1st Grow; 1st Questions (Animal Crackers - Auto)

STRAIN:
Animal Cookies

TYPE:
Auto-flower

CLIMATE:
Indoor

MEDIUM:
3 x parts of Peat Moss
3 x parts of “Compost”
2 x parts of Coco Coil
1 x part of Vermiculite

NUTRIENT MIX:
Wanting to avoid any burning, had planned on relying on nutrients included in my final medium and adding Mycorrhizal (…gently to tap root, perhaps, when transferring germinated auto to final container?)

LIGHT TYPE AND SCHEDULE:
1000W LED
Likely 20 on 4 off, we’ll see.

VENTILATION COMPONENTS:

  • in my 2 x 2.5’ Gorilla Tent:
  • inline fan, ducting, carbon filter
  • more fans, etc.

THIS IS MY 1st EVER ATTEMPT

  • regarding what I was able to find online regarding the medium I plan on employing at this time:

Processing: 87C53B44-A962-47E3-B6DB-B1E2C3327496.jpeg…

Anyway the pic Ive attempted to upload depicts:

3 x parts of Peat Moss
3 x parts of “Compost”
2 x parts of Coco Coil
1 x part of Vermiculite

**My main question at this point (as answer really was not as forthcoming as one might imagine), is simply concerning the term “compost”

Would 3 parts x worm castings be considered “compost”? If not, can you please advise on “compost”?

That would be greatly appreciated.

Also, at this point I am unsure as to any nutrients and what sort of ratio if certain product recommended.

As I had mentioned earlier, have a hunch Mycorrhizal may be a good idea - if so, how would you advise to apply for auto-flower Animal Cookies? If another approach recommended, definitely open to any suggestions regarding nutrition and not wanting to burn plant.

Thought I’d be able to find a: “how to grow Animal Cookies auto flower indoors, step by step” - lol - guide online. Oh well, I will learn more this way, perhaps.

Seeds were from “Crop King”

Thank you for any and all help!

If there is a solid resource out there, which anyone can refer me to (a website or a book, etc.) - please don’t hesitate.

[A]
At this point, I have accumulated the following items:

  • Gorilla Tent (2’ x 2.5’ x <6’)
  • inline fan with ducting and carbon filter (situated inside tent, above leds and exiting opposite end of tent which fresh air is passively entering tent - 7” fan inside tent at ground level, at intake location) and extra ducting**

(**I live in an apartment and hanging ducting out the window isn’t desirable - lol. As such, my plan at this point - always interested in other ideas for sure - would be to have end of exhaust ducting pointing 90 degrees, vertically, such that the same end is made to remain static about an inch below open window in bedroom or kitchen - not sure yet. The last component would be a fan or 2 sitting at appropriate height and directed to push the smelling, etc. air, which has come from my grow tent’s exhaust ducting out of the window. (Perhaps it seems obvious to any veterans out there that such an idea simply won’t work - if so, please let me know what I might do instead - given my goal of growing discretely.)

  • 5 x 7 Gallon fabric containers
  • thermometer for inside and outside tent
  • RH Meter
  • ‘heating mat’ (meant more for warming seedlings, I believe, than anything more substantial, such as warming the grow tent, were it necessary)
  • 6 x “Crop King” Animal Cookies Auto Flower seeds (will germinate via paper towel and a plate method as specified by Crop King

[B]
Items soon to arrive, etc.:

  • 1000W LED light (white colour, no “blurples”)
  • Peat Moss
  • “Compost” (I am guessing worm castings but not sure - the article did not define ‘compost’ so I am unsure if I would be good to grab the actual great biological compost made @mom’s garden over time using egg shells, coffee grounds, etc. - or if I should see ‘compost’ and purchase ‘worm castings’?)
  • Coco Coir
  • Vermiculite
  • 2 x 7” oscillating fans (1 for at ground level of tent where passive mesh air vent will be open and other for near top of tent to blow air back downwards - no blowing air straight at plants in order to avoid stressing them; drying them out)
  • staples for the LST I plan on implementing after 3 leaves or whenever it was again
  • Ph/Temperature meters
  • Ph calibration (2 x bottles ordered - 4.00 and 7.00)
  • Ph Up and Down
  • Mycorrhizal material for roots
  • watering can (plan to leave tap water out for 24 hours, regarding chlorine and so on, then check Ph and adjust ph if necessary, then water (checking Ph of medium’s runoff to see if the 6.2-6.5 is happening or not - if medium runoff is not 6.2 - 6.5, I will need to adjust the Ph of water accordingly prior to adding water to my medium)

[C]
Items I have not yet ordered/Areas of uncertainty (mentioned above):

  • I have a heater of significance, should I need one (just at mom’s)
  • no humidifier yet (unsure as to whether I will need one or not *Living North of the US by half a province, or so - has been a heat wave recently but)
  • no de-humidifier yet (unsure as to whether I will need one yet and kind of pricey)
  • Of my Peat Moss, Compost, Coco Coir, Vermiculite medium - I am GUESSING at this point that by “compost”, worm castings will be a good idea - but, please correct me if I am incorrect.
  • Other than the Mycorrhizal and worm castings, I am uncertain as to what nutrients you guys might recommend and would follow your advice, should you recommend a certain product/products - to be used at “ihalf the suggested strength…” - or whatever it may be

THANK YOU very much

No worm casting is mostly nitrogen where as compost is a blend of everything and I’m just gonna send you to My organic guide since it’s a blend similiar

Like @GreenSnek said, two different animals. You can get compost/manure (i used .5-.5-.5) at any garden store, or large “home store” with a good gardening section or at your local farm coop :wink: That was a NICE and thorough first post to give a picture of your setup /plan. Welcome and best wishes in your new endeavor :slight_smile:

Thank you both for your replies - I am now able to move on as a result.

As per auto flowers - if I create my soil/medium (via: 3 parts Peat moss, 3 parts compost, 2 parts coco coir and 1 part vermiculite). Apparently such a medium can provide nutrients to auto flower for 1st couple of weeks - sounds like I’ll be best to watch for nutrition deficiency in order to know that my plant needs more nutrients (which sounds less than ideal, as, obviously, by the time the plant is showing signs of nutrient deficiency, same plant may have, by then, been without nutrition for couple of days+).

When it is time to add nutrients - I have found and will follow (unless I find another; better resource(s) in-between now and growing) a guide someone has posted online - specifying to purchase a 10-5-5 or 20-10-10, etc fertilizer for adding less than half recommended dose at first, while in any vegetative stage. Will have to check again, but believe that he had recommended to next, once auto flower begins to flower, add a different NPK ratio’d fertilizer- small doses all along.

My impression was that after my created medium, in terms of substances other than water to be added to plant in its pot throughout growing process would be to add just small amounts of first one specific NPK ratio’d product (does brand, etc. matter or?) and then another NPK ratio’d fertilizer for last, flowering stage.

If anyone happens to read this and is thinking to themselves: “Animal Cookies auto flower?…I know exactly how a first timer can more easily take care of each step from seed to harvest…when I grew my 1st indoor auto flower, I was able to stumble upon a solid, user-friendly reference (online or wherever), and the result was amazing!” - please let me know your resource; guide, etc.

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Trying to locate nutrients online - seems I might be good to begin (half suggested dose at beginning) by adding any old “10-5-5” or “20-10-10” fertilizer after noticing plant is in need of nutrition - after plant had utilized the nutrients contained in my medium…then, later on, switching to a “5-15-10” for the flowering portion of development.

Just to clarify - for the ‘compost’ aspect of my medium - if I ask for a ‘mushroom’ or a ‘manure’ compost at Home Depot, etc. - would I be on the right track?

Sorry, I understand diff between compost and nutrients (in a general manner) - but I keep seeing the term “compost” and no further explanation. It’s like reading many different sets of instructions online, all meant to assist, but all stating the same:”…you’re going to want to add 3 cups of FRUIT…” - realize the compost example leaves more room for wondering ‘what are they saying?!’-type thing.
So bad analogy - but see what I am getting at? In the ‘fruit’ example I would be wanting to know, were I unfamiliar with different fruit, etc. - “3 cups of WHICH fruit?!”

In my case I am continuously seeing ‘compost’ without anything else - ideally, I would like to know if there’s a certain type of compost which might be best (the stuff in mom’s garden - or too risky, RE: introducing pests?) - recently someone had mentioned and recommended “MUSHROOM COMPOST” and recently one of you guys had assisted by mentioning ’manure compost’.

Any suggestions (where would i buy a certain type of compost - looking on Amazon for “10-5-5 fertilizer” as well as “20-10-10 fertilizer” is not bringing up any results so if i go that route, I’ll have to figure out where to pick such up.

The soil/medium and/or nutrient-based concerns, as a newbie - are somewhat frustrating as I am lacking much more confidence, regarding my first grow NOT being a complete downer - than I had imagined I would be at this point.

I have the seeds, the tent, etc. And could have rest of items arrive in course of next week but starting to feel a bit apprehensive now - it’s just such a toss-up (special ‘bloom’ nutrients or fertilizer with specific ratios or blood meal, etc.)

We’ll see - but I am at a point today were I am less ‘gung ho’ than had been the case. No rush, I guess.

Best to feel more confident or at very least - best to have a resource which I have been informed is definitely a worthwhile resource - at my disposal, so that I can confidently look up required information as needed - step by step as I seek to grow my auto flower seeds

Thank you everyone again - appreciate it!

Look up down to earth 444 and get some bloodmeal BUT old truck fertilizer has a really good vegetable blend great for soil mixing . But I highly recommend down to earth 484 for flower time. Mushroom compost is usually the best imo

Have reached my allowable "likes’ for the day (AGAIN!!, lol…) so i couldn’t like on what you took the time to articulate up there ^^ :wink: I just got it at Southern States cooperative, a local farm/garden supply store. It was some “off-brand” if you will, like not “Scott’s” or some “name brand” of soil/nutrients but compost should have sphagnum peat, broken down leaves, vegetable scraps, any number of biodegradable naturally occurring materials. The manure is what adds the “fertilizer” if you will, TO the compost. The kind I got, was .5-.5-.5 (not even 1-1-1 in other words, half that). The PRO-mix BX with Mycorrhizae probably provided the most “nutrients” for fertilizing, the worm castings adds “living soil” micros and some nutrients for fertilizing FROM their castings, and then the compost/manure .5 .5 .5. My plants TOOK OFF as soon as i dropped them in that and haven’t quit jumping yet :wink:

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So, do you think that - to start, I’ll be solid with:
3 parts peat moss
3 parts “compost” (= 3 parts mushroom compost - purchased at regular home garden store?)
2 parts coco coir
1 part vermiculite

I know how to grab everything except for the ‘compost’ part mentioned above.

That is, I know what I am going to buy, for how much, from where - for all ingredients except the ‘compost’ portion.

Anyone able to recommend a product (i.e. “this brand name, this product name…”) or process (i.e. just use what’s in mom’s garden’s compost)?

Once I know what I want for “compost” ingredient, I would next be interested to know if any of you have a specific product you use for auto flowers…at veg stage, at flowering stage, how much? Or just follow instructions on packaging but cut in half…

…that would be awesome for now - once I know what I need to buy/borrow from mom’s garden…and how to deal with nutrients - I can start growing!

Thank you very much The Virginian and everyone else as well