Outdoor questions....
- Thread starter Manstien
- Start date
OD budzz
Member
you should at least through in 1-2 cups of lime. your plants need the calcium/mag. crushed oyster shells do the same.. a lil more wouldnt hurt. just play around with it. as for lightening up the soil..add more peat moss or add a organic pottin mix with light soil. as for the ferts u got.. they all sound great. top dressing is the way to go. alot easier to get away with not over fertilizing them. stay safe and best of luck 
since you asked Manstien, im going to tell you what i know about it.
Youre right: Mixing lime and nitrogen is a big no no. It creates a soil causticity that is truly detremental to plant growth. EVERY single lime manufacturer warns against concommittent applications. A minimum 30 days of time should be observed between the applications.
also Manstien, read and understand the nature of limestone additives. They begin to break down with a week or 2 of application, but it is a very slow process and the lime that you add today, will still be breaking down and reducing the ph 3 years from now. Lime apps must be restricted to 4-5 year apps because of the length of the lime effect.
Lime doesnt leach into the soil like nutes do. If you pour lime on top of the ground then the top couple of inches willl be high in ph and thats were the effect of the lime will remain. Lime MUSt by mixed thourougly throuout the soil. Farmers cut the lime into the soil with a harrow.
The highly processed "Garden LImes" work much faster and are more effective quickly that dolomite powder or pellets. These limes, (Epsoma's Garden Lime", Penningtons, Fast acting Garden LIme") are highly processed and refined. If you use lime, you want to use those brands.
Finally, most potting soils are a bit acidic for cannabis. Outdoor cannabis likes a 6.8 - 7 and you loose growth and yeild starting about 6.6. Most potting soils are 6.4 or so. Many will grow decent plants but not great plants without some addition to raise the ph.
I use a lot of Miracle grow and it is about 6.4 in the bag. I add 1/2 cup epsoma per bag. I mix it in plastic trash cans in the fall, put the lid on and come April, its ready to kick out the pounders.
If i were in your shoes, at this date i would go straight potting soil. The plant that would have given you 20 ozs in really good soil wont give your but 12-14, but that is probably a better result than if you started trying to adjust the soil at this late date.
good luck to you
Youre right: Mixing lime and nitrogen is a big no no. It creates a soil causticity that is truly detremental to plant growth. EVERY single lime manufacturer warns against concommittent applications. A minimum 30 days of time should be observed between the applications.
also Manstien, read and understand the nature of limestone additives. They begin to break down with a week or 2 of application, but it is a very slow process and the lime that you add today, will still be breaking down and reducing the ph 3 years from now. Lime apps must be restricted to 4-5 year apps because of the length of the lime effect.
Lime doesnt leach into the soil like nutes do. If you pour lime on top of the ground then the top couple of inches willl be high in ph and thats were the effect of the lime will remain. Lime MUSt by mixed thourougly throuout the soil. Farmers cut the lime into the soil with a harrow.
The highly processed "Garden LImes" work much faster and are more effective quickly that dolomite powder or pellets. These limes, (Epsoma's Garden Lime", Penningtons, Fast acting Garden LIme") are highly processed and refined. If you use lime, you want to use those brands.
Finally, most potting soils are a bit acidic for cannabis. Outdoor cannabis likes a 6.8 - 7 and you loose growth and yeild starting about 6.6. Most potting soils are 6.4 or so. Many will grow decent plants but not great plants without some addition to raise the ph.
I use a lot of Miracle grow and it is about 6.4 in the bag. I add 1/2 cup epsoma per bag. I mix it in plastic trash cans in the fall, put the lid on and come April, its ready to kick out the pounders.
If i were in your shoes, at this date i would go straight potting soil. The plant that would have given you 20 ozs in really good soil wont give your but 12-14, but that is probably a better result than if you started trying to adjust the soil at this late date.
good luck to you
