Trying Fox Farm for the 1st time

[garybo]

Hey gang, happy Sunday to you all.

Now that I've gotten my seeds for my spring grow (thanks to Herbies Seeds, one of our sponsors, and the seeds look great), I'll be growing in a new soil, the medium I been using didn’t produce as well this year as it had in the past.

For this year’s crop I’m thinking of going with bag soil. Upon a lot of study and research on the subject I’m leaning toward using FF Happy Frog for the seedlings, which will be put into a quart size biodegradable pot, and then when the plant outgrows the pot, pot and all will be dropped into a 5 gal fabric pot of Ocean Forest.

I understand that I won’t need to feed the ladies for about 12 weeks, about the time they will go into their pre-flower cycle. I assume I’ll finish up their life cycle with nutes, in my case it will be Mega Crop.

While they are under the care of being fed with the soil, will I need to do anything concerning their up-keep, short of watering them and making sure the ph is accurate?

Any comments, whether pro or con is welcomed. In the past I made my own soil and started feeding when the cotyledon leaves dried up.
This year is a new and exciting adventure I’m about to partake. Wish me luck.

garybo

 

[kosio bosio]

Hey sir, I doubt it that you will last without feeding them until the 12th week.
Especially if you are growing outdoors.
I start feeding mine after the first time I top them.
Otherwise they start showing deficiencies, but they will show you whenever they need some food.

 

[OGpapa]

I have done well with happy frog. Plants seem to start needed food 1/2 way into veg. Every little boost counts. pH that water. I was doing fine on 8.5ph until i wasn't. Not worth the headaches

I personally won't start feeding until 3rd week above soil.

 

[garybo]

I have done well with happy frog. Plants seem to start needed food 1/2 way into veg. Every little boost counts. pH that water. I was doing fine on 8.5ph until i wasn't. Not worth the headaches

I personally won't start feeding until 3rd week above soil.

Thanks OG, you and @kosio bosio are saying the same thing about food. Feed when hungry.

 

[OGpapa]

The color of the plant for me. It's not very scientific. It looks a little pale, frail, weak, usually I notice on new growth first.

Now Im using @GeoFlora Nutrients.

They seem to keep the plants sustainable between feedings/ top dressing without all the extra measuring and mixing of liquid nutrients. Geoflora has a veg blend and a bloom blend. Takes all the guessing out of it.

 

[BeccaBuds]

I haven't used Happy Frog but have 2 crops under my belt using Ocean Forest. Both grows I used Geoflora Veg and Bloom following Geoflora's recommended schedule down to the Massive Bloom & Terpinator (now I'm using Purpinator). also added 7.5mL Bud Candy every week and calmag every other week. I pH the water/Massive/Terp to 6.3 every time. Had no problems with nutrient deficits or overages. I did run into problems when I tried to germinate seeds directly in FFOF in 10 gallon cloth pots, but it may have been due to bad seed.

 

[Weekender]

I am going backwards with my soil this spring, last few years I was with Ocean Forest and the next year Happy Frog. I had real problems with me placing the seed in the soil, this is after it has germinated in water and paper, a 1/2 white tail. About 40% of the seeds never came out of the soil, that soil seemed to have a lot of wood /peat. I am going back to bagged topsoil and mix my own with sand and perlite, which has worked very well for me in the past.

 

[garybo]

I am going backwards with my soil this spring, last few years I was with Ocean Forest and the next year Happy Frog. I had real problems with me placing the seed in the soil, this is after it has germinated in water and paper, a 1/2 white tail. About 40% of the seeds never came out of the soil, that soil seemed to have a lot of wood /peat. I am going back to bagged topsoil and mix my own with sand and perlite, which has worked very well for me in the past.

Good morning Weekender and thanks for your reply, personally I hesitate putting a seed into any kind of bagged soil. I usually start my seed in a jiffy pod and then when that new life is present, the pod and seedling goes into a small biodegradable pot of potting soil with no nutrients, similar to your method of sand & perlite, until the cotyledon leaves quit feeding her, usually when the 3rd set of real leaves appear. Then the pot with seedling goes into the rich medium.
Take are my friend.

 

[kosio bosio]

I am going backwards with my soil this spring, last few years I was with Ocean Forest and the next year Happy Frog. I had real problems with me placing the seed in the soil, this is after it has germinated in water and paper, a 1/2 white tail. About 40% of the seeds never came out of the soil, that soil seemed to have a lot of wood /peat. I am going back to bagged topsoil and mix my own with sand and perlite, which has worked very well for me in the past.

I've done a lot of seeds in Happy Frog and never had problems.
Usually Happy Frog is used for small plants (that's why there is a lot of mycorrhizal fungi and stuff that stimulate the root growth). Ocean Forest for when they get bigger.

 

[OGpapa]

I only run happy frog, then recycle it into my bulk soil. With a few additions after a hard run. This run I'm running 50/50mix recycled soil to new Happy frog, with a few additions. Just to see if I'm seeing consistent results. Ocean forest from anywhere I can source it is badbadbad. Let alone expensive as F.

Moving forward I will be building my own soil.

 

[garybo]

I only run happy frog, then recycle it into my bulk soil. With a few additions after a hard run. This run I'm running 50/50mix recycled soil to new Happy frog, with a few additions. Just to see if I'm seeing consistent results. Ocean forest from anywhere I can source it is badbadbad. Let alone expensive as F.

Moving forward I will be building my own soil.

Thanks for your post OG, now you have me wondering and I may have to reevaluate my thinking. Expensive, yes. Usually if it is costly, it should be quality.
Take care my friend.

 

[kosio bosio]

I only run happy frog, then recycle it into my bulk soil. With a few additions after a hard run. This run I'm running 50/50mix recycled soil to new Happy frog, with a few additions. Just to see if I'm seeing consistent results. Ocean forest from anywhere I can source it is badbadbad. Let alone expensive as F.

Moving forward I will be building my own soil.

Ocean Forest is the worst soil out there.
Have you tried Roots Organics 707 or Original? Royal Gold's King Mix is not a bad choice either.
Some people buy new soil for every run.
I've been adding bat guano and worm castings and the ladies always thrive outdoors.

Thanks for your post OG, now you have me wondering and I may have to reevaluate my thinking. Expensive, yes. Usually if it is costly, it should be quality.
Take care my friend.

I don't know where are you located but 707 is the best for growing outdoors (well that's my opinion).
It's not a coincidence that it has the name 707 - it's Humboldt county's telephone code.

 

[garybo]

Ocean Forest is the worst soil out there.
Have you tried Roots Organics 707 or Original? Royal Gold's King Mix is not a bad choice either.
Some people buy new soil for every run.
I've been adding bat guano and worm castings and the ladies always thrive outdoors.



I don't know where are you located but 707 is the best for growing outdoors (well that's my opinion).
It's not a coincidence that it has the name 707 - it's Humboldt county's telephone code.

I love this site, it's great to hear opinions from growers who have "wore that shirt" concerning cannabis related products that increases, and not decrease, the growth of our beloved plant.

I've checked out Roots Organics 707 on Amazon and like what I'm reading, haven't looked at Royal Gold's King yet, but will later on this evening. I've changed my mind about having Fox Farm support my ladies.
Getting ready to catch the Buc's and Cowboys game on TV in a few minutes, "go Buc's".

 

[kosio bosio]

I love this site, it's great to hear opinions from growers who have "wore that shirt" concerning cannabis related products that increases, and not decrease, the growth of our beloved plant.

I've checked out Roots Organics 707 on Amazon and like what I'm reading, haven't looked at Royal Gold's King yet, but will later on this evening. I've changed my mind about having Fox Farm support my ladies.
Getting ready to catch the Buc's and Cowboys game on TV in a few minutes, "go Buc's".

Royal Gold's King Mix and 707 are made for cannabis growing, they have very similar ingredients if not the same.
Original from Roots Organics is supposed to be tuned up 707 for cannabis growing but I still think that 707 is one of the best soils out there.

 

[BeccaBuds]

1 of 3 bags of FFOF I got was contaminated with at least three distinct organisms that should not have been in the soil and it smelled bad. One was a yellow mushroom and I have no idea what the other slimes were. I'm thinking of trying Roots Organics now... Thank you for the advise, @kosio bosio and thank you for this thread, @garybo

 

[garybo]

1 of 3 bags of FFOF I got was contaminated with at least three distinct organisms that should not have been in the soil and it smelled bad. One was a yellow mushroom and I have no idea what the other slimes were. I'm thinking of trying Roots Organics now... Thank you for the advise, @kosio bosio and thank you for this thread, @garybo

I'm with you becca, my choice is Roots Organic 707 . I've compared Roots Organics prices with my local Ace Hardware and Amazon, Ace has the lowest price, both with delivery.

 

[kosio bosio]

707 is a really good soil.
You won't regret it.
Here are some stuff that I grew straight in the bag.

 

[BeccaBuds]

awesome plants, @kosio bosio your grow is totally dialed in. That tree in the last photo is awesome. what strain is it?
I think I'm going to have Amazon ship me a couple 1.5 cu ft bags of R.O. Original. They have a good price.

 

[kosio bosio]

awesome plants, @kosio bosio your grow is totally dialed in. That tree in the last photo is awesome. what strain is it?
I think I'm going to have Amazon ship me a couple 1.5 cu ft bags of R.O. Original. They have a good price.

Thank you Becca!!!

The big tree is White Widow from seed and the greenhouse is Platinum OG.
Keep in mind that the Original is a little bit stronger than 707.
Pretty much Original is what Ocean Forest is supposed to be.
Just better quality.

 

[Weekender]

But you all by-passed my issue, I have read it is good for bigger plants and after started then place in soil XYZ. The issue is from a white tail seed to a growing medium then until it emerges and gains the first set of leaves . Just all wood in most of the custom soils.