Beginner Misconceptions

I think my first mistake that I made was thinking that I needed to add stuff (nutes) to a living soil, before the Plant could use any in the first place. I may have caused a nitrogen toxicity to my plants by adding things directly after transplanting from MG Organic soil to Sohum. But my favorite thing is I learned something from this experience so I don’t do it again or right away.

What do you all think are common Misconceptions?

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I think you are spot on with this. I learned the hard way, too. The other thing I learned NOT to do is that water and not watering matters. It only takes once with fungus gnats. Well, in my personal experience, anyway.

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One of the biggest misconceptions I had as a beginner when I started is that cannabis didn’t need oxygen. My first indoor grow ever I used some tightly packed soil and didn’t aerate any of my feedings. (Used the same soil straight from my backyard that I would plant into for outdoor)

I wondered why my plant wouldn’t grow right and why the soil was smelling bad even though I made sure it was dry up to my first knuckle between waterings.

Realized I got root rot because the soil had no air flow and was retaining moisture in the root zone.

Every indoor grow since I made sure to have good aeration in my soil and I aerate all waterings and feedings.

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Agreed on this!!! I have to say, not one person ever taught me the importance of aeration. I didn’t hear about it until I started a class.

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What do you use to aerate your plants?

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@Adcrag I just make sure i have plenty of coco coir, peat, wood debris, perlite, and vermiculite so there’s good drainage and air can get into the soil to the roots.

I also use an aquarium air pump with an air stone to aerate my waterings and feedings for 24 hours before I water or feed.

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If I’m using soil, can any of those items be added to soil & not damage the roots

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@Adcrag yes. All of those items I listed are common items used to amend soil for aeration and water retention.

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Is any one item better than the other when I mix it in with my soil how much do I add?

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I do everything that @MDBuds said. I learned early on the importance of oxygenating my water, it also helps keep the bad bugs away. I also aerate my soil occasionally, when needed with a fork. I literally just stab the earth as if I had a proper hay fork outside. I also use a lot of biodiversity techniques that aren’t as popular, but seems to be spot on for helping maintain the water/natural silica balance in my soil. My last grow was ruined (to include my entire indoor farm project) mostly because I let life get in the way, but also because I had fungus gnats from hell due to our a/c breaking midway through. Sorry that I’m so longwinded, but it was a hard lesson.

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@Adcrag I personally prefer perlite and coco coir. I use about 25% perlite and coco coir to 75% of my mulch/soil/compost.

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@adcrag I would also save it for next grow since you already planted. Aerating your waterings and feedings will help and using a stick or pencil you can poke holes in the soil to aerate.

You have to add the coco coir and perlite when you mix your soil before planting.

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Lol my very first mistake was watering, I did soooo much reading online and from a multitude of places and ppl growing different ways it was like collecting different handfuls of puzzle peices from a bunch of different puzzles and then try put them together…that was so confusing that I didnt know what to do any more than when I started lol

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Oh, and when I physically aerate, I let it literally air out for a bit to get the gas exchange sorted. I found that watering right after, there can be a bit of a protest.

PS: This is my experience indoors only, I have no experience outdoors. I do have faith, if anything else.

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Ok, I will discard soil after this grow & amend my soil. Trying to decide what I’m growing next. Magnum auto fem, zittles auto or gelato og auto. Like to do all three, but I’m growing 3x3x80.

Thoughts

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You can do 3 autos in 3x3x80 easy.

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I myself am using a 2’x4’ and am thinking I have enough room for 4 auto plants pretty easy. Im using Sohum as my medium. I had a nitrogen deficiency that I have flushed out. Hopefully anyways. I’ve also bought a second ph reader to double check every mix and water. My non HGCC lucky seed gifts have had a rough 3 weeks with my novice skills. But in turn, I learned more while searching for the solution. Im grateful for that.

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Which would be best for beginners to use? super soil, living or luck lol

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That would depend: Inside or outside?

inside for sure. I cant grow outside yet . unless we growing pine trees lol

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