This is a spin off of the "Which Fox Farms product is the best thread. Here's my plan folks and need a little input. I will begin potting up between 200 - 300 plants soon. I could not decide between Ocean Forest and Happy Frog. I like the nute content of OF but the beneficial microbes of HF so I'm gonna mix em, 50/50. I also want to add perlite as well as a little extra oyster shell. My questions are as follows, how much perlite should I mix in? and I have no experience with perlite whatsoever how much should I mix in? Also it comes in different sizes what size should I use?I will be potting into 3.5 x 4.0 pots if that matters.
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OC + HF @ 50/50 + perlite?
- Thread starter Spankyscolts
- Start date
Capsicum
Banned
Get "chunky" perlite. Sounds like a good mix. Oyster shells up PH so only use a little, it does the same thing as lime so watch out becasue those soils already are balanced but a little wont hurt. As far as the perlite goes it is really up to you. Perlite will just give you higher air porosity, if you add a lot you will need to be on top of water/fertilizer more but an increased harvest.
I think you should not use too much perlite. I would say add 10% to the mix.
If you did not get the soil yet and want to take a economic approach considering you have such large ammount of plants, then use the following: 3.0 cu ft compressed bale of peat,, your soil, huge bag of pertlite, oyster shells to balance the ph of the additional peatmoss. When I add peat to a mix I use 2 tbl sp of lime per gal of peat to make it 6-7ph, not sure about shells.
Happy growing.
BTW:I should add you can just use pro mix BX in place of the Peatmoss for that mix but then do not use much shells.
What kind of fertilizer will you be using?
I think you should not use too much perlite. I would say add 10% to the mix.
If you did not get the soil yet and want to take a economic approach considering you have such large ammount of plants, then use the following: 3.0 cu ft compressed bale of peat,, your soil, huge bag of pertlite, oyster shells to balance the ph of the additional peatmoss. When I add peat to a mix I use 2 tbl sp of lime per gal of peat to make it 6-7ph, not sure about shells.
Happy growing.
BTW:I should add you can just use pro mix BX in place of the Peatmoss for that mix but then do not use much shells.
What kind of fertilizer will you be using?
Get "chunky" perlite. Sounds like a good mix. Oyster shells up PH so only use a little, it does the same thing as lime so watch out becasue those soils already are balanced but a little wont hurt. As far as the perlite goes it is really up to you. Perlite will just give you higher air porosity, if you add a lot you will need to be on top of water/fertilizer more but an increased harvest.
I think you should not use too much perlite. I would say add 10% to the mix.
If you did not get the soil yet and want to take a economic approach considering you have such large ammount of plants, then use the following: 3.0 cu ft compressed bale of peat,, your soil, huge bag of pertlite, oyster shells to balance the ph of the additional peatmoss. When I add peat to a mix I use 2 tbl sp of lime per gal of peat to make it 6-7ph, not sure about shells.ad
Happy growing.
Man I didn't think about PH with the ground oyster shell ... crap just trying to head off the cal problems that come with the territory when growing pep-pep--peppers !
Capsicum
Banned
A little will not hurt but only use a little. What kind of fertilizer will you be using?
" just trying to head off the cal problems "
The soil already has Ca/Mg in it because of the shells already in it. But you will need more:
Gypsum= Ca/S
Epsom Salts= Mg
That would cover it right there with out effecting ph, it is what I use.
" just trying to head off the cal problems "
The soil already has Ca/Mg in it because of the shells already in it. But you will need more:
Gypsum= Ca/S
Epsom Salts= Mg
That would cover it right there with out effecting ph, it is what I use.
Now regarding the Perlite/soil ratio, question is how the current mix without perlite works for you, if it is already well aerated or not. In my case, the soil here in Czech Republic is usually heavy, so a 30% of perlite volume added to the mix is not unusual for indoor/seedlings growing, 15-20% for the outdoor mix. I love what perlite does to the root aeration and health, but it also means the soil dries out faster, so a daily check of the plants is neccessary during sunny and warm days.