Preparation of Freedom Farms F1 Soil medium

[Dookie69]

Hi guys

 

I’m prepping an indoors auto grow using Freedom Farms F1 (white bag with green writing).

The instructions are not absolutely clear as to whether they refer to pre-planting prep or ongoing maintenance of the medium.

Can anyone suggest what needs to be done to the medium Prior to planting germinated seeds? What PH should I aim for? Runoff EC?

My last (and first) grow was in Coco and I don’t think the medium was “good to go” even though I was assured it would be.

The instructions on the bag as follows:

 

“Add growing medium to container. Plant and water thoroughly with a balanced salt based nutrient solution (EC=1.2). Allow soil to dry 75% before rehydrating soil with clean water (PH 5.5-6.2) Follow or modify the F1 nutrient schedule for follow up applications.”

 

Their web site suggests alternating watering and feeding.

 

I know Autos prefer light feedings so I’m edgy about the EC suggested (1.2)

 

Might be worth mentioning I’ll be using Autopots with Airdomes for the grow, and T.A (GHE) Flora nutrient schedule for “Soil”, probably at 50% the recommended dosage.

 

 

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[PsyCLown]

Welcome!

 

I do not have any experience using Formula 1 however why not consider using coco and perlite instead?

I wouldn't recommend you start feeding autoflower seedlings with an EC of 1.2, I would say start lower and slowly increase it as they get bigger.

 

With my coco and perlite, I generally use fertigation so the plants are constantly getting fed with nutes. When I water by hand I also only feed nutes. I never flush my plants and have yet to experience any negative side effects.

I generally aim for a PH range of 5.9 to 6.2. In terms of nutes I make use of the GHE tri-part nutes. I am not sure what airdomes are though?

[Ill_Evan]

27 minutes ago, PsyCLown said:

I am not sure what airdomes are though?

They are an additional accessory to AutoPots that you use at the bottom of the AutoPot to inject oxygen directly at the roots using an air pump. It's a bit like DWC but with a solid medium (soil, coco). 

Best of both worlds I rate and results are pretty good, although the benefits are most notable once the roots are more mature. 

 

 

[Dookie69]

Welcome!
 
I do not have any experience using Formula 1 however why not consider using coco and perlite instead?
I wouldn't recommend you start feeding autoflower seedlings with an EC of 1.2, I would say start lower and slowly increase it as they get bigger.
 
With my coco and perlite, I generally use fertigation so the plants are constantly getting fed with nutes. When I water by hand I also only feed nutes. I never flush my plants and have yet to experience any negative side effects.
I generally aim for a PH range of 5.9 to 6.2. In terms of nutes I make use of the GHE tri-part nutes. I am not sure what airdomes are though?

Formula 1 has coco & perlite in it, and then some organic stuff like worm castings which I suppose make it a hybrid between soil and coco. You still need to use salt based nutes with it (GHE floro).
I was going to go coco perlite but it was suggested that the F1 offers more of a buffer for a noob grower.
I’ll follow the recommended nute schedule but at 50% strength and keep an eye on the ladies.
Thanks for the comments guys.


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[PsyCLown]

Formula 1 has coco & perlite in it, and then some organic stuff like worm castings which I suppose make it a hybrid between soil and coco. You still need to use salt based nutes with it (GHE floro).
I was going to go coco perlite but it was suggested that the F1 offers more of a buffer for a noob grower.
I’ll follow the recommended nute schedule but at 50% strength and keep an eye on the ladies.
Thanks for the comments guys.


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With autopots, I don't feel a buffer is needed.

Do keep us posted on how the grow goes :D.

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[Dookie69]

Next time I’ll do a grow diary, I’ve got bits all over the forum.
Mostly stressing about my Amnesia XXL Auto leaves... compared to my Moby Dick which are looking a lot better with the same nutrient schedule.
I’ve had a few issues with my grow, being only the second one (first was August last year)
Issue1: F1 soil needs to be treated almost like Coco. I was pH’ing and Feeding on a soil chart for the first 4 to 5 weeks before realising the problems.
Issue2: Not reacting fast enough to the change from late veg to pre flower and again from pre flower to flower. I think my Amnesia are malnourished lol.
Issue 3: struggling with big fluctuations in temp and humidity till I got it sorted.
Issue 4: possibly the Amnesia XXL should have been in bigger pots, they are in 9l pots vs 15l pots that the Moby Dicks are in. (Reasoning is that the MD are in a 5x5 and Amnesia in 4x4)
Issue 5: not enough soil in the pots, so the fan leaves didn’t clear the pot. I had to lollipop some really healthy looking leaves to get some air under the plants.
Now all my plants are quite small and stubby but have very thick stems, maybe too much light in the early stages.
I had big issues with my first grow because there were two strains in one tent, some grew much taller than the others, posing a challenge with lighting so I had to group the shorter ones under one light and the taller under the other light.
Not wanting that again I kept the strains separate and tried LST for the first time. That is why my plants look like such a tangled mess. I have probably over done the LST. I have managed however to have a much more even canopy as a result, in both tents.
Maybe I’ll move them all into the 5x5 and start a new grow in the 4x4.
Amnesia XXL Auto (Dynafem)







Moby Dick Auto: (Dynafem)





Ladies are on day 36 from popping out the soil.
Any observations would be appreciated from those master growers out there. I’m especially worried about the Amnesia XXL which are looking a bit pale and scraggly.
I’ve upped my nute mix to 100% strength which is around EC1.7 and pH5.5 to 5.8. This is in an effort to increase potassium for the flowering stage, hopefully I don’t get lock out because the media is sitting at pH6. Or 6.5 but it refuses to drop below 6.5 even after a solid flushing of Aque Kleen.


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