MGOLD86's GLOG, of sorts. NEW Billy Boy Douglah Review!

S.S.Tupperware · Feb 26, 2012

I find a lot of the seed mixes compact mand stay too wet for me, I like the cheap 2 dollar stuff with some pearlite added, It work well for me and is cheap. I did find once i planted out of starter mix, they turned around rather quickly... Good Luck.

PaulG · Feb 26, 2012

+1 a little perlite goes a long way. I like horticultural pumice as well,
tougher cuz it's a rock, I guess!

MGOLD86 · Feb 26, 2012

I use a bit of pearlite in my Promix. It is great stuff, but it has the tendency (in my experience) to hold onto the water.

I repotted 8 seedlings that looked halfway decent from the Hoffman's flat into some 3oz cups of Promix. I hit them with a bit of ferts last night a la Spicy Chicken. My goal is to take the salvageable ones from the Hoffman's and put them in 3oz cups of Promix to try to save em. A while back I took a few and put them in 3x3x5" pots and they are looking halfway decent, however, I should have put them in a smaller container as they needed to develop a rootball.

I feel a bit like Paul, except Paul is experimenting with healthy plants and I am using the "untouchables"....

Just keepin my fingers crossed I can get some good looking plants to plant out. They still have about 2 months before I put them in the ground, but I am planning on building some sort of minigreen house to start bringing them outside mid March through April to give them a little boost.

Spicy Chicken · Feb 26, 2012

Now its all in time, depending upon how small and how damaged they were, It may take some time before all is well, but there should be a daily noticeable difference.

Siliman · Feb 26, 2012

MGold, some good points in your glog. I've had good luck with Hoffmans as a starter mix and never had it turn to mud. Seedlings grow great, but sometimes growth lags. So I've often thought maybe I was relying too much on bottom watering--a nice drench from the top would be good, per Spicy Chickens technique, and maybe poking the mix to aerate.

Also good point about ProMix, which I use for my first pot-up: it does hold water longer than I'd like. I think I'll incorporate more perlite next time.

I have one last small wave of pepper seeds to start--I'll run a side by side comparo of Hoffmans and ProMix BX just for grins. The Hoffmans is really expensive for me to have it shipped--hopefully the ProMix performs as well. Will let you know.

patrick · Feb 26, 2012

Matt I hope your fix takes care of things and the rest of them get it in gear.

I like ProMix but not for germinating seeds, too many chunks. I tried a Jiffy seed starting mix this year for the first time. I won't be using it next year.

Spicy Chicken · Feb 26, 2012

This is just an observation, but at this point I have now transplanted at least 400 seedling and one thing that I noticed was the plants that looked the worst had one long root that had grown out the bottom of the cell and into the water; some as long as 6 inches. If the water had enough O2 that would not be an issue; hence hydroponics, but the stagnant water from bottom watering I feel is detrimental to their health. The ones that looked the best had a nice little root ball contained within the cell, that is why I will bottom water for wicking saturation and after they emerge I will definitely be top watering to promote growth within the cell. make sense?

MGOLD86 · Feb 27, 2012

@sil- Thanks I am hoping to get this under control and it may help others with similar issues (although looking around at the other GLogs, I don't think they are having any problems lol). I used Promix last season in some containers and after a heavy rain I don't think they ever dried out. So this year I am mixing in the perlite to help it drain better. So far it is working great for me.

@Patrick- I know it is a bit "chunky" but to help with that I spread it out in a flat bin and use my hands to break up the chunks a bit and get rid of most of the sticks and stuff. So far I really like it. If things go well then I will probably stick with it. Don't wanna start messing with something that isn't broken...

@SC- that is really interesting because that is exactly what I have. I will post a snap or two later, but there is a really long root that grows out of the flat into the bottom. You said that by top watering it will promote growth in the cell? Maybe I will switch it up a bit. I have that watering pump so I can avoid the foliage. Also, when do you start to feed? True leaves, when they pop, when you pot up? Just curious. I havet fed the Promix flat and I know that it is pretty much a neutral, medium. They cotyledons should carry them through to pot up, but just curious on your methods. I am pretty patient with this newest batch so I am not really "Jumping" at getting them fed.

I would like to hear some other thoughts on this as well. I know a lot of people swear by bottom watering, do they have that huge root hanging out through the cell?

I'll post some photos later.

gnslngr · Feb 29, 2012

Great stuff Matt-I tend to agree withe bottom watering conclusion, and go with top watering via spray application, avoiding foliage.Damn I hate being away from the little guys right now.

Siliman · Feb 29, 2012

I'm not giving up bottom watering, but I think I'll do an occasional drench from the top. This should inject more oxygen and flush out unused ferts that might be building up. The bottom watering is so convenient-- and nice to maintain a drier top layer most of the time as a guard against fungus gnats (I was traumatized by those bastids last year).

Started up a few cells of peppers to compare Hoffman's vs ProMix BX, will post up results in a few weeks on my glog. Took MGolds advice and crunched or screened some of perlite in the ProMix. I also started onions and will soon start tomatoes in the ProMix. Some plants (including some pepper types) just power through whatever the medium.

romy6 · Feb 29, 2012

I have never bottom watered and always had excellent results. I keep my soil pretty moist when they are small. The dirt I start with is the same that I grow with. My main advantage is I only grow outside so it easier for me to control the moisture levels.

I have pretty large chunks of pine and sticks with no ill effects!

Sethsquatch · Mar 1, 2012

Matt - got a question for you and I apologize in advance if this was covered and I missed it. Are you mixing any soil with the Promix? I was at the hydroponics store for way to long today talking to the owner and he suggested I mix the Promix with a bag of happy frog soil. I was just curious if you were using the Promix straight out of the bag or were amending it.

MGOLD86 · Mar 1, 2012

Hey Seth, I am using straight PromixBX with some pearlite mixed in. So far it is working great for me. I replanted about 20 from the Hoffman's flat into 3oz cups of Promix, and in the past 3 or 4 days there is a noticeable difference.

I am gonna post a proper update this weekend if the wife doesn't go into labor, but basically, everything is looking good for once. I replanted about 6 or 8 a few weeks back into some 3.5 x 5" pots and they are putting out new growth, but they should have gone to a smaller container first. Some of the growth is kinda wrinkly and I may have burned em a bit with some E Salts, but they are still growing and looking pretty decent. I am pretty excited, inpatient, but still excited. I have the African TD this weekend, so between that and doing a proper update, I should be spending some quality time here with you guys.

MGOLD86 · Mar 4, 2012

Alright, here's the proper update...

I couldn't be happier with the Promix. I know that others have used Hoffman's with great results, but I am gonna stick with Promix. It is what works for me, and if there is one thing that everyone harps on, it is STICK WITH WHAT YOU KNOW! Ok, before I bore you with words, here is some photos to keep your nether-regions happy...

My Biker Billy's are really happy:

Yellow Habalokia:

Maui Purple:

I decided to pull everything that looked like it could make it out of the Hoffman's flat from last week. I am super happy with that decision.

TS Morouga

Notice that it was missing a Coty...It is spitting out new growth and I feel like a little kid. So happy I made the change.

A few weeks ago I thought that maybe my problem was they needed more room to grow. I was wrong, but changing the soil has allowed them to grow...

Naga Morich:

Choc Bhut:

I am pretty damn happy about the change. I think things are actually going the right way for the first time. Every other time, things just look good for a week, and then DIE! This time I think that they are gonna continue to go well.

I am uploading the video now, will have it to share tomorrow.

Thanks for reading!
Matt

stc3248 · Mar 4, 2012

So glad you turned it around! I am in the same boat...and actually had to raise the lights tonight, but not because I thought they were roasting, instead because they've grown so much a couple were almost touching them! It is a great feeling. The wife keeps asking me how long I can just stand there and stare at them...not long enough is always my answer.

Happy for you brother!
Shane

Maxsack331 · Mar 4, 2012

sweet, they look great.. glad everything is working out for you, I think I am going to use of what I have left of the Hoffman's this year and then do Promix next year.. the Hoffmans is working for me for the most part this year, but the growth is just really slow it seems once they sprout.. and I'm not sure why.. although the top watering is helping out now

stc3248 said:
The wife keeps asking me how long I can just stand there and stare at them...not long enough is always my answer.

haha so true, I always keep checking them and looking at them, as if one is going to pop up all of a sudden in front of me, or sprout a new leaf lol

stc3248 · Mar 4, 2012

Maxsack331 said:
sweet, they look great.. glad everything is working out for you, I think I am going to use of what I have left of the Hoffman's this year and then do Promix next year.. the Hoffmans is working for me for the most part this year, but the growth is just really slow it seems once they sprout.. and I'm not sure why.. although the top watering is helping out now

haha so true, I always keep checking them and looking at them, as if one is going to pop up all of a sudden in front of me, or sprout a new leaf lol

They don't do that for you??? You must not be singing to them...

SocalChilehead · Mar 4, 2012

That is awesome turn around Matt they look great and happy.

Spicy Chicken · Mar 4, 2012

Very proud of you young man, this thread is more important then the the glogs that are with plants that are perfect and lush, anyone visiting here will see the trials and tribulations that come with first time grow and learn much, but overall they will see that perseverance is the key to success. You posted the good and the bad which is awesome and now others will take away from this a never give up attitude.

Great come back and wish you nothing but good on this years grow season!

Cheers, -Jeff

megahot · Mar 4, 2012

Lookin good my friend!!! Glad things are going well for ya now!!! Wont be long till your munchin on some peppers at this rate!