Finally ramped up the nerve to start a grow journal. I figured it was best to document the soil I am using which is loosely based on Coot’s.
Anyway, specs of the hardware first. I was using a 3x3x6 tent which I found lacking in height and so have moved my grow into a 35x78x96 closet. I am running 600w HID in a cooltube, using 15G hard pots to which I’ve had to add more drainage holes.
Soil mix is as follows:
50% Promix HP
50% EWC into which I added perlite to give it a consistent fluffiness as the Promix although I could have used more.
As for amendments (per cu.ft.):
1 c blood meal
1 c bone meal
2 c kelp meal
1 c alfalfa meal
1 c ground eggshell
1 c oystershell flour
1/2 c dolimitic lime
1/2 c mineralized phosphate.
This was moistened with LAB and left alone for ~3 weeks. The first cycle went fine although the PP hermied on me.
For the current 2nd cycle I top dressed with Neem meal, Karanja cake and ground malted barley, moistened with LAB then lightly watered with molasses tea once.
Punch Pie June 8 sprout:
Afghani 1 May 5 sprout:
Both were sprouted in peat pots filled with used soil. Now that I know the soil can germinate without any deficiencies or toxicities, I think I will try sowing future seeds into their final pots. It should work as long as I can manage my watering practices. Also using timothy hay for mulch as I can’t find a source of straw in the quantity I need.
Cheers.