Questions for the experts

[etinarcadiaego]

First off, I'm just wondering what size pots I'll need to grow out some NL X Skunk that I plan on vegging for 6-8 weeks. Never vegged longer than 4, and can't remember what size pots I used for that . . .

Also, how do you guys measure soil PH? I used to measure the runoff after a watering with a little liquid tester, and recently bought the Sunleaves Soil PH Probe (the $7 cheapie). Anyone used them or know if they work? I can't afford a digi at the moment . . .

 

[JackTheGrower]

I'd think the bigger the pots the better the microbiology will be.

For me I like no less than 5 gal and would do at least 7.. One can get by with less depending on how and what they feed.

My opinion is the 5 and 7..

Well Soil pH is something of a trick.. If we are using materials that are naturally occurring stuff like compost and such then most of us don't worry about pH..
It's when we feed materials we need to worry about such as formula fertilizers or leach/tea that is too far one way or the other that there may be an issue.

In a healthy soil the microbiology manages the pH and in turn the plant manages the microbiology to a degree. We are the ultimate managers and the part of the soil food web we don't often consider..

It's a bit of a study but there are a lot of threads and posts on this.. I was trying to take a nap but my music player started on it's own and I got up.

Have a read because it's better than I can do right now..

 

[habeeb]

pots size:

some say a rule is 1 foot is one gallon
I say max them to the max, I have heard stories of 2 foot plants in 1/2 gallon pots
coco? coco can by with less in my experience as it seems the roots know no boundries
I would use 1 to 2 gallons for veg plants

PH:

that meter is useless , consider it broken already as it's not gonna work
99% will tell you here to stop talking about PH, I will stop here

 

[jaykush]

ive had 3 ft plants in beer cups before. what type of lights are you using? 6-8 weeks under a 1000w would be a lot different than 6-8 weeks under a 150w or even some cfls. the more details the more we can help.

 

[JackTheGrower]

I want 3 ft beer cup plants.. What did you feed Jaykush? Got's to be interesting.

 

[jaykush]

im not saying its a good thing, actually it wasn't that great(wants to fall over all the time). i prefer a small bush anyday.

i cant remember what i was feeding it exactly, it was a while ago. i do remember it got lots and lots of compost teas. and was a compost based soil.

 

[etinarcadiaego]

Sorry, it'd be 6-8 weeks under a 400 watt HPS with a digi ballast in a 6 square foot room, grown in soil.

 

[JackTheGrower]

i prefer a small bush anyday.

Ummm .. No comment er.. I agree?


Hate the stringy in the teeth thing myself..

 

[JackTheGrower]

Sorry, it'd be 6-8 weeks under a 400 watt HPS with a digi ballast in a 6 square foot room, grown in soil.

I'd think that small soil would benefit from externally processed materials since there is little room for microbial action. However, small soil area will still benefit from organic materials top fed and even micronized and top fed.. ( Top Dressed )

So I think proper teas would be good but, since I have not made and used them I cannot say for sure..

Leech is the process of leeching materials in water like a tea bag in water.. Most use compost.. Others use their imagination on the materials.. Many do so with a fish tank air pump and air stone. The idea being to keep any liquids oxygen rich.

There are better sources of information then my replies So have a read..

You will be fine in soil and feeding isn't that difficult or strict since we count on microbial life to act as intermediaries between the materials and the plant uptake.

I hope you get better advice..

 

[Chesire Cat]

i got enuff trich on my boomers to sell to the world

damn eggs in one basket

 

[JackTheGrower]

i got enuff trich on my boomers to sell to the world

damn eggs in one basket

What strain Prey tell..

 

[etinarcadiaego]

Thanks for the responses. I'm only planning on flowering 2-3 plants in there at a time.

7 gallon containers should be plenty you think? Just worried about root-bound, etc, and don't have much experience growing MJ indoors, or anything indoors . . . .

 

[VerdantGreen]

not professing to be an expert but i would say 7 gallons should be plenty. you might consider 4 plants as that would fill the square room more logically.

pH - depends on your water pH imo. if your water is around 7 then probably fine, many people here dont like pH meters

my water is 8.5 atm and i use citric acid and a pH pen to bring it down to around 6 before watering. i've never measured the pH of runoff.
if you use one of the soil mixes in 'organics for beginners' sticky that has dolomite lime then that helps buffer the pH in an organic soil

good luck

V.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Maybe 5 gallon under 400.. I'm sure you could do 3 gallons.

Personally I like large soil area but that's me.. The Fellas point out that we can get away with smaller and they are correct.

I assume 3 gallon or 5 gallon under a 400 is about right 7 gallon if you like.. But just because I like 7's doesn't mean you need 7's. Take a look at containers and see what you think for space..

There are other factors too such as reflective walls close to the plants and air flow and temps that are factors in a garden too.. So the soil is important but the other things are important too..

 

[Gardengineer]

I've done 6ft plants in 3.5 gal. buckets, 800w of light vertical.

 

[etinarcadiaego]

Hmm. Thanks a lot for your responses. I think I'm going to try the "Grow bags" since the shipping is less on em, I'll go with 5 gallon most likely. Any drawbacks to grow bags vs. standard containers?

 

[pinecone]

First off, I'm just wondering what size pots I'll need to grow out some NL X Skunk that I plan on vegging for 6-8 weeks. Never vegged longer than 4, and can't remember what size pots I used for that.

You probably need 3-4 different sized pots. I usually veg 6-8 weeks and go from 160z cups to 4" squares to 2.3 gallon pots and finish in 3.8 gallon pots.

Pine

 

[etinarcadiaego]

Thanks again Pinecone. You've answered a lot of my questions

 

[JackTheGrower]

I've never used bags but when I see plant in them in pictures they look alright.

I was thinking that it really depends on how you grow and what you grow,,

A big plant from seed and 7 gallons is good.. A clone to flower you might even get away with a 1 gallon..

 

[etinarcadiaego]

OK. I'm doing it from seeds. NL x Skunk.

I'm leaning towards the 7 gallon bags, I just wish I knew what their "footprint" was, and am trying to find out atm on Google . . .etc. Looks they're 9" x 13" x 10"

My only real concern regarding grow bags was drainage holes, but it looks like they have pre-punched holes. I guess it's just 4 mil black & white poly bags . . .