I have read quite a bit on this but I need some input for confidence…
I have a lot of peat laying around and I want to try something other than soil so if I mix dolomitic lime in my peat with a 6.0 PH goal this grow will be considered a hydro effort correct? By adding the dolomitic lime I should start with both calcium and magnesium but nothing else and since I over paid for damn near the entire AN line up i.e. Voodoo juice, paranah, tarantula plus their grow and bloom and then grow additives- I used to be in sales and as such I can be a sucker for a sales pitch. I think I can the follow a feeding schedule and go for a big yield. My plan is either the Pineapple kush from my fruity mix pack or the WW and AK 47 from my fresh purchase. I have a 1-1 of peat and distilled water soaking to try and get the PH of just the peat so I have an idea of how much lime to add for my 6.0 goal.
What type of hydro are you planning?
Deep water culture only needs support medium like clay pellet balls or lava gravel. Gutter systems rely on foam plugs to hold the plant and a pump to constantly circulate the aerated nute mix. Peat moss will get into the water and plug the pump. A flush and fill system might utilize peat provided that it’s really cut with perlite and the water only reaches the bottom of the medium. Peat will wick up the water and if it’s too available, it will rot the roots. Finally, there is auto drip irrigation which is essentially growing in a potting mix such as peat and perlite but with a drip line to keep the pots irrigated on your time schedule. That would be perfect for using up your peat and the timer arrangement is inexpensive but be sure to buy a cheap siphon connection for the nutrient solution to be injected. They are only a hose coupling with a thin tube to put into the nutes…movement of the water sucks the diluted nutes up into the drip system.
I know that doesn’t solve your problems but at least I hope that it clarified your options. Please hit the “like” button if I helped.
I was thinking about making my left over peat into more of a home made ProMix kind of deal, grow as if in soil but in an inert medium, you are right about the perlite as I forget to list that in my post but will definitely need it.
I was looking for the input for any part of that type of grow cuz I don’t have much experience of any kind so maybe I should just stay my current course of using soil
Thanks for your reply Sir Charles
This works for me but everyone is different.
I start with straight peat and then add 10 % by volume of perlite, worm castings and vermiculite. Then I add 5% crushed (not powder) dolomite lime and Azomite.
This is a rich but safe mixture for seedlings and the Veg stage of growing. The worm castings provide a safe source of NPK, the dolomite regulates the natural acidity of peat mixes and the Azomite provides all the micro nutrients that peat lacks.
Word to the wise - most of these items are ridiculously expensive in small consumer size bags. 2 lbs of Azomite on Amazon is $10 while 40lbs is only $25. Check your local farm and garden shops for the pricing on big bags or try Amazon. Most of this ships free on orders over $50 and it never goes bad.
Good growing!
Good point about cost as I am trying this so I don’t have to purchase a bag of ProMix when I have a lot of peat and perlite…
Thanks for your input
Since you brought Pro Mix up…
I really hate having to smash it into usable chunks and then dealing with all the dust. Plus it is so dry that it actually repels water until completely soaked. I learned that the hard way with several hundred poinsettia cuttings that died over night one year because the mix didn’t absorb water properly.
Plus there is the entire Bx / Mx controversy. Some growers feel that one or the other or both are detrimental to cannabis. I’ve already dumped yards of Miracle Gro mix and rototilled it into my vegetable plots lest I get lazy and try to use it with cannabis. Cannabis may be a weed but it’s certain a picky weed and one that needs attention.
I didn’t know the moisture thing about peat but it makes sense.
What is the controversy between BX and MX? I was looking at the HP ProMix as its listed as high perlite but with my limited experience maybe I should just stay with soil
If memory serves it’s the BX that’s the problem because I seem to remember that it contains time release fertilizer just like Miracle Gro. Best to Google Pro Mix for Cannabis to double check my memory.
After a rocky start with first Miracle Gro and then the Pro Mix that I had on hand, I switched to Fox Farms Ocean and Forest which seems to be the growing medium of choice for Cannabis. It’s all organic, only contains bat guano and worm castings for fertility and drains really well.