fertilizer Growing mediums, fertilizers, soil, etc.

R

RedF

Im  a new grower
 
What do you guys recommend using to grow your peppers? I find too much conflicting advice when i look online. Whats a simple effective way to grow for a small setup ( only a few plants)
 
So far, i use peat moss mixed with mushroom compost with a little bit of potting soil added, since peat moss drys out so quickly. And i have fish emulsion for fertilizer. 
 
Do you guys add anything else to your soil to keep them healthy, give better yield or anything like that?
 
For ease  of use, It's hard to beat Fox Farm's  Ocean Forest.  For young plants at least. I've never brought a plant to maturity in it. At about $20 to fill 2-3 5 gal bucket, it can get pricey fast.
 
Fish emulsion  and your mix  maybe just fine until the bloom phase then maybe some kelp and  guano for a boost. I finally studied up on making organic potting mediums last year and they have worked very well for me. Before that my efforts were very much hit or miss.
 
One of my favorite aspects of growing is soil study and development.
 
Good Luck for 2015 and welcome to THP!
 
Are you growing containers,ground,ect? Little more info,these dudes on here can answer anything. 
 
If youre just growing a few plants and want to keep it simple. Use what you have or you can get easily. Lowes,garden centers,nurseries,ect,ect.You can grow almost anythig in anything.
 Youre going to want to add some fert and pests at times.
 
 
 
Just read my comment :rolleyes: I promise you will get better answers :rofl:
 
sicman said:
Are you growing containers,ground,ect? Little more info,these dudes on here can answer anything. 
 
If youre just growing a few plants and want to keep it simple. Use what you have or you can get easily. Lowes,garden centers,nurseries,ect,ect.You can grow almost anythig in anything.
 Youre going to want to add some fert and pests at times.
 
 
 
Just read my comment :rolleyes: I promise you will get better answers :rofl:
Click to expand...
yes im growing in containers
 
For someone growing just a few plants and wanting something that's pretty much guaranteed to work, I'd second the Ocean Forest suggestion.  I used it for my young plants this spring with great results.  It's neither the cheapest, not the absolute best, but it's certainly 'good enough,' and should provide enough nutes to keep the plants happy for most of the season.  It's also popular enough to be available just about everywhere.  The same company's 'Happy Frog' mix is a little cheaper and apparently about as good.
 
The prices varies from store to store, so shop around.  Hydro/weed stores will likely have it, as will some nurseries and farm stores.
http://foxfarmfertilizer.com/index.php/frontpage/locations-retailers.html

There is SO much information (and opinion!) out there!  ;)
 
This guy has a few potting soil shoot-outs on his channel. 
 
https://www.youtube.com/user/BrightGreenThumb/videos
 
This looks interesting
etc.
 
There's a guy on THP who uses $1.99 potting soil mixed with bark fines.  He uses a liquid fert the name of which I can't remember.  His plants are exemplary of potted plants.  Another guy uses every organic amendment available, and had a substandard harvest this past season (blamed it on the weather), bad enough that he's pulling back on peppers all together, and refocusing his efforts on weed.  You ask a very broad question that will get you broad answers.  Visit the glogs here, find someone with nice container plants, and follow their advice.  That's what I would do.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, visit the glog of PIC1. I believe he's from your own State. His plants and harvests are second to none. Do what he does.
 
Your soil mix sounds fine really. Vermicompost is a good addition to any mix, a good humic input and increases disease/pest resistance. If it's a bit dry, vermiculite holds water quite well (also why I hate it :D but I live in a totally different climate). Another one or two part nutrient with higher PK to N ratio would be handy, as mentioned above.
 
If you do branch out, KISSISSIPPI. Or just KISS. There are organic mixes with over 30 ingredients and fertilizer regimes with 30 bottles ;) I never understand that.
 
I just purchased a bag of Plagron Batmix. It's a soilmix with peat, perlite, guano and wormcastings (quite expensive at 12 euro for 50 liters / 15 bucks per 13 gallons). I thought I'd give it a try and see if it works better than regular potting mix that I'm using (I tend to add some sowingm ix and  perlite to lighten the soil.. and start with nutes earlier).
 
 
The ingredients are white peat, black peat, fibrous peat, perlite, worm manure, peruvian bat guano and it has a pH of 6.5 - 7.2 which seems rather high.
 
Plagron® Batmix is composed of the finest, carefully selected types of peat. By adding various types of fiber and perlite in a lightness and oxygen level that you can expect of Plagron quality earth alone. The abundant presence of Plagron® worm humus guarantees a high biological life, and an even further improvement of the water flow. The most important nutrient to the Batmix is added is bat manure (Peruvian bat guano).
 
The reason for my choice? I had plants in a regular mix that did "normal", plants in a self made mix that did "better".. plants in a self made mix with added nutes that did "good" and plants that I discarded (but put in compost to see if they would do something) that did GREAT.  So I'm really interested in what this stuff will do.
 
Roguejim said:
There's a guy on THP who uses $1.99 potting soil mixed with bark fines.  He uses a liquid fert the name of which I can't remember.  His plants are exemplary of potted plants.  Another guy uses every organic amendment available, and had a substandard harvest this past season (blamed it on the weather), bad enough that he's pulling back on peppers all together, and refocusing his efforts on weed.  You ask a very broad question that will get you broad answers.  Visit the glogs here, find someone with nice container plants, and follow their advice.  That's what I would do.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, visit the glog of PIC1. I believe he's from your own State. His plants and harvests are second to none. Do what he does.
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thanks for the help. ill check him out
 
Good drainage and soil structure are key things you are looking for in a growing medium, whether it is soil or soilless as opposed to how many amendments are in the bag and whether it is pre-fertilized or not. Although mixes like FFOF do make things easy.
 
Promix BX is a good choice as well if you can foot the bill, as it already contains bacterial colonization for root growth and conversion of nutrients.
 
However, no bagged soil mix will ever be as good as a garden soil that you've been amending for years with all sorts of goodies like compost and other organic material.
 
Roguejim said:
Another guy uses every organic amendment available, and had a substandard harvest this past season (blamed it on the weather), bad enough that he's pulling back on peppers all together, and refocusing his efforts on weed. 
Click to expand...
No, I am just not that excited about growing a bunch of peppers anymore and we are in a drought as you know my friend.
I think that's part of the reason they were not that great last year as I just didn't really put any effort into growing them as I have in the past.
My passion has broadened and I enjoy growing other things better.
 
PS I will be growing a few Thai Dragons this year in the second year of the soil mix and they have had cover crops growing in them so I am interested in seeing what happens.
 
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