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a few questions from a noob!

cubbieblue82

cubbieblue82

hey all!
 
i have been reading for months and am completely overwhelmed. there is so much info available out there that is becomes difficult to sift through and decide what to do.
 
i'll cut to the chase - 
 
october 2015- i have a handle on germinating. ended up way way better than i expected - my first round i used an all-in-one germination kit from a local shop. put down 50 reaper seeds expecting a horrible return rate - 47 came up. oops! ended up giving a TON away.
 
i have a handful of those plants left, but they are still quite small, even after repotting them in 3-gallon(ish) pots. small as in...under 6 inches. there just isnt enough light this time of year here in central illinois to help them come along.
 
fast forward to last week - after a ton of reading and buildup, i ordered some lights and shelving units and other stuff to put together a sort of "grow area." hoping to get the plants i have going, and will also be dropping another variety of 100-ish seeds into trays hoping for good germination rates. the plan is to get a great variety of these guys into shape and ready to move outside once the weather is good enough - april.
 
these will remain in containers of varying size as they grow forever - i do not plan to put them in the ground. i have plenty of containers from solo cups all the way up to 10gal, so i'm good there.
 
are these bulbs ok to use inside to provide 18-hour light (and a little extra heat) to the plants as they grow? http://www.lowes.com/pd_255318-3-24385_?productId=1072603
 
i'm not looking to go crazy trying to maximize every aspect of this this, simply to take some easy steps to improve what i already have. lots of clean basement space available :)
 
second major question: at what point should i move the seedlings from the trays into solo cups? is this an exact science? should i move plants between several stages of pot size, or go from tray to solo to final pot?
 
yes, i DID read the FAQ, as well as dozens of others "out there" around the web. trying to take some baby steps here :) thanks in advance for any advice anyone has to offer!!
 
justin
 
 
 
those lights are fine 
 
I usually move my seedlings to solo cup size pots when I see the roots coming out of the bottom of the plug I germinated them in.
 
I go from starter plug to solo cup size pot to final size (usually 7.5 gallon and up)
 
started in peat pods. transplant entire pods into solo/small pots once roots show. using this: http://www.lowes.com/pd_156800-446-73452300_?productId=3014448
 
have not added any fertilizers yet, but have basic "regular" miracle gro. not sure on the timing and x-y-z balances for this stuff at all - so much conflicting info out there, and almost nothing specific to this area of the USA (central IL).
 
most DEFINITELY interested in some more info in this area! thanks again guys. this forum rocks.
 
ok, will do, but what about the base? just regular potting soil..? or transplant directly into the blend?
 
and for those three things you mentioned (master blend, calcium nitrate, and epsom salt) how do you recommend to apply? alternating feedings? all at once? how often, and starting when?
 
thanks again
 
I use a soil-less medium (pro-mix hp, terra soil if you want to get really crazy!) so I fertilize with every watering. And I flush every couple weeks along with compost tea at the same interval. That medium is a little more expensive than most, but it's solid, simple and know exactly what your plant is getting. Obviously this is only a suggestion, but this is what I do. There are many, many other ways to go about it that will produce great results. But for container gardening, this is what I've settled on. 
 
 
 
ok, will do, but what about the base? just regular potting soil..? or transplant directly into the blend?
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If by "blend" you're referring to Masterblend, then no, Masterblend is a water soluble fertilizer. You should transplant your seedlings into potting soil. Most people around here seem to like Pro Mix soil but thats pricey and kinda hard to find in some areas. I've used Fafard's professional mix with good results, but in the end Miracle Gro potting soil works fine.
 
 
 
 

and for those three things you mentioned (master blend, calcium nitrate, and epsom salt) how do you recommend to apply? alternating feedings? all at once? how often, and starting when?
 
Click to expand...
You would mix all three nutrients with water and apply it to the seedlings after they have two sets of leaves. For concentration and frequency start with a very dilute solution every two weeks or so. I've never used this fertilizer myself so I'm not too sure about ratios and concentrations, but this video might be helpful.
 
Jalabenjo said:
If by "blend" you're referring to Masterblend, then no, Masterblend is a water soluble fertilizer. 
 
You would mix all three nutrients with water and apply it to the seedlings after they have two sets of leaves. For concentration and frequency start with a very dilute solution every two weeks or so. I've never used this fertilizer myself so I'm not too sure about ratios and concentrations, but this video might be helpful.
 
Click to expand...
 
that was what i meant, yes. sorry for being unclear.
 
i dont know if im quite ready to jump into this soil-less medium business. isn't there a more..."regular" and readily-available potting soil or something that would be suitable for me? if not, that's cool - i'll do what i need to do! don't these type of soil-less mediums require some kind of hydro system?
 
one of the reasons i would like to keep a nice balance between simplicity and production is because i am away on business for days (or longer) sometimes, and i don't want to have to lean on my gal to go through any precise care methods if i am away.
SteelHeat said:
You have a Menards by you? They've got pro mix there.
Click to expand...
 
i do - two in town actually, so all good there. what sort of expectations should i have for promix potting? how should i prepare and plan differently than if i were using regular pots and regular potting soil?
also - there are a few types of promix available from what i can see. what should i be looking for in the stuff?
 
don't over think it. just get some promix hp, put it in cups. water to transplant, water again when it starts looking dryer. mix half strength the fert with your water. until they go outside. 
 
The lights look good.
 
You can pot up or down at any time just don't do it too often as it shocks the plant a little. not an exact science, pot size is a matter of preference so go with whatever you want.
 
you can get chem gro hobby, that way you only have to buy one bag. (its the same thing as masterblend just pre-mixed)
 
follow up - what type of pro-mix should i be using? i see many different types (HP, MP, BX).
 
i am really excited and want to have a huge success this year! i went ahead and got the three-part fertilizer recipe ingredients that you guys had mentioned before. the thread that got linked in here with the rubbermaid gridless hydro systems is amazing. going to put together 8 or 10 of those things.
 
cubbieblue82

Posted Today, 12:46 PM

follow up - what type of pro-mix should i be using? i see many different types (HP, MP, BX).



juanitos

Posted 05 February 2016 - 05:53 PM

don't over think it. just get some promix hp, put it in cups. water to transplant, water again when it starts looking dryer. mix half strength the fert with your water. until they go outside. 
 


 
 
yep, promix HP...half strength until they get established...then full strength. I go full strength ferts well before they go outside but I start mine pretty early.
 
another question - i have a bunch of little guys right now from my first round of germination, all 4-6" and under the new lights. is it alright to use regular miracle-gro while i wait for the masterblend/calcium nitrate/magnesium sulfate to arrive, or would i cause undue stress to the plants by eventually switching? the woman i spoke with at morgan county said they are a week or so out from even processing new orders, so it could be a little while.
 
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