Ain't no sunshine: Thanks Trump!

[Bush Doctor 77]

Been growing indoors using Sunshine #4 mix for years befor I put up my greenhouse. I still do an occasional indoor grow, and use Sunshine for my seedlings and small plants. Tried to buy a bale today, and because of the tarrifs, peat products from Canada are now expensive. $40 a bale and last time was $24. Even my buds growing commercial have switched to choir after many years with Sunshine because of the cost. Choir sounds like a PIA though. Sunshine is very forgiving.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Probably want to fully hydrate it, rinse the <BLEEP> out of it, pre-treat it with a mild calcium nitrate solution, don't let it fully dry out... treat it like a hydroponic medium.

There are a few steps involved, yeah. But it's easier to carry home .

 

[Bush Doctor 77]

I did bum one of the last bales my buds had. They just bought a truck load of coco, but still have some Sunshine.

 

[bobrown14]

How's the prices for CSPM nowadaze??

There was some Primeir left over at Lowers for $10 a bale. Which is a good price.

I'm thinking they are going to phaze out the low prices for CSPM here in the states.
Thanks likely to our government relationships on trade with friends. WTF?

 

[TorturedSoul]

Never could figure out why that one was cheaper than perlite.

 

[bobrown14]

Perl-lite $38/ bale

Primier 100% CSPM $10


Which one takes longer to grow??


I think we are burning up the old CSPM in our carz.



Perl-like = mother nature burning up the old CSPM,


Hmmm - I'm trying to find the on board location for Mother Nature.

She knows I'm looking.

I'm just photo bombing.

Calling this:

"Plant with issues?"

DSC_0022 (2).JPG

• bobrown14
• Jun 1, 2019

Mandarin Cookies #2 - not sure & going with her.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Damn. everything in the US is always so cheap. I’m in Canada and pay $70 a bale

 

[bobrown14]

I could probably send you a bale and save you $20. Thats insane.

Green rush is on

Safety in numbers.

 

[Weaselcracker]

The really stupid thing is I’m surrounded by a hundred miles of peat bog.

Wait. Wanna buy some moss?

 

[bobrown14]

You know what... I'm good. We have a cottage in SE Ontario - there's bogs farther than I can see. There's more beyond that.

I'm gonna grow some weed in a peat bog. I have a Kyak and a 1/2 of a hand spade.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Not sure why I haven’t started making my own sunshine mix. I just seem to always be too busy to grab a truckload and process it. It’s totally silly. With prices going up like this I may have to start.

 

[bobrown14]

Peat is the real deal. Specially the Canadian versions.

Why I grow in it.

 

[Weaselcracker]

‘When I get time’ I’m going to go out on my road and see about grabbing a pickup load and if so I’ll start a DIY sunshine mix thread. Motivation in direct proportion to how many roots and such I have to chop through to get a load. And how much sifting after.
Then I have to figure out what proportions of gypsum, dolomite lime, and ‘special wetting agents’ I’d need. They also put in some trace of nutrients for starting seedlings. I think that’s all.

 

[Bush Doctor 77]

Sunshine #4 does not have nutrients added. You need perlite, too.

 

[Weaselcracker]

It does have some actually. That’s the least of my worries though. I usually add a small amount of bunny manure to all my sunshine mix to carry me through veg. But yes it has a small amount for starting seedlings. I have a ton of perlite.

From their site.


“Contains Dolomitic limestone to adjust media pH to 5.0-7.0 and to provide calcium and magnesium. Gypsum is added as a source of sulfur and calcium. In addition, Sunshine 4 has a highly soluble nutrient charge equivalent to about one liquid feeding with a complete fertilizer, plus trace elements at a normal rate.

Ingredients: Canadian sphagnum peat moss, coarse grade perlite, gypsum, dolomitic lime and Sun Gro’s long-lasting wetting agent.”

 

[Bush Doctor 77]

The ingredients do not mention nutrients. Probably talking about naturally occurring nutrients in the peat.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Yeah they don’t list it in the ingredients. But they’ve always stated that they add a starter amount

“Sunshine 4 has a highly soluble nutrient charge equivalent to about one liquid feeding with a complete fertilizer, plus trace elements at a normal rate.”


I’ve been growing in it for the last ten years and can attest that seedlings grow fine in it for a while without anything else added.

 

[Weaselcracker]

I think Sunshine #2 is the only one of their mixes that doesn’t have a bit of fertilizer added.

“Mix #2 is appropriate for the same general uses as Mix #1, but no starter nutrient charge has been added, allowing you to have complete control over fertilization.”

 

[Bush Doctor 77]

I've been using Sunshine for 15 years or so, always treated it as being nutrient free, and used the GH schedule from the get-go. My last seedlings did get some burn, and that was a first. I wonder if the formula has changed recently. I still find it a great hydroponic media. It is very forgiving toward pH, and doesn't require near as much care as conventional hydro methods. It holds a lot of water, drains good, provides aeration of the roots. Just have to make sure to give it a good flush when you hit it with full strength nutes.

 

[TurboBucket]

Interesting reasoning on the cost. My last bale of promix hp was only $25usd. Roughly equivalent to sunshine #4. Coco is more expensive around here $17 for a block.