New peat moss grow

Armyofsprout

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
Ok guys. I started a new grow about 3 weeks ago. Due to the riots all the store had left was pure peat moss -_- . I never worked with pure peat moss before but i was like screw it im up for a challenge. Filled some starter pots with some peat moss mixed with some perlite and a little ewc. I ran outta amendments at the time so there wasnt any Nutes in the starter mix. I let them go for about 2.5 weeks i under my 100W HLG LED. Theyre pretty small but im just gonna chop that up to the mix not having enough nutes and maybe not enough perlite for root aeration.

Today i just transplanted into 5 gallons buckets under my 600W HLG and top dressed with some down to earth 4-4-4, some kelp meal and Like a tbsp of dolomite. I watered in some alaska fish fert 5-1-1 as well today to hopefully get a veg boost.

any suggestions on working with a mostly peat moss mix? My mix is probably 60% peat moss 20% perlite and 20% EWC with added kelp and mykos. I feel like i shouldve added way more perlite but i gotta deal with it now. Im just not liking the peat moss so far because the stuff is just dry and powdery as heck. Pretty sure my carbon filter cover is now clogged from all the Initial dust. Im hoping they take.

everything looks perfectly healthy. im just looking for advice with working with peat moss. Thanks

Heres the plan:

Medium - peat moss, ewc, perlite mix
light - HLG 600W LED
space - 4x4 tent
temps - 80-86 deg lights on
Humidity 43-48%
Strains - 2x sunset travelers feminized, 3x strawberry OG x sour mint (reg, praying for all fems).

Dry nutes- Down to earth 4-4-4 Vegetable mix, kelp meal 0-0-2, Mykos.... top dress with dry nutes once a month.

liquid nutes- alaskan fish fertilizer 5-1-1

Water- Tap water left sitting out then phed at 6.3-6.5
 

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potpimp

potpimp

Sector 5 Moderator
Better check your pH. Peat is VERY acidic, around 4.4. I just watched a great video this morning by Dr. Bruce Bugbee (world class cannabis grow scientist) and in his 30+ years of researching grow media he has settled on THE premier media: 50% peat moss and 50% vermiculite. It's a very worthwhile vid.
 
Armyofsprout

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
potpimp said:
Better check your pH. Peat is VERY acidic, around 4.4. I just watched a great video this morning by Dr. Bruce Bugbee (world class cannabis grow scientist) and in his 30+ years of researching grow media he has settled on THE premier media: 50% peat moss and 50% vermiculite. It's a very worthwhile vid.
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thanks for reminding me. Was just gonna do that today but forgot. Will do now
 
Armyofsprout

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
potpimp said:
Better check your pH. Peat is VERY acidic, around 4.4. I just watched a great video this morning by Dr. Bruce Bugbee (world class cannabis grow scientist) and in his 30+ years of researching grow media he has settled on THE premier media: 50% peat moss and 50% vermiculite. It's a very worthwhile vid.
Click to expand...
Omg dude you were right on the money. My plants that are super small are at 4.7-5.0 and my plants that are bigger are around 6.0-6.5. I shouldve checked beforehand but thanks. Ordering more dolomite now and gonna water with a little higher ph next time of maybe like 6.8
 
Armyofsprout

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
potpimp said:
Better check your pH. Peat is VERY acidic, around 4.4. I just watched a great video this morning by Dr. Bruce Bugbee (world class cannabis grow scientist) and in his 30+ years of researching grow media he has settled on THE premier media: 50% peat moss and 50% vermiculite. It's a very worthwhile vid.
Click to expand...
I think i messed up when i planted them because i didnt moisten the peat moss before planting and it was extremely dry and dusty and hard to water after i planted them. I dug them up today and transplanted into new soil so ill see how they do. I didnt throw the Old peat moss Away tho i just put it in a bin and tossed a couple gallons of water in it and im gonna let it sit for a couple weeks
 
L

LinguaPeel

Well-Known Member
More aeration, around 30%. Perlite is ugly but it works. Pumice (1/4-3/8) is nice. You also need a wetting agent for the peat, yucca or aloe. Also note it takes 3 weeks for [moistened] peat to fully adjusted after being limed, so don't over do it. 6pH is good for peat.
 
Armyofsprout

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
LinguaPeel said:
More aeration, around 30%. Perlite is ugly but it works. Pumice (1/4-3/8) is nice. You also need a wetting agent for the peat, yucca or aloe. Also note it takes 3 weeks for [moistened] peat to fully adjusted after being limed, so don't over do it. 6pH is good for peat.
Click to expand...
Yep all things i learned after it was too late. But now i have a bin of peat that is moist and at 6.0 and ready for my next grow. So next time around i know the peat needs to be moist and i need way more perlite. I didnt know about the wetting agent at first and i planted it dry and watered it. Wrong move
 
potpimp

potpimp

Sector 5 Moderator
Armyofsprout said:
Yep all things i learned after it was too late. But now i have a bin of peat that is moist and at 6.0 and ready for my next grow. So next time around i know the peat needs to be moist and i need way more perlite. I didnt know about the wetting agent at first and i planted it dry and watered it. Wrong move
Click to expand...
Mistakes are how we learn and it seems that we're always learning. I've personally killed more plants than I care to remember. Two great and painful lessons I've learned this year after spending well over $1K on soil, compost, manures, amendments, lumber, and sheeting, is that no matter how good your "super soil" mix is, if it doesn't drain really well you're screwed, and if the plants don't get enough sunlight you're screwed. You might lose a battle but if you don't lose the lessons it teaches you you can win the war.
 
downhill21

downhill21

Well-Known Member
potpimp said:
Better check your pH. Peat is VERY acidic, around 4.4. I just watched a great video this morning by Dr. Bruce Bugbee (world class cannabis grow scientist) and in his 30+ years of researching grow media he has settled on THE premier media: 50% peat moss and 50% vermiculite. It's a very worthwhile vid.
Click to expand...
Don’t forget, he threw a small number of micro stuff, as well. It’s almost a side reference. I watch all his stuff, & I plan on running his “recipe” next. I understand the peat concerns, but I can’t refuse to try a program settled onto by a University with a budget like his. Not to mention the cost savings over commercial soil mixes like OF or Roots.

I’m with ya Pot Pimp!
 
Armyofsprout

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
potpimp said:
Mistakes are how we learn and it seems that we're always learning. I've personally killed more plants than I care to remember. Two great and painful lessons I've learned this year after spending well over $1K on soil, compost, manures, amendments, lumber, and sheeting, is that no matter how good your "super soil" mix is, if it doesn't drain really well you're screwed, and if the plants don't get enough sunlight you're screwed. You might lose a battle but if you don't lose the lessons it teaches you you can win the war.
Click to expand...
Yeah i added a shit ton of perlite and vermiculite to my new soil mix and my plants are now as happy as can be, my water also drains a lot better and i have to water way less than before. Now my soil doesnt feel like mud when watered.
 
downhill21

downhill21

Well-Known Member
downhill21 said:
Don’t forget, he threw a small number of micro stuff, as well. It’s almost a side reference. I watch all his stuff, & I plan on running his “recipe” next. I understand the peat concerns, but I can’t refuse to try a program settled onto by a University with a budget like his. Not to mention the cost savings over commercial soil mixes like OF or Roots.

I’m with ya Pot Pimp!
Click to expand...
In addition to 50% Peat & 50% Vermiculite, Bugbee adds 40 grams of dolomite lime powder per cubic foot of medium, & 10 grams of pelletized calcium sulfate / gypsum per cubic ft. That’s all of it.
 
Overgrowtho

Overgrowtho

Well-Known Member
How did this go? I have been learning about Dr. Bugbee's growing medium and would be interested to see a follow up!!!! His system uses only chemical nutes not organic right?
 
BonnMac

BonnMac

Active Member
Curious how it turned out, as well?
I just started my first tent grow with the parameters professor Bugbee outlines in the above video.
To be honest, it was like hitting the jackpot when I stumbled across his information.
My seedling is one week old growing out of the media mix he suggests and it looks great, so far.
I really want to know where I can find 20-10-20 fertilizer in British Columbia?
 
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DaynkWigglez

DaynkWigglez

Member
I was also intrigued by this video as well as some of his others. I decided to give it a try as well. I agree! 30+ years research it's a no-brainer for me to at least give it a go! It's my 3rd grow and i wanted to try something different. I've got a couple of Moby Dick clones running the BB recipe. One of them is side by side next to another I have in Coco loco w/20 % perlite. I'm currently a little over a month in veg. I decided to try my hand at mainlining vs regular topping....that set me back approx 2 weeks but I'm excited to try out this new (for me) technique. They have definitely taken off since recovering from the mainlining, etc. I'm running his recipe with Jack's all purpose (I'm thinking that's what he was using in the vid). 1/4 tsp/gallon at each feeding. Being a newb and all Im definitely diggin how lightweight the medium is. Definitely comes in handy when watering/knowing when to water. pH holding steady at 6-6.3. I'm using 3 gallon pots to begin with so I reduced his recipe by 40%. 24 g dolomitic lime + 6 g gypsum. So far so good. If everything continues as it's been so far I'll definitely be adding his method as my hydroponic go-to.
 

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