Do you use Black Gold Potting Soil?

[Chillb]

I have been running fox farm ocean forest for some time with stellar results for flowering, but rather piss poor results for all vegetation stages. I am considering changing things up a bit and I was wondering if you use Black Gold potting soil? If so how and what do you add in to achieve your desired results (veg or bloom) ? If you recycle, what do you mix back in for the next run?

Any and all input is appreciated!
chillb

 

[OrganicBuds]

Black gold is quality, same as FF. Build your own soil and it will be even better. Check out vermifire soil if you like the bagged stuff.

This thread talks about making your own soil, if your interested. https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=258583

 

[ydijadoit]

Have used Black Gold Cocoblend for several years, off and on. I suck at "dirt" grows, but this stuff works very well. I have tried the actual Black Gold potting soils, with dismal results (That's my fault, not a condemnation of their product). The Cocoblend suits me better. I PH the nutes or water to about 6, and alternate feed/water only.
Where the Cocoblend really shines, to me, is the wetting ability. It really is nice to water, compared to soil.
As with any product like this, watch for fungus gnats. I've had good luck mixing ground up mosquito dunks with the coco, as I fill a 5 gallon bucket. I also use white sand on the surface.
It's nice to be able to get off the shelf stuff at a hardware store. I look like every other granny growing tomatoes..... Right...
Good luck!

 

[Sinkyone]

For bagged soil the Black Gold isn't bad. Probably one of the more consistent bagged soils out there. Certainly far more consistent that anything Fox Farm makes. A home made blend will likely be better though if you know what you are doing. One of the biggest issues with most bagged soils if especially, come spring, is that demand exceeds supply, so they end up sending out soil that still isn't fully composted yet. Always better to buy your soil a few months before you actually need to use it so it has time to rest.

 

[Chillb]

Slowly but surely going the routes of making what I need/want. Thanks for the input folks, specially OrganicBuds. I'll amend and dilute my ocean forest as necessary till my own soil is ready to go. I was asking about the black gold simply because of the 1/3 off the price of FFoF. Tired of paying what I do to get fungus gnat infected soil, figure why not save some dough if I can right?

Cape Diem!
chillb

 

[OrganicBuds]

The magical secret is it's out there in books, you can read it at your leisure, don't have to suck balls or get shit on to receive the benefits.

These guys didn't invent anything, it was handed down thru 1000's of years of human evolution, combined with science and they just regurgitate the information to underlings that worship them like gods, because they don't know any better.

Guys like this didn't invent anything, your right. However, guys like this keep the oral tradition that you take for granted.

 

[HidingInTheHaze]

More than one way to skin a cat.

 

[xmobotx]

my observation has been that when people amend pre-amended bagged soils like black gold or FF; they over mix having not considered what's already in the bagged soil

sometimes the bagged mixes arent quite right and may not be a good solution 'out of the bag' ~some of these variances seem to be reggional and some of it may be due to the way they are handled @ the particular store where you get it

the main reason i reco mixing your own soil is that way you know what you have

the other is having quality humus inputs {i.e. EWC or compost} since making your own is relly the only wya to get a consistent 'product' where you know what you have