peat soil

[Bud Farmer]

Hello I am here to let all of you know that soil with peat and/or peat moss is a very bad idea. I am a new grower and recently one of my plants died. As I have done a large amount of research before growing I knew what most deficiencies and problems looked like and how they were caused, etc. I had an infestation of fungus gnats which destroyed one of my plants. Upon further research I found this had to do with my soil as fungus gnats seem to really like soil with peat or peat moss. Although the grow was an indoor grow they managed to get themselves into my soil. I would like to post pictures to share with you on what it looks like and keep this open to advice, in case there is another reason the plant went bad. However I need some help with posting the pictures. I am not sure how to upload pictures from the computer to the post without providing the URL.

 

[Droopy Dog]

Hello I am here to let all of you know that soil with peat and/or peat moss is a very bad idea. I am a new grower and recently one of my plants died. As I have done a large amount of research before growing I knew what most deficiencies and problems looked like and how they were caused, etc. I had an infestation of fungus gnats which destroyed one of my plants. Upon further research I found this had to do with my soil as fungus gnats seem to really like soil with peat or peat moss. Although the grow was an indoor grow they managed to get themselves into my soil. I would like to post pictures to share with you on what it looks like and keep this open to advice, in case there is another reason the plant went bad. However I need some help with posting the pictures. I am not sure how to upload pictures from the computer to the post without providing the URL.

Peat based mixes might be a bad idea if you don't know how to work with it and that sounds like your problem. But please don't make blanket statements like peat moss is a bad idea since its been in use for many many years, especially in commercial greenhouses.

I've been using a peat based soil less mix since the early 1970s and have NEVER had fungus gnats inside or out.

Sounds like you didn't have enough perlite in your mix resulting in too much moisture retention and then the gnats.

Also, peat is very acidic and if you don't have enough dolomitic lime in there, your pH will be way too low also leading to problems.

Good luck with whatever medium you decide to use, but none are perfect right out of the bag IMO.

DD

 

[Bud Farmer]

cool, thank you sir. Any tips on where I could get the perlite and dolomitic lime? I am a new grower and I was just going with what I researched and that research showed that fungus gnats like peat moss. I really don't even know how they got in there. It was indoors at all times and never had any open windows or anything, however after I noticed them around the plants I opened up the soil bag and they were everywhere.

 

[Droopy Dog]

Perlite at a garden supply or landscape supply, Get the 4cf size bag @~$18. The small 8qt or so bags will break you real quick, costing close to 1/2 of what 10x (4cf) the amount cost.

Dolomitic lime at the same places or HD, ~$10 for a 40lb bag. Do NOT get hydrated lime, it is not appropiate for MJ.

DD

 

[Bud Farmer]

Thanks again for the help. I have another problem, I just built a growbox and i have 5 26 watt cfl's that are 6,500kelvin and are about two inches above the plants. They are seedlings(about a week old since they sprouted) were doing well but recently they got burned on some of the leaves. Are they too close to the lights? It is a bit hot in the box and there is a fan and ventilation. I am not using any nutes and now i am using fox farm soil, so i didn't think it was nute burn. I water them 2-3 a week. Any suggestions?

 

[Droopy Dog]

Thanks again for the help. I have another problem, I just built a growbox and i have 5 26 watt cfl's that are 6,500kelvin and are about two inches above the plants. They are seedlings(about a week old since they sprouted) were doing well but recently they got burned on some of the leaves. Are they too close to the lights? It is a bit hot in the box and there is a fan and ventilation. I am not using any nutes and now i am using fox farm soil, so i didn't think it was nute burn. I water them 2-3 a week. Any suggestions?

First off, slow down on the water. 2-3 times per week is serious overwatering for a 1 week old seedling.

Second, you are still going to need perlite and dolomite lime even with the FF soil.

You can check for the light burn simply by backing the lights up an inch or 3, then observe.

DD

 

[Bud Farmer]

Alright I will get on that right away I actually just moved the lights up. How many times should i water it? 1-2 times a week or less? thanks again for the help +rep. Not many people have offered me help.

 

[Droopy Dog]

There is just no set schedule for watering no matter how much we would like it to be so.

For right now since the seedlings are probably still wet enough, get a pot the same size that the seedlings are in and fill it with DRY mix, just like you were going to plant in it.

Pick it up and feel the weight (muscle memory).

Then, totally saturate it with water, as wet as you can get it.

Again, pick it up and observe the weight. It will be quite a bit heavier.

Water when the weight of the pots are closer to the weight of the dry pot. Much closer to totally dry. MJ likes to dry out between waterings.

It might take 2 days, it might be over a week. It's when the plant drinks up what it has and however long that takes.

The 2 biggest mistakes made with MJ is over watering and over fert. Basicly loved to death.

Take it slow and it will grow.

DD

 

[Bud Farmer]

thanks again. No matter how much research I do it seems that experience truly is the best teacher(and those with experience). I believe that they are doing better. Their growth had slowed substantially, however it's picking up again. The cotyledons and the first two leaves that grew with them have died on one of the plants do you think it will make it?

 

[Tokensmoke10]

It should, MJ is a very hardy plant that can take some abuse.

 

[Purple Goose]

Peat based mixes might be a bad idea if you don't know how to work with it and that sounds like your problem. But please don't make blanket statements like peat moss is a bad idea since its been in use for many many years, especially in commercial greenhouses.

I've been using a peat based soil less mix since the early 1970s and have NEVER had fungus gnats inside or out.

Sounds like you didn't have enough perlite in your mix resulting in too much moisture retention and then the gnats.

Also, peat is very acidic and if you don't have enough dolomitic lime in there, your pH will be way too low also leading to problems.

Good luck with whatever medium you decide to use, but none are perfect right out of the bag IMO.

DD

GladI saw this thread as you seem to pretty knowledgeable abouit mixing your own soiless medium so was hoping you can give me an opinion on the recipe I am considering and if I am missing anything in the mix or my ratios are off please let me know.

What I had in mind was a mixture of the following

Promix premier sphanum/peat
perlite
vermiculite
dolomite lime
worm castings
1010 chemical fertilizer
the ratio I was considering was 60% peat 10% perlite 10% vermiculite 5% dolomite 10% worm castings and 5% 1010 should this work or will it be to hot?

The other recipe i thought of was 60% peat 10%perlite 10% vermiculite,dolomite lime 5% and 15% worm castings
Not sure if dropping the 1010 will make much difference

Finally i had a friend suggest I try using a soilless mix where I control all the nutrients and to use

3 parts peat 1 part perlite 1 part vermiculite and dolomite lime and if i can afford it he suggested I use some kind of a sand

 

[Droopy Dog]

Cateros

Here is something better than what you have planned and is time tested.

First off, you are going to have to google since what I'm going to give you is a brief version.

Google LC's Soiless Mix #2 (this is for pro mix), or LC's Soiless Mix #1 for using straight peat moss. This is what I use, the straight peat.

LC's Soiless Mix #2
6 parts Pro Mix
2 parts Perlite
2 parts earthworm castings
POWDERED Dolomite Lime 2 tbl/gallon or 1 cup/cf

Ferts
Blood Meal 1tbl/gal or 1/2 cup/cf
Bone Meal 2tbl/gal or 1 cup/cf
Kelp Meal 1tbl/gal or 1/2cup/cf
OPTIONAL: Jersey Greensand 1tbl/gal or 1/2cup/cf I don't use this, too expensive to ship and can't find it locally.

Mix well, wet (not soaking) with Liquid Karma 1tbl/gallon of water to break down nutes. Mix it around some every few days and let 'cook' for at least 2 weeks to a month.

All you will need to do is add water from start to finish.

Hint: If you use a 3qt saucepan as a 'part', it will come out to right at 1cf making measuring the ferts easier. All parts must be the same no matter what you use to measure.

I double everything using the 3qt pan and it fills up a 15 gallon trashcan just right. 1cf=7.48 gallons.

Like I said, google this because what I wrote is a bare bones description.

It's simple, easy, and best of all, works.

Good Luck!

DD