Transplanting Q:

[cwesto]

This doesnt really have to do with the technique of transplanting, I know how to transplant fine..... the only thing is I have never transplanted a plant in one brand of soil into another brand of soil.

I am curently in FoxFarm OceanForest in 2 gallon pots. And my plan is to transplant these Plants into 5 gallon pales and fill the rest of the 5 gallon pot with organic miracle grow soil. I planed on mixing this soil the same with perlite as i did the ocean forest, to get the same soilerlite ratio.....

So does that sound alright, is that plan approved by the almighty Canna-mods?? Or am I denied.

cwesto Reviewed by cwesto on 04-02-2008. Transplanting Q: This doesnt really have to do with the technique of transplanting, I know how to transplant fine..... the only thing is I have never transplanted a plant in one brand of soil into another brand of soil. I am curently in FoxFarm OceanForest in 2 gallon pots. And my plan is to transplant these Plants into 5 gallon pales and fill the rest of the 5 gallon pot with organic miracle grow soil. I planed on mixing this soil the same with perlite as i did the ocean forest, to get the same Rating: 5

[Mr. Clandestine]

The only problem I see is you running into some pH problems after the big pails have been watered several times and the peat, fertilizers, etc., have been broken down. Besides that, I don't see it being much of an issue. Just make sure to thoroughly Perlititize (I like making up words, too! ) like you would any other highly absorbent soil. The biggest thing I don't like about MG is that it's sometimes difficult to diagnose problems, but much less so when sufficiently cut with perlite. When pH fluctuates, it's usually not by much, and is a really easy fix.

Hope that helps. :jointsmile:

[cwesto]

Yes that does help most deffinately. Do you think that the organic MG is going to have ferts in it that will mess with my feeding schedule thogh?

[Mr. Clandestine]

I'd have to check the label, but I'm fairly certain most (if not all) Miracle Grow soils contain fertilizers. Any bag of soil that claims to feed for up to 3 months is prefertilized, and can make it difficult to determine how much and when a supplemental fertilizer is needed. Don't get me wrong, MG is perfectly capable of producing a good harvest, but I prefer not to use it because of the unpredictability of those time-released ferts. If it's all ya got, you can definitely make it work. I'd just recommend adding at least 25% perlite to loosen it up. If you'll be using other nutrients on top of everything else, doing a light flush with clean pH'd water once a month isn't a bad idea... but not always necessary.

[phatsesh101]

every time i have used mg i have a prob and always have to major flush, i try to avoid it as at all cost

[cwesto]

I may be searching for an un-ferted soil for the transplant. I usually mix soil to perlite in a 3:2 ratio, so it will be plenty broken up. Im looking to keep on the feeding schedule that I already use though, which the preferted MG would most likely screw up from what it sounds like. Do you guys have any advice on a good unferted soil I could buy in.. oh lets just say, Michigan??

[Mr. Clandestine]

I've actually gotten to where I mix my own potting soil, prefertilizing it in the process. The only commercial unfertilized potting mixes that I know of are mostly peat based, and I wouldn't want to use just a peat mix due to its tendency to eventually start messing with pH.

If you're actually mixing the MG/perlite at 3:2, it's not going to affect them too terribly much if you decide to use it. If you notice symptoms of overfertilization at first, just cut back slightly on the nutrient regimen. After an eventual flush or two, you'll have washed away a good bit of the ferts in the soil, and can creep the dosage back up to where you want it.

[cwesto]

Clad, I was just looking on the MG bag and it is .10-.05-.05. The product is made from composted bark, canadian sphagnum peat moss, pastuerized poultry litter, and an organic wetting agent (not sure what that is). It says it get .097% slow availible Nitrogen from the poultry litter.

So I guess I'm just going to use this stuff, this time. I would really like to work with a soil that is unferted next time. What do you use to mix your own Clad?

Do you think I could flush the soil before I transplant the plants into them or would that mess up the soil composition.

[Rusty Trichome]

I would:

A) Make sure to have a couple inches of drainage rocks in bottom of the bucket, and add more perlite than you are used to. In a five gallon bucket, drainage is really important. Possibly to the point of needing a few small holes in the sides of the bucket. (tword the bottom, a couple of inches above the drainage rocks)

B) A flush isn't necessary. Nothing in the MG will kill your plants. It's what we add that screws things up. MG is fine if you make allowances for it with your nutes and your schedule. Add less at first, keeping an eye on results. It's when people start giving their ladies too many nutes and additives before the MG nutes have been exhausted, that problems can/will arise.

C) If you are going to transplant into MG soil...try and do it a couple of weeks before switching to 12/12. This lets the plant use up as much of the nutes as possible before switching to bloom ferts and lights. Switching a plant to 12/12 is stressful for the plant. If she has been aclimated to the mix for a couple of weeks, it will help make the transition smoother.

By the time you put 'em into flower, the plant will have used a bunch of the nutes. Cannabis is a nitrogen whore, so likely nitrogen will be the first nute in the MG mix that will be used-up.

By the end of initial bloom stretch, you should be nearing a normal schedule for your bloom ferts, with possible additives to correct minor defeciencies.

With a five gallon grow, you'll want to watch the ph real carefully, especially twords the 6th or 7th week of flower. The peat degrades, and ph can fall.

The thing is, MG was the only thing around so I used it anyway, and just never told anyone on the boards. One gets sick and tired of being told your plants will look like shit using MG, while you are trimming the buds from a more sucessful MG grow.

I never understood everyone saying "MG sux", MG will stunt your grow"...stuff like that. But I fell victim to peer pressure, and I stopped using it once I found the organic mix I use now.

Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of really good soil mixes out there that are 'better' for a cannabis grow. But in a pinch, I'm just not a scared of having to adapt to any growing medium, or any nutes. (well...a cactus mix is one exception, come to think of it...)

[stinkyattic]

MG organic is a lesser evil and will be fine IF you add extra perlite. Other than that, no worries. All you need is plenty of drainage and light new soil.

You'd only really have to think it through going from soil or compost into something like Coco Coir. That's a whole new ballgame.