Soil Selection

Ed Brown

Well-Known Member
Last grow I used FoxFarm Ocean Forest. I'm using 3 gal fabric bags. I'm considering changing to FoxFarm Lucky Dog K-Kube soil. I'm also considering retaining the FFOF and reusing it in the same fabric bags. Any thoughts?
 
Last grow I used FoxFarm Ocean Forest. I'm using 3 gal fabric bags. I'm considering changing to FoxFarm Lucky Dog K-Kube soil. I'm also considering retaining the FFOF and reusing it in the same fabric bags. Any thoughts?
Hi elbrandone! Please check more closely into just what the lucky dog product is... it is not a soil... it is an additive designed to add to one of their other soils, like the FFOF.
OF can be used at least a couple of times without any additional work to it and you should be able to get good results from it a second time in your fabric bags. After the second use, a very thorough flush to wash away the broken down sphagnum moss that will be driving the soil acidic at that point, could get you a third use from that soil, but I highly recommend amending the soil with new minerals and cutting it in with some fresh soil at that point. I used FFOF as my base soil for my super soil project several years ago, and I am still using that same soil with amendments and additional composting, to this day.
 
Hi elbrandone! Please check more closely into just what the lucky dog product is... it is not a soil... it is an additive designed to add to one of their other soils, like the FFOF.
OF can be used at least a couple of times without any additional work to it and you should be able to get good results from it a second time in your fabric bags. After the second use, a very thorough flush to wash away the broken down sphagnum moss that will be driving the soil acidic at that point, could get you a third use from that soil, but I highly recommend amending the soil with new minerals and cutting it in with some fresh soil at that point. I used FFOF as my base soil for my super soil project several years ago, and I am still using that same soil with amendments and additional composting, to this day.

Hey Emilya! Thanks for the info. I looked up Lucky Dog® K-9 Kube® Growers Blend on their website. What confused me is they stated, "Plant directly into Lucky Dog® Growers Blend. ". I'll stick with my oceans forest! While I got your ear, I'm also using FoxFarm's nutes. I use big bloom the whole grow, grow big during veg, and tiger bloom during flower. I had pretty good results with my last WW girls. Just curious if there is a better off the shelf solution.
 
"after the second use, a very thorough flush to wash away the broken down sphagnum moss that will be driving the soil acidic at that point"

Couldn't you just add some calcium source like a cup of Oyster shell flour to help with acidity? Or just add a gal or 2 of EWC depending on qty of the mix.

I've been using peat moss (CSPM) in all my soil mixes indoors and out and never had to worry about it or do anything really.

Once soil microbes are in the mix, they break down the peat pretty quick.

I do like you and mix in new mix with the older soil. Not for any reason other than it's all in the same place.

I never worry about pH in my soil mix. Nothing I can measure at home properly anyway and it fluctuates 24/7 so moot for me.
 
"after the second use, a very thorough flush to wash away the broken down sphagnum moss that will be driving the soil acidic at that point"

Couldn't you just add some calcium source like a cup of Oyster shell flour to help with acidity? Or just add a gal or 2 of EWC depending on qty of the mix.

I've been using peat moss (CSPM) in all my soil mixes indoors and out and never had to worry about it or do anything really.

Once soil microbes are in the mix, they break down the peat pretty quick.

I do like you and mix in new mix with the older soil. Not for any reason other than it's all in the same place.

I never worry about pH in my soil mix. Nothing I can measure at home properly anyway and it fluctuates 24/7 so moot for me.

I tried to buy a soil PH tester, but it turned out to be Chinese junk. I watch how my nutes affect the leaves to know if I need to alter anything. I think I may of had some nute burns at one point. It might have been heat burn though. I think the leaves were wilting upwards.
 

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Hey Emilya! Thanks for the info. I looked up Lucky Dog® K-9 Kube® Growers Blend on their website. What confused me is they stated, "Plant directly into Lucky Dog® Growers Blend. ". I'll stick with my oceans forest! While I got your ear, I'm also using FoxFarm's nutes. I use big bloom the whole grow, grow big during veg, and tiger bloom during flower. I had pretty good results with my last WW girls. Just curious if there is a better off the shelf solution.
the only thing you can do better than religiously following the weekly feeding schedule, is to add the trio of solubles to your routine. Those 3 special supplements given at the correct time, will totally supercharge your FF grow. You can also add extra microbes periodically with products such as voodoo juice or realgrowers recharge.
 
I tried to buy a soil PH tester, but it turned out to be Chinese junk. I watch how my nutes affect the leaves to know if I need to alter anything. I think I may of had some nute burns at one point. It might have been heat burn though. I think the leaves were wilting upwards.

I'm using FFOF soil right now in my current grow and I like to quantify a few things ... like pH and ppm of the nutrients going in ... as well as the pH and ppm of the nutrients coming out. This should provide you with some clues about the health of your soil and nutrient update so you can adjust accordingly.

But you are right ... the health of your soil is critical and monitoring it is essential for the overall health of your plant.

"Reading the Leaves" takes a bit of experience though doesn't it :)
 
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