Any one here notice that FFOF has diluted it mix....

[hazydreams]

in the early 2000's i remember getting dark black earth from them that was loaded with nutrients. I noticed in 2008 or so that the perlite/peat content had risen.

the original stuff (as i refer to it) had little to no perlite and was a horribly draining soil. add a bag of perlite and it was the cats ass. i was cutting it 50/50 with promix and getting great results.

Then came the change and i realized that i could not cut the FFOF as much and get the same results.

The last bag i bought looking like blacker promix, and i was a little devastated.


am i imagining this. or what?

 

[Iron_Lion]

I've been using it for years and have finally all but called it quits with this brand, luckily I have a few hundred gallons saved up in my garage and will be learning to rejuvenate and re-use it.

I will say I still get really good results with it but there is a noticeable decline in quality. If you are getting it east of the Mississippi there has been a major ingredient change as it is now mixed at an east coast plant. I know they have stopped using red wood bark mulch and are now using pine bark mulch to me that is a major change and it shouldnt be called ocean forest.

The OF I got 5 years ago was so much better, it was really dark black, loamy and smelled so good, now its more brown, more coco and makes me sneeze.

here's a really good thread that explains more
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=4302133#post4302133

 

[Bullfrog44]

I just bought 40 bags of Roots Organics soil, that stuff smells so good and has just the right texture. I will never go back to fox farm

 

[Iron_Lion]

Roots is not a sure thing either. A while back I considered making the switch, I went to the hydro shop to grab a few bags and when I walked up to the pallet of soil is reeked like cow shit and swamp mud, and the bags we're logged with water. Something that smells that bad would be a magnet for bugs. I know this is a rare thing, but never in the 6 years I've been growing have I ever had a smelly or water logged bag of fox farm soil. I also dont think this store stores soil out doors and all the other soil in the store was fine.

 

[Eatatjoes]

in the early 2000's i remember getting dark black earth from them that was loaded with nutrients. I noticed in 2008 or so that the perlite/peat content had risen.

the original stuff (as i refer to it) had little to no perlite and was a horribly draining soil. add a bag of perlite and it was the cats ass. i was cutting it 50/50 with promix and getting great results.

Then came the change and i realized that i could not cut the FFOF as much and get the same results.

The last bag i bought looking like blacker promix, and i was a little devastated.


am i imagining this. or what?

I"ve noticed that it does have more perlite for drainage and less pre charged nutrients. I think that they changed their formula because so many people have had problems with it straight out of the bag. There were lots of posts about it burning plants and not draining well, I like you just cut it myself with sunshine mix or just perlite and had great results. It's like paying for extra perlite now.

 

[303hydro]

I would call foxfarm, the lady there will tell you more than you would ever want to know and you would feel good about using there product. Remember you are growing tomatoes, even thought they are out of Northern California.

 

[bcell]

I agree - it is not the same any more. I used it for years - switched to ProMix this year

 

[mrktwiz]

Root Organics is dah shit....I am 100% CoCo now but when I did soil it was ALL R.O. it was great!

 

[silverhazefiend]

I also use ffof ..I haven't been using it that long to tell the difference ..but I can say its still burning plants ..I have 2 seedlings and 1 clone looking hurt ..the only upside is I kno when they finally recover they'll be at maximum fert level ..I'm doing an experiment to see how good the stuff really is ..I took 2 clones ..one is a monster feeder I wanna see how long b4 I have to feed in flower ..the other is a medium eater that doesn't require much ...they say it has enough food for a month right outta the bag ..well see

 

[hazydreams]

the old stuff, if you didnt know what you were doing would burn up an established clone. i remember it was that hot. and you HAD to add perlite or else it turnd to compressed mud and your plant died from suffocation. mixing it with promix was the best combo i found. so simple, mixed it up and fed a couple times with tiger bloom. good flavor and about 2.5 ounces per plant dry. From about 2002-2005 i would say it was rich black earth with a diesel nutrient charge, from then on they kept modifying it and dialing the nutrient charge back then in 2008 on they just started dumping filler into it. this latest batch was jsut pathetic. i prefer to use happy frog now with hydro nutrients at low ppms to supplement.

I just use the soil for my moms anyway. but its sad to see a time tested and honored product go down the toilet due to greed.

 

[TACOE]

from then on they kept modifying it and dialing the nutrient charge back then in 2008 on they just started dumping filler into it

By filler I take it you mean peat? perlite?

You guys should seriously consider making your own (far superior and FAR cheaper) mixes. The quality of the ingredients they seem to be using is nothing to write home about. So why not just buy some peat, perlite, compost (my guess - the compost percentage is low, and the compost is not particularly high quality itself) The way I read it Ocean = kelp +shell powder.. and Forest = peat I suppose.. and whatever goes in the compost that is leafy. IMO you are paying extremely high prices for a product EASILY replicated at a far cheaper cost in the short run.. and the long run.

For those that insist on using FF as the quality(?) continues to fall... why not just put in some more nutes. I don't know what's in there off the top of my head. but I'm sure it was something like blood + bone (or guanos), EWC, kelp, maybe some rock powders, lime (instead of oyster shells). Its easy to add more and let it cook a bit.

Also. consider that they are shipping this dirt all over the friggin place.. It makes sense (to me) that they would want to keep weight down. (more peat, more perlite drier ingredients, less rock)
They are in it for the money too..

For the sake of wallets, the environment, and supporting local businesses among other things. GET ON YOUR SOIL MIXING GAME. ITS EASY AND FUN. know what's in your soil.

Sorry for the rant that this turned into. I meant to just make a suggestion. woops

 

[TACOE]

Not sure if anybody was trying to do this, but i thought i'd remind you.

I'm not saying it isn't possible.. I'm sure its been done, but:
Cuttings should NOT be rooted in a fertilized mix.
Seeds should NOT be sprouted in a fertilized mix.


Play it safe. Start em in something more inert. (i would suggest pure promix for this) Step up to something warm, then once they are healthy let em loose in the strong mix; but not till they can handle it.

 

[bcell]

Also, FFOF for the east coast markets is no longer created in California - I believe it comes from South Carolina. It is slightly different using locally sourced ingredients. There is a post on here with an email from a Foxfarm rep explaining - I will see if I can find the link.

 

[TruthOrLie]

red bag planting mix waaay better than ffof

 

[paladin420]

We have a local dairy farmer who turned a problem of to much shit into a nice compost business. This year I hear he is mixing a medical MJ run,worm casing,all natural. Runs about $7 usd a bag. I've bought a dump load of his original ( for my garden of course )-
With the problems and pricing of FF and the other Gucci brands I expect Mr M to rake in the coin.