't see any change with your 6-week old clones, because they weren't hungry yet. Plants aren't like animals. They won't take in what they don't need, and if they aren't lacking, they don't need fed. They can't be force-fed, and get big and fat, like people can. :wink: If all their nute requirements are satisfied, the best way to speed things up, is to increase lighting. Anyway, I'm getting side-tracked....I use Dynagro nutes, which contain all the necessary micro nutes, and are a good choice, for new growers. Very easy to use, cheap, and work great.

I'm not sure what you mean by "messing up the P and K", but I can say that if you use a fert high in N, during veg, that you won't have to worry about overdosing the P and K. They are all being used, simultaneously, not just the N, although nitrogen is recognized as the dominant nutrient used, during veg(building foliage). There's really no risk of "messing it up", unless you do something extreme, like using a fert which contains just P, for example. :)
Thank you! Thank you! I think I get it now:) I was just about to give up on this forum thingy, you rock!
 

newatit2010

Well-Known Member
Jawbrodt you are the greatest. I have been on this thread since it started but being new I just watch and try to learn. I am real sorry for your loss but great info. Don't know if I can do this but rep++ in my book. Thank you very much my miracle grow is going good. Hope to see you again and learn some more. Good luck thanks again
 

gogrow

confused
Sorry to butt in, but I completely disagree with this asinine statement. Cookie cutter science in hydro? Soil is an art? So only soil is appreciated by connoisseurs worldwide? I think this thread proves how good MG is so I am not debating that. But please explain how hydro is a "cookie-cutter science" and soil is an art? I think they're pretty similar as far as it being an art and experimenting what works the best for both styles of growing. You're taking the same hard headed stance against hydro as some are against MG. "Can't we all just get along?"

you are completely right bro... I dont care for hydro and just wanted to ruffle some feathers..... sorry bout that one :D
 

Kaptain Kron

Well-Known Member
FF must cost significantly more in other areas. Around me the 1.5 cubic foot FFOF bags are $10-12, and the 2 cubic foot FFHF bags are $12-13.

2 cubic feet fills 3 separate 5 gallon containers, at around $4 per container.

Granted that's not cheap, but MG isn't significantly less expensive.
dood where in cali are you im in so cal and you CAN NOT WILL NOT WILL NEVER find FF at an ACE hardware.... and it is so not 10 dollars a bag try closer to 25 with the tax added on there 20 ish if you dont count tax if i could get FF for 10 bucks a bag im sorry but FUCK MG if i can get the FF for the same price because i have NEVER had an issue with bugs with FF but on the other hand you can get good mg too that doesnt have bugs if you look careful and get it from the right place. I just like FF's mix better than MG personally but the price is just so NOT right which is why i will always buy MG unless i can get my FF for the same price then its just a toss up as to what you prefer personally i dont think that one is so much better than the other i think it has more to do with price than quality

I add perlite or hydroton to either soil no matter what for better drainage and i use nut's as well. I prefer to feed myself rather than the soil unless its some Super Soil from subcool. That is why i avoid MG because it DOES have more nutrients in it than fox farms does because it has time release balls that fox farms doesnt have. I dont like the balls really all that much but i tolerate them because im not payin twenty plus bucks a bag for soil NEVER. I wish FF was cheaper, i found some good stuff the other day at the local hydro store that i like much better than MG for the same price, mainly because i am using it to mix up a batch of super soil and i dont like the little balls going into it that the mg has.

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=GMOCPEA&eq=&Tp=

they also have a heavier mix by the same company basically like the roots soil and bio bizz light which drains a lil more than the roots. Good shit for CHEAP im going this route next time and moving away from MG. MG will always be a great starter soil for those who subscribe to KISS but for those who are a little more hands on and like knowing EXACTLY how much nutrients is in their soil i would suggest coco coir or soiless. MG is great if you are after simplicity wonderful soil.
 

mcgravity

Active Member
what was the end result useing MG , i have just repotted my plants and i used Miracl grow soil 2 gallon pots , i used john innings no.3 to start them off but couldnt get my hands on it again , so i had to go with Mg ...
 

Hidden Door

Member
i've had a papaya cutting in some fox farms ocean forrest soil for a couple of weeks now, so far i haven't seen any advantages. it's just about on course with the cuttings in mg. so far i'm going to stand by the mg because of price.
 

Total Head

Well-Known Member
this thread saved me a trip to the hydro store. i have a single clone that made it that needs to be repotted. i was seriously considering a small bag of ffof or happy frog just for this one plant but now i'll just hit up the home depot. when i first started growing years ago i used mg everything but the conditions were completely different. never had problems with it though even as a noob. it's just the one plant so i'll see how it goes. i really hate the idea of time release fert balls though. i'll try to post an update in a few weeks.
 
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