FFOF ( Fox Farms Ocean Forest ) made Simple - Autoflower

Gemtree

Well-Known Member
I gotta be honest. I'm high. I have read this now 5 times and I still can't seem to wrap my mind around what you are actually asking.

I'm sorry lol
Haha they're asking why do people use more p and k in flower but he doesn't with fox farm. Not everyone thinks added p and k is necessary but you could topdress some dr earth flower girl nutes or similar if you wanted higher organic p and k.
 

Wizzlebiz

Well-Known Member
Haha they're asking why do people use more p and k in flower but he doesn't with fox farm. Not everyone thinks added p and k is necessary but you could topdress some dr earth flower girl nutes or similar if you wanted higher organic p and k.
Thank you.
 

Budzbuddha

Well-Known Member
@Budzbuddha one thing about all of this that confuses me is the nutrients already in the soil. Why do people switch ratios of nutes when going from veg to flower when using bottle nutes, yet the ocean forest can sustain from veg through flower with a higher N % through the plants entire life..?
Thats the big mystery ... recharging the SAME SOIL is all it needs yet some people decide to flood medium with bottles and supplements.

Although there are times when some strains are a bit hungrier in PK - which can be handled with minor supplement ( kelp , etc. ) not a cartoon nute bottle.
 

stuy

New Member
Flower girl is organic so that’s nice vs megacrop. But man Ive tried flower girl and it didnt seem to be working for me. Im going to try megacrop as the images people post of their autos w megacrop look insane. Care to describe why you like flower girl more? Is it because megacrop requires mixing vs flowergirl topdress?
 

SteakBags

Well-Known Member
Thats the big mystery ... recharging the SAME SOIL is all it needs yet some people decide to flood medium with bottles and supplements.

Although there are times when some strains are a bit hungrier in PK - which can be handled with minor supplement ( kelp , etc. ) not a cartoon nute bottle.
Would you use any of the tea recipes from the organics threads, if plants show signs of being hungry?

The banana peel tea has me intrigued
 

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UptownGirl202

Active Member
Quick Update**
The Girls Are 13 weeks. No major changes except the triconomes are very cloudy and amber (About 10 percent) Thinking of chopping the 3 oldest plants this week. Figured I post pics and ask for some feedback. @Budzbuddha I looked up several post where you spoke/ commented on the Drying/Curing process. Was wondering if you had a specific post where you broke down the process in detail. Leaning towards the brown paper bag method. Want to do my ladies justice in reguards to the drying/curing process....just want to keep things as simple as possible. Any feedback/ advice will as ALWAYS greatly appreciated. (Last 2 pics are of my Gorilla Glue Auto. She still needs some more time)
 

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marsormai

Member
So I am starting a new grow this weekend with four autoflowers- gonna be trying a window grow. Im in the northeastern part of the states so will see how that goes, its a little late in the season, may have to compensate and use some powerful led throughout the end of the flowering stage.

I want to try your method as I have a bunch of FF ocean soil from my last grow. I am interested in starting up with three-gallon grow bags and would like to use some nutrients for the first time. If i wanted to try the Dry Ammend, do you know have any recommendation for fertilisers that arent Dr. Earth LIFE or Megacrop ? I cant find both of these anywhere online and its not an option to go to the nursery right now.
 

marsormai

Member
ALSO, I would love to try to use your top feed method. So after reading this entire thread this is what I am understanding is the most basic way to top feed the plants.

1. More FFOS
2. 25% Perlite mixed in
3. myco

Anything I am missing or not understanding? You don't mix nutrients in the feeding right? Also wasn't really clear if I should mix other types of soils with the FFOS for feeding.
 

xtian13

New Member
Love this thread!

I just started an OG Kush x Clear Skies Autoflower using a blend of FFOF, Sunshine Mix 4, and pumice. (Local stores were sold out of perlite). I just planted the seed straight to the pot yesterday.

For my first plant in the pics (bag seed from some fire I bought long ago...also seed straight to pot), I started with only Sunshine Mix 4 and Bu's Blend from Malibu Compost. Veg pic was around 6 weeks old I think.

For at least the first month, maybe even longer, I ONLY watered. That's it. Eventually in veg, I started feeding MaxiGro, and in first week of bloom, I did 50/50 MaxiGro and FloraNova Bloom. Now, I'm about 2 weeks into bloom and have started using other nutes too, but I REALLY REALLY like what I'm learning here...and wonder if I should have stayed simple.

I wonder if this first plant did so well because of how similar it is to OP's KISS method? First plant may not have been FFOF, but SS4 has myco and that seems to be important from what I'm learning here?

Hope my story lends some credence to this thread. Even though I did eventually use nutes, I still feel like the success has been from the simple foundation the plant had when young? (or just beginner's luck lolol)
 

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This thread was created to help those who seem to overthink the ease of use of this highly ammended bag soil. I see many growers both new and experienced seem to post “ issues “ when trying to run this medium.

I am merely showing a simple no frills method of container / bag grows for autos. Since feeding requirements will be for average 90 ( + or - ) day average for autoflower growth , this will fit it perfectly.

No multi bottle nonsense ... No special water requirements ( use tap ) ... No boosters


FFOF is one of the most complete “ off the shelf “ bagged medium one can by ..... ready to use alone.
Other growers I talked with , mentioned regional differences among stock.

Ingredients: Composted forest humus, sphagnum peat moss, Pacific Northwest sea-going fish emulsion, crab meal, shrimp meal, earthworm castings, sandy loam, perlite, bat guano, granite dust, Norwegian kelp, and oyster shell (for pH adjustment).

Medium is prebuffered to 6.3 .

View attachment 4395504

I will list 2 versions of soil setup .......

1. Plain FFOF soil run only
2. Pelletized dry nute ammended ( self feed )


Begin with the final container size you wish to run ...... I run 1 gallon SOG bags and 3/5 gallon plastic black or air pots ( air prune ). Smart bags will work also. You will be planting directly to pot. You can also grow a seedling in a solo with a seed starter mix and plant as plug into this medium too. But for this , I will show you that FFOF is not quite as hot to seedlings as some report.

You will NOT be feeding the seedling at all with outside Nutes. It will feed on its own from the medium only and will acclimate “ faster and easier “ than dropping more Nutes on top of this charged medium.

Water :

TAP
( whether allowed to vape off 24 hours or not ) it will work. No RO , distilled , holy water , unicorn sweat or other “ special “ water sources. Your ONLY REQUIREMENT is to PH correctly.
PH range for entire autoflower run : 6.3 to 6.5 ( No more No less ) .

Soil is pretty aerated on its own but works much better with added perlite. I tend to shoot for 25% minimum more by volume of medium used.

I am using a simple 1 gallon grow bag for a SOG grow of 9 plants for a tent I am running. However adjust your volume of perlite to container size you choose.

View attachment 4395521 View attachment 4395522

Your mix should resemble something like this ....

View attachment 4395524

This bag is half filled AND HERE IS WHERE YOU CAN RUN TWO DIFFERENT VARIATIONS.

1. Fill remainder with same mix .
2. Add a tablespoon of Dry Fertilizer ( Dr. Earth 5-5-5 or megacrop 1 tsp ).


When running FFOF solo .... I merely MIST this half fill with water to hydrate it , then cover fill to top.

For Dry Ammend : I am using Dr. Earth LIFE fertilizer ( 5-5-5 ) or Megacrop
This method is similar to Canucks grow method using dry fertilizer and coco grows he does with autoflowers.

Note : I found Dr. Earth LIFE at the 99¢ ( half off ) in 1 gallon bags ! .... needless to say I grabbed a few .
Dr. Earth Fruit and Veg and Flower Girl are both good options also.

For some LED grows : CalMag “ may “ be needed occasionally and will only need be added 1tsp per gallon of water before use.

View attachment 4395530 View attachment 4395531 View attachment 4395533
View attachment 4395541

FFOF by itself will carry an auto for weeks on its own ........ on water only. The pelletized feed will self charge and supplement myco as plant moves thru bloom. The alternate method is merely top dressing FFOF in those grows running bag FFOF only.

I do not flush or leach medium upon final weeks ..... I merely continue watering requirements.
NO FRILLS .

You will find the plants prefer feeding on its own terms instead of dumping a brew all over it .

Just keep your PH in range and you will see how well this bagged soil does.

Hope this helps. PEACE.

Newb here, only my third grow ever. First time with autos. I'm thinking I am just going to use Ocean Forrest and pH my water that I use. Do I HAVE to have the dry nutes or can I just water it? I used the Fox farm trio on my first 2 photo period grows. But I know autos are somewhat sensetive and I read your article and was just wondering what you think? Will it work with just water? Or do you think I should ABSOLUTELY use the dry amended nutrients?
 

SteakBags

Well-Known Member
Newb here, only my third grow ever. First time with autos. I'm thinking I am just going to use Ocean Forrest and pH my water that I use. Do I HAVE to have the dry nutes or can I just water it? I used the Fox farm trio on my first 2 photo period grows. But I know autos are somewhat sensetive and I read your article and was just wondering what you think? Will it work with just water? Or do you think I should ABSOLUTELY use the dry amended nutrients?
you can continue to top dress
 
Awesome thread. Noob here. Getting ready for 1st grow, once my garage cools below 90*F.
#1. Top dress=adding more soil to top of pot, watering. Plant gets nutes out of the new soil. Amending=adding a pellet fert to top, slightly mixing, then water as normal. Correct?

#2 At what stage do you start adding #1? how do you know, by looks? obviously this would come w/experience.

# 3 Hard Tap water or RO? I live in an area where water is hard, 279ppm out of the hose. My pool tile hates me. Have whole house water softener & RO. Use hose water or RO?

#4 Lately, for the OP, in the instructions for filling the pot w/soil. You fill half full w/FFOF mixure & spray to moisten. If using Dr Life, do i then add 1tlb spoon, then fill pot w/other half of soil mixture?

Thank you!
 

stonerlyfe420

New Member
hey whats up guys new to the page and new to the grow life was wondering if i could use this potting method with auto's in auto pots? ANY INFO WOULD BE AWESOME GUYS THANKS
 

SpliffHuxtable

New Member
I've purchased FFOF and am trying to avoid buying a bag of HF or LW for the seedling plug.

Would it be ill advised to flush out some of the nutes with pH water, in a smaller amount of FFOF/perlite mix ( separate from my larger pot) so that the seed does not go directly into FFOF?

Will this even work with an organic soil, to make it less hot?

Trying to keep this as simple as possible
 

xtian13

New Member
I've purchased FFOF and am trying to avoid buying a bag of HF or LW for the seedling plug.

Would it be ill advised to flush out some of the nutes with pH water, in a smaller amount of FFOF/perlite mix ( separate from my larger pot) so that the seed does not go directly into FFOF?

Will this even work with an organic soil, to make it less hot?

Trying to keep this as simple as possible
I doubt you need to flush. I have seedlings that sprouted around August 30th in FFOF/HF mixed with pumice. (perlite was all out) Seedlings are doing great and looking healthy. I haven't tried planting straight into FFOF but I don't see why you'd have an issue...
 
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