New Grower - Autos and Soil

[710Ninja]

Hi guys!

This is my first grow, so I figured I would join up and try to learn a bit more!

I will be growing only AF's just to test the waters. I have a 4x8 tent with 2 1000w lights. I've got a portable AC unit to help with the heat and I have everything vented into my attic(running through a carbon filter).

Any advice on soil? I've searched around a bit and the general consensus seems to be "not burning the plant" lol. Can this be done with Fox Farm or Happy Frog? I have both and plan on mixing them with coco and perlite.

Also, how many AF plants would you guys recommend putting in the 4x8 tent?

Thanks in advance and feels good to finally be a member here!

 

[Young Yoda]

It looks like a lot of people with more knowledge than me have come through here.. I am a beginner so take what I say with a grain of salt.

But I have used mushroom compost well for other plants and currently have one plant in it. It's very thick though so it'll need lots of mixing with your other stuff. I mean I have a ton of vermiculite mixed in, in addition to perlite and sphagnum moss. It's very rich, but as for being specifically good for mj, I don't know but I think its good stuff.

I would say the not burning the plant part is for your seeds/clones. I have always started seeds in reused dirt, and then transplanted into hotter stuff.

As a side note, people are always supposedly getting bugs from fox farm ocean forest.. But what do i know ive never bought the stuff.

 

[PTSD 4 ME]

FFOF I grow with and have never had an issue. It seems to be a great grow medium. The mushroom casings would probably be close to a perfectly good soil, I would make sure that you PH it first however to make sure that its within a decent range since its home made. FFOF did this for you... 4x8 I am guessing is 4'x4'x8' and in that I would say 6 vegging 4 in flower.... This depends on how you grow your plant also.... You have height so use that. Account for the light and pot leaving you 4 feet or so in usable plant height. Plenty for a full indica and maybe a bit small for a untouched sativa. So think of using LST or some type of training. Just my 2 cents

 

[710Ninja]

Thanks for all the good advice! I meant 4'x8'x8'(7'?)
I grow a lot of mushrooms with coco coir so it will pretty convenient to have it for both. I started this up on my own, I am a huge pot head and gardener so it's just time lol.

I will look into LST. This site is great!
Most of the AF seeds I have are dominantly Indica, I believe. What would be the most AF Indicas you could fit in a tent my size? I was going to go for close to 20.. I am using 2 and 3 gallon smart pots.

 

[Young Yoda]

NVM (google lst)

I don't have an answer for you but I would suggest looking into photoperiod plants, in general they yield more, and with 2 1000w (hps?) you should be able to rack up quite a large crop.

 

[pete2]

awesome grow room but you might consider hydro

 

[PTSD 4 ME]

Oh wow that a large tent and with that large of a light I would say you can easily flower 10 plants. I am not keen on the Auto's from what I have seen the majority are small plants although I have seen some beasts. Also forgetting that it was a Auto I don't think that LST is a very common practice although I do know some people have had great results. With 2 - 3 gallon pots you may get close to 20 plants that still may be pushing it. Rule of thumb is 12'' per Gallon of container so you will have some room to grow. Also I wouldn't worry about hydro if your new to it, and don't want to turn it into a full time job. Stick with the soil your on the right track.

 

[710Ninja]

Thanks again for all the awesome advice guys. I feel a lot more confident in this first grow.