[Dirty]

what i'm wanting to use it, promix-hp, with maybe 30% more perlite added, with the following amendments per gallon of soil.

1 TBL bone meal
1 TBL blood meal
1 TBL Epsoma plant-tones
1 TBL kelp meal

one question,

1. Should I add 1 or 2 TBL of dolomite lime per gallon of soil mix?

If anyone has a soil recipe that they think might work well for me please let me know.

thanks,
Dirty

[minds_I]

yes, add the d.lime

minds_I

2 Tbs of dolomite is good if you are using peat based medium. Don't be afraid to double the bone meal either.

Cheers,

Don't waste your money on anything else. ProMix with 50-75% vermeculite/perlite per 4.4 cu ft bale. And plain unadulterated tap water (if it tests close to PH 7). Some strains like high Mg which a feeding of epsom salt would provide. Anything else is best used as you dial in your run. In years I have only watered regularly, not rocket science.

Originally Posted by 1tokeOverLine

Don't waste your money on anything else. ProMix with 50-75% vermeculite/perlite per 4.4 cu ft bale. And plain unadulterated tap water (if it tests close to PH 7). Some strains like high N which a feeding of epsom salt would provide. Anything else is best used as you dial in your run. In years I have only watered regularly, not rocket science.

Let me get my head around this....you only add water to that mix? No nutes until dialing in your run? Except epsom salts for N? There is no N in epsom salts, or at least not enough to sustain an mj plant. Maybe you just didn't express yourself properly....I would love to know how this works.

I'm not tryin to be a smartass...I'm serious.

cheers,

Originally Posted by suburbanhomeboy

Let me get my head around this....you only add water to that mix? No nutes until dialing in your run? Except epsom salts for N? There is no N in epsom salts, or at least not enough to sustain an mj plant. Maybe you just didn't express yourself properly....I would love to know how this works.

I'm not tryin to be a smartass...I'm serious.

cheers,

Good catch, it should be Mg. Epsom treats Mag deficiency quickly and effectively. Not to mention cheaply.

Pro Mix is Canadian peat moss, and formulas differ for intended purpose. I see a lot that use ProMix HP - not comon at garden centers around me. In the states we have ProMix for outdoors containers (contains water retaining polymers), indoor potting mix (not enough drainage, but good for sprouts), and basic growing medium which is the most common around here. The Outdoor for Containers version mix has chunks of bark and organic matter which can cause catastrophic problems with "hot zones".

Premier Pro-Mix (4.4 cu.ft.bale) -Made by Premier Horticulture:
This is their outdoor container mix:
85% peat moss
perlite
vermeculite
limestone
water absorbing polymer (crossed linked polyacrylamide)
wetting agent

To that I added:
8 quarts of Scotts 100% Perlite

I try to find mix without the polymer and wetting agent which play hell with drainage (their purpose is to RETAIN water during dought). Notice it does have aged limestone. All I do is water, nothing else unless the plant involved shows me it wants something, like red stems or more common, nute burn. I've used bone and blood meal, limestone, and a variety of plant foods.

When I state that I don't add anything I mean that I don't use kelp, guano or any other fancy recipe. Two weeks into veg I feed 10-10-10 general purpose plant food full strength once a month. About the second week of flower I feed once with high P (10-52-10 Bloom Booster half strength) and when they look like they want a little more a feed of high N (30-10-10 half strength Azalea food). Some may not be used fully by the plant, I guess, I reuse my mix and only water - the plants tell me when the mix is leached out, then I have to add food. ProMix seems to last 3 runs or so without anything added when I reuse. If new the plants burn and PH lockouts cause trouble by overnuting if food is added.

So, for the record - 2 out of 3 runs use whatever they need from the ProMix and only need water. Used mix needs recharging, adding food, and this normally lasts the next 3 runs. There are exceptions, of course, like Sweet Tooth#3 which likes 27% urea nitrogen and 52% phosphate with 10% soluable potash. I keep 3 boxes of Miracle Gro food on hand (all those mentioned), very seldom use it.

Thanks...that makes more sense. With your ability to get tuned into your plants....which to me it seems you are...you really should try organics and I also recommend coco instead of peat based mixes. I am in the process of turning everything into coco. and as the old spagnum moss based mixes leave the flower room....they will go outside to the veggie garden instead of being recharged.

Cheers,

Good luck on that, I'll be watchin that one. I did a few half hearted experiments with coco and set it aside to learn the nuances of organics first.

So many growers and growing styles. Your plan sounds good to me if you're comfortable with it. The organics I tinkered with all had major odor problems, and mix preparation has a learning curve. Same with hydro for me, soil less mix works well in my circumstances and preferences. Now that my perpetual is dialed in, I have a little more time to tinker with those, but it's hard to think about tempting fate.

Sorry for the off topic ramblings - I just noticed we're posting in Organic Soil forums. I'm an indoor soil guy and experiment with the rest.

[pieceofmyheart]

Originally Posted by Dirty

what i'm wanting to use it, promix-hp, with maybe 30% more perlite added, with the following amendments per gallon of soil.

1 TBL bone meal
1 TBL blood meal
1 TBL Epsoma plant-tones
1 TBL kelp meal

one question,

1. Should I add 1 or 2 TBL of dolomite lime per gallon of soil mix?

If anyone has a soil recipe that they think might work well for me please let me know.

thanks,
Dirty

This is pretty much exactly what I am using, and I did add the lime, 1 TBL per gallon.
I also bought liquid worm castings and have been adding that when I water.

My plants are looking very good, I had a problem a week or so ago with some yellow spots on the leaves. I flushed well with water twice and it stopped.

I am on well water, don't know if that had anything to do with it or not.

Originally Posted by L.B.

i would consider making it 2 tbs of bone meal instead of one...

agreed.