advise on soil?

[shiloh]

I'm looking to start few plants indoor. I would like to know what is the best soil out there...i suppose foxfarm is good but lil too pricey for me...any advise?

shiloh Reviewed by shiloh on 08-14-2009. advise on soil? I'm looking to start few plants indoor. I would like to know what is the best soil out there...i suppose foxfarm is good but lil too pricey for me...any advise? Rating: 5

[headshake]

how are you going to ask what is the best soil out there and then complain about price? lol. (and i'm not saying fox farm is the best.)

there are a lot of factors that go into indoor growing. soil is one of the least hard to make. i grow in miracle grow, or any other cheap soil that's available when i'm out and don't have any problems.


-shake

[irydyum]

there are a lot of factors that go into indoor growing. soil is one of the least hard to make. i grow in miracle grow, or any other cheap soil that's available when i'm out and don't have any problems.


-shake

Shake, cmon man. You don't think that soil is a hard decision or important factor? I'm on quite the opposite end of the spectrum here, I feel that if you have a good soil, MOST of the other problems noobs experience become less likely.

Shiloh- What's your goal and what are you willing to invest? Do you think that it would be better to spend the cash on soil now, and KNOW that you are starting with something that works, or would you like to skimp the soil now, and spend it somewhere else in haste trying to correct a ph lockout or nute burn later on?

My thought is if you have a nice balanced soil with some sort of PH buffer in it, and it comes in around 6.2 - 6.6, it will forgive you in many ways down the line.

It's been my experience around here that the most common noob problem centers somehow around SOIL based issues. Once in a while it's something environmental, but more often than not it's using soil that is to quick to become toxic to MJ. By that I mean it can't buffer nutrient solutions well, thus ending in some funky plant deficiencies down the road.

I think you should buck up now and shell out the dough for something good now. It'll make any troubleshooting down the road easier. There are many different alternatives to FF soil also, look around at some of the grow logs on here and see what people are up to.

BTW, if you do go with FF soil, don't be fooled. You can absolutely still kill plants with FF soil. If I were to ever use it again, and I won't, I would most certainly cut it 50/50 with something inert like their Light Warrior. Ocean Forest was a little "hot" for my liking.

[Rusty Trichome]

The best soil to use is that which is available locally.
Being a newbie, likely best to get the best regardless of price. If starting-out with compost or any other unacceptable crap, you can and will chase plant problems. Find a soil that already has perlite, and make sure it's for container gardening.

Fox Farms holds-up well and I don't hear too many experienced gardeners complain about it. Miracle Grow isn't cheap (at least not around here) but if you do go with a pre-ferted soil, you will likely only want to take advise from someone that already has experience with 'em. (Headshake or myself, for instance)

Most in here blindly bash MG products. I learned to grow cannabis using them, and I gurantee they are doable. Those that can't adjust...bash. Those that blindly bash without experience are borderline untrustworthy and lazy. (parroting bullshit is still bullshit)

[headshake]

irydyum, how would i know any better, i'm a noob myself!? i guess i should think out some of my answers better. i by no means meant go dig up some dirt out of the backyard, or use any ol' crap. and i don't have a complete grasp of pH and/or problems caused by lockouts etc. but i do understand your point and am wiser for it. thanks.

rusty, thanks for the name drop. lol.

shiloh, sorry for the bad advice. i by no means meant to stear you in the wrong direction.


-shake

[deleafer2220]

Something with a high N for veg. and lower P and K %. For flowering Low N high P and K %. Organic Soils seem to work the best from what i've read. Soils with out time released agents. and other trace organic material (ex. Guano, Worm Castings, Etc.). Do a forum search on soil and be prepared to read for days. Correct me if im wrong on any of this guys.
Got To Love a Wake and Bake Stay Up :bong:

[weezer]

The best soil to use is that which is available locally.
Being a newbie, likely best to get the best regardless of price. If starting-out with compost or any other unacceptable crap, you can and will chase plant problems. Find a soil that already has perlite, and make sure it's for container gardening.

Fox Farms holds-up well and I don't hear too many experienced gardeners complain about it. Miracle Grow isn't cheap (at least not around here) but if you do go with a pre-ferted soil, you will likely only want to take advise from someone that already has experience with 'em. (Headshake or myself, for instance)

Most in here blindly bash MG products. I learned to grow cannabis using them, and I gurantee they are doable. Those that can't adjust...bash. Those that blindly bash without experience are borderline untrustworthy and lazy. (parroting bullshit is still bullshit)

great answer. the best is what is locally availible

haha i would be one of those MG basher but i guess if you know how to use it ,it wont burn.:stoned:

[Rusty Trichome]

Correct me if im wrong on any of this guys.

Ok. It's not really that you are wrong, but it does depend on what you are trying to do, what you know how to do, (and why) and what is consistently available.

Ok...below are my thoughts on this, but that does not mean I'm right. If anyone has any differing or similar thoughts, I'd love to hear 'em:

With the standard additives you mentioned, plus and especially bone meal, blood meal, greensand...even though they are organic, they act exactly the same way as a time-release mix. (like Miracle Grow) Releasing small ammounts of nutrients (which can affect soil ph) into the soil over an extended period of time. Often, through to harvest. I'm beginning to think this is where a lot of the plant problems my stem from, peripherally. It's not hard to imagine spazmotic releasing of nutes from organic sources, changing or fluctuating ph, potential late-flowering stretching.
IDK. Maybe I think too much. :jointsmile:

Regardless, learning how to adapt to those soil additives is thusly no different than a MG user learning to adapt to a chemical slow release fertilizer. (except the MG nutes dissolve after a month or two)

Anyway...he could always list what's available locally, and let us choose, lol.

[irydyum]

Don't feel bad weez, I'm an MG hater too. And Rusty, I don't think it makes me lazy or stupid for not knowing how to use it.

Why would I want to use MG when there are so many "easier" to work with alternatives out there? I suppose if it was the ONLY option. To that I would say if you settle with something you know has potential to create problems down the road, that is being lazy.

I couldn't help but think that post of yours was directed at me, maybe since it was posted right after mine. I hope I'm wrong.

[deleafer2220]

A simple soil question turning into something that is not needed. I think we all have our methods and all our own reasons for them. So lets all get along :hippy: