I’m pretty new to growing so please bear with me. This year I’m gearing up for my first legal outdoor grow. I need help deciding the best soil mixture. My plan is to dig a hole the size of a five gallon bucket and mix 1 part fox farms happy frog 1 part ff of 1 part of my own top soil which is a black clay and 20 percent perlite will this work or will it cause problems. I have 0 experience with soil nutes all help is greatly appreciated
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Do you have good drainage? I would make sure of that and may need to dig a deeper hole to accommodate the plant.
Building soil is tough. You are going to want a large amount of peat so soil stays loose. Stay away from clay. If I were doing this I’d add worm castings, 1/4 cup of lime, composted chicken manure, if you have access to bat guano that would be good. Then mix and allow to compost together as long as you can before using.
Starting plants under lights to give them a good head start is also a good thing.
@Big123 any thoughts?
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So even though I’m using ffof and Ffhf I’m ok to ad bat guano and castings I’m not sure about drainage yet I haven’t dug my holes. I have a pile of really good black top soil where Polk greens grow I’m not sure it’s clay. And I can get some pro mix with peat to mix in also
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I’m also unsure of how to start them inside and acclimate them outside
A decent 100 watt LED fixture, some Solo cups, a clear tote large enough to put them all in and some starter soil is all you really need. You can look up your growing region to determine last frost for your area and use that to determine when to start your plants. Giving them a headstart will insure you have large vigorous plants when they go outside.
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I grow outdoors over a notoriously difficult terrain, we call it ‘bank run’. It’s orange and very rocky. I grow in flower beds I’ve been working for years though. I dig a hole twice the size of the containers and mix in a inground soil conditioner like Miracle Grow. I build little mounded like circles around the plants to contain my feed and water from running away. I like it going straight down the root column and keeping everything soft and within reach of the root system. I’ve grown some beasts with high yields this way.
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I have this light I can use but what kind of schedule should I put them on I’m in Missouri and I’ve read that they will flower when they go outside because the days are short still
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What zone is Missouri? In MD we wait until Mothers Day for tomatoes and whatnot due to late frost and extended days. When I plant mine they’re still young enough that they haven’t shown sex so they can’t flower yet. By the time they mature it’s June-ish and the days are longer.
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You could use that and I would probably start them indoors middle of April and plan to have them outside around Memorial Day. Like stated you will need at least 13 hours of direct sunlight to prevent flowering or set up a small light on a timer to trick plants into thinking it’s a longer day.
On the equator plants are given 1/2 hour of electric light around midnight to trick plants into thinking it’s a longer day.
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18/6 light is a good starter cycle.
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Thanks this is my first grow so I’m just getting started I’m buying some fox farm soil this year next year I’ll make my own. So far I’m thinking 1 part ffhf 1part ffof 1part pro mix 1 part my own top soil 1/4 cup dolomite lime 20 coarse perlite in my hole
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I’m in central time zone
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I am i the same area code as you.
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I’m in zone 6
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I’m hoping it will be a good year
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All day sun? That soils gonna give you some awesome plants!!