In my first grow I have an Amnesia Haze plant in Fox Farm Ocean Forest soil entering its fourth week. Several growers indicated that the FFOF soil would be all the plant need for several weeks. I have the FF Big Bloom, Grow Big, and Tiger Bloom nutrient mixes which came with a pamphlet indicating the week by week feeding regimen for various grows. I have forgone three weeks of adding nutrients providing only 6.5 pH water. The plant looks fine; just seems a little short due to what I believe was a timing error in germination…but healthy looking nonetheless. The question is, “Would it be suggested that I begin feeding the nutrients recommended at the beginning of the fourth week according to the schedule on the pamphlet?”
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Start about 1/8 to a 1/4 strength
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Big bloom is a micro nutrient and it takes a lot to cause a problem. Grow big is for stimulating growth. I use them at the suggested dose because I think Fox Farms has researched their fertilizers more then I have and I don’t think I need to second guess them. They expect you to be using their soil.
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Yeah but it the soil is still loaded. You’ll do more harm than good. You can always add more , can’t take it away
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Has your experience been such having used FF products or does it stem from other experiences? As CMichGrower suggested; would the producers of FF be aware that using additional nutrients in a nutrient rich soil could be problematic or is that factored into the suggested feeding schedule? I am obviously in a learning curve here…
I’ve been using Fox Farms nutrients, including the solubles that are used during flowering, for 12 years growing indoors. Up until this year it is the only nutrient line I ever used. The solubles are in the purple section of the chart and should be used to build the buds.
This year I started experimenting with an AutoPot watering system where the plants are fed from a reservoir. I needed a cleaner line of nutrients because of the sledge build up and need for constant mixing with fox farms so this year I started experimenting with other Nutrient lines.
Fox Farms is one of the oldest nutrient lines and has remained relatively unchanged for decades. Other nutrient lines have come out in the last 10 or 20 years that may be more advanced. I’m trying out two of the lessor known brands to compare results. Wish I had more space to experiment, takes so darn long to come to a conclusion when you can’t run several plants side by side through a grow.
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I would test your runoff before feeding anything. I used both HF and OF 50/50 on some WW photos growing outside. You would be surprised how hot their soil is. My numbers stayed high for a good while. The schedule is a guide in my opinion, and each plant eats differently, so you may get to wait longer or feed sooner. I was taught the mantra early on here, “what are your runoff PPM numbers”
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Nute companies are notorious for using to much nutes in thier schedules also. Its good for thier biz.
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I use all the same… I always will check r/o and dose accordingly. LoL my accordingly has a wide gap!! LoL regardless I won’t even check r/o for a month in ocean.
I’m w horn start 1/4 see what ya got. ALSO strains vary widely as how hungry they are.
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The plant was so young I had not been watering enough for there to be runoff. I used about a pint of 6.2/3 water and sprayed the topsoil twice a week. I do not, yet, have a PPM pen (ordered) so I did a “slurry?” test using the instructions from a particular video. Soil pH is 6.2 from the slurry. I am in process of following Hornheads recommendation to start with a reduced nutrient solution (40%) of that which was recommended on the chart. The pH level of the solution dropped to 5.7 so I have to obtain an additive to bring it back up before I use it. Maybe the PPM meter will be in by then.
From the feed back, so far, it seems I am not “in a rush.” PPM meter is ordered, prepping a nutrient solution of about 40% of recommended. Thanks for the comments.
Your soil PH is good. I would water to about a 20% runoff once you get your pen and check your PPM’s. You might be surprised at the numbers. If your plant looks good now, then as you said, you are not in a rush. As @HornHead said, your soil may still be loaded and you could end up doing more harm. Having said all that, these plants are very resilient, I know, have tried unknowingly everything to kill them and they are still here, lol. Quickest way to raise or lower PH in your feed water is to get some PH UP or PH DOWN at Amazon. There are many homemade remedies that work well to accomplish the same, but I am lazy, and PH up/down goes a long way. Good luck
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You my friend have just stated the secret to growing weed! LoL
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This is what I was going to suggest. If you don’t already you should acquire a decent PH and TDS meter and use it. Runoff PH and TDS tells you all kinds of things.
They ain’t in the business of conserving nutrients lol.
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I’ve never use Fox Farms products personally and I quit growing in soil for two main reasons one no bugs to plants grow a lot faster
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@Myfriendis410 is one of our trusted gurus, lol, and i would listen implicitly to what he says
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I just grew some Gorilla Glue Autos in Coco and I agree completely. The plants grew nicely with little fuss. I am convinced and have a couple of Girl Scout Cookies extreme started in Coco of course
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They work but there are far less expensive and better lines out there. Jack’s is what I’m going with on my next grow. Like you I prefer soilless. It just makes more sense indoors.
Man bunch of soil bashers… LoL mother earth got it right though!!! I’m here with you, got your back. @dcdkk437 … LoL
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Thank you for the encouraging support for a newby grower…LOL!
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