Lux_Interior Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 (edited) If I find a compost too twiggy I sieve it. I did think I had to go heavier on Veg. nutrients earlier than previous grows (I use BioBizz). I did a litmus test that came out at 6-6.5pH. I'm sticking with New Horizon for now. Peat will eventually run out, so, peat free will be the new normal at Garden Centres at some point. The descriptions of the BIO3 natural fiber component of Westland's composts I can find are a bit vague. Its a bit like the ingredients of Kentucky Fried Chicken. If anyone can enlighten me I'm listening? Edited November 15, 2020 by Lux_Interior BIO3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBDGUY Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 (edited) 13 hours ago, Lux_Interior said: Using this on current grow with some coir mixed in. (I want to go Peat free). Using rain water from a butt (soft). I had to add Cal-Mag (or use epsom salt 'cheaper'). I also had a temp. issue (switching to LED, much cooler). I think I've got it sorted now. I'll let you know about "New Horizon", but I've currently changed too many variables to be confident giving info. on it. can i ask where you are roughly, im in wet n windy wales im going with merlins magic compost again this year and potting soil with amendments its 15 a bag on amazon i found this to be a great replacement for westland Edited November 15, 2020 by Owderb Link removed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedwell68 Posted November 15, 2020 Author Share Posted November 15, 2020 5 hours ago, Lux_Interior said: I've found it holds water too well at lower temps (15-20 degrees). I had a little war with Fungus Gnats. I'm using it in my next grow but will add Perlite instead of Coir. I've added an extra heater on a thermostat to keep temps at least 20 degrees & a fan controller to slow air movement down whilst it is cooler. So I'm still getting used to LED over the blazing ball of heat that a HPS produces over the cooler months. I have just had a battle with Fungus Gnats too, they were in the Jack's Magic. Some sticky yellow sheets and a dose of Hydrogen Peroxide sorted them right out. I have temps under control for now, but I have decided to give Autos a try in the Winter, they allow me to keep the lights on 24/7, so there will be no need to run heaters and Auto are supposed to be better in cooler conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedwell68 Posted November 15, 2020 Author Share Posted November 15, 2020 34 minutes ago, CBDGUY said: can i ask where you are roughly, im in wet n windy wales im going with merlins magic compost again this year and potting soil with amendments its 15 a bag on amazon i found this to be a great replacement for westland I wish I could get something like that locally. It's great that they do it on Amazon, but buying it that way would literally treble my costs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBDGUY Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 2 minutes ago, speedwell68 said: I wish I could get something like that locally. It's great that they do it on Amazon, but buying it that way would literally treble my costs. go to your nearest tip that takes garden waste and they shoud make there own brand 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedwell68 Posted November 15, 2020 Author Share Posted November 15, 2020 1 minute ago, CBDGUY said: go to your nearest tip that takes garden waste and they shoud make there own brand I have just checked that out and they sell it on to a private company. I can buy it from that company, but my minimum order is a ton and I have no way of storing compost in that quantity. I will phone them when all of this lockdown stuff is done with and see if I can buy it in a smaller quantity. Thanks for the tip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lux_Interior Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 8 hours ago, CBDGUY said: can i ask where you are roughly, im in wet n windy wales im going with merlins magic compost again this year and potting soil with amendments its 15 a bag on amazon i found this to be a great replacement for westland I'm roughly some where in the West Midlands. I've never used Merlin's Magic. I started life as an NFT hydro guy, but swapped to compost in 2007ish as I wanted to go as organic as I could (growing inside under artificial lamps) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lux_Interior Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, speedwell68 said: I have just had a battle with Fungus Gnats too, they were in the Jack's Magic. Some sticky yellow sheets and a dose of Hydrogen Peroxide sorted them right out. I have temps under control for now, but I have decided to give Autos a try in the Winter, they allow me to keep the lights on 24/7, so there will be no need to run heaters and Auto are supposed to be better in cooler conditions. I find allowing the top 2inch of the soil dry out properly controls Fungus Gnats. Being a LED newbie I allowed the grow-room to get to cold (down to 10 degrees lights off) for a week or so. The compost stayed too damp and Fungus Gnats thrived. Adding heaters and not over-watering has pulled things back in my favor. Temps now stay roughly 18-22 degrees and 50-70% humidity. Good idea with autos especially with LEDs Edited November 15, 2020 by Lux_Interior More info. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBDGUY Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 13 minutes ago, Lux_Interior said: I'm roughly some where in the West Midlands. I've never used Merlin's Magic. I started life as an NFT hydro guy, but swapped to compost in 2007ish as I wanted to go as organic as I could (growing inside under artificial lamps) yeah i noticed you didn't want peat moss eigher. kudoes for having a concience too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lux_Interior Posted November 15, 2020 Share Posted November 15, 2020 2 hours ago, CBDGUY said: yeah i noticed you didn't want peat moss eigher. kudoes for having a concience too I think as growers we need to be ecologically responsible. (I know electricity!!!!) But, peat takes 1000's of years to form & is being dug up at an unsustainable rate. There are alternatives, Coir, etc. But now garden centres are offering 'Peat free' for pretty much the same cost as Peat based composts & we should (at least) give them a go. I won't buy peat based again. No Sir! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedwell68 Posted November 15, 2020 Author Share Posted November 15, 2020 3 hours ago, Lux_Interior said: I find allowing the top 2inch of the soil dry out properly controls Fungus Gnats. Being a LED newbie I allowed the grow-room to get to cold (down to 10 degrees lights off) for a week or so. The compost stayed too damp and Fungus Gnats thrived. Adding heaters and not over-watering has pulled things back in my favor. Temps now stay roughly 18-22 degrees and 50-70% humidity. Good idea with autos especially with LEDs Yes, I have dialed the watering back. I got so used to watering daily, the pots were too wet. I find that sticky sheets are the best way of breaking the life cycle of the gnats. The Hydrogen Peroxide is the best way of killing off an larvae in the surface of the soil. Hydrogen Peroxide sounds nasty but it is way better of the environment than Neem Oil, after it is only water with an extra Oxygen molecule. I just give them a weekly dose of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, 1 teaspoon to 237ml of water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedwell68 Posted November 15, 2020 Author Share Posted November 15, 2020 54 minutes ago, Lux_Interior said: I think as growers we need to be ecologically responsible. (I know electricity!!!!) But, peat takes 1000's of years to form & is being dug up at an unsustainable rate. There are alternatives, Coir, etc. But now garden centres are offering 'Peat free' for pretty much the same cost as Peat based composts & we should (at least) give them a go. I won't buy peat based again. No Sir! Spot on. Peat Bogs are also a great way of absorbing excess carbon in the atmosphere, they are as important as rain forests. I am done with Peat based. The more I use New Horizon, the more I like it. My plants have thrived in the week or so they have been in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lux_Interior Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 23 hours ago, speedwell68 said: Spot on. Peat Bogs are also a great way of absorbing excess carbon in the atmosphere, they are as important as rain forests. I am done with Peat based. The more I use New Horizon, the more I like it. My plants have thrived in the week or so they have been in it. I'm going to start a compost heap in spring to try to brew my own compost (as an experiment). But lets keep this thread about 'New Horizon'. The BIO3 component (which bugs me) of 'New Horizon' & Westlands Peat based composts is, as far as I can find out is: Bio Fibre, West+ and Coir !(?) of the three I know what Coir is. If you Google Bio Fibre you get hits for Hair Transplants & Food Supplements. I guess we'll never know exactly what West+ is. However, my current grow has gone well (Biobizz). I've bought more New Horizon & Perlite to aid drainage for my next grow. Proofs in the Budding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KC Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 54 minutes ago, Lux_Interior said: we'll never know exactly what West+ West+ was a compost that Westlands used to sell. It was very fibrous, like it had a lot of straw in it or something. Well it seems they stopped selling it but use it to make up other varieties of their composts. I did use it for a couple of years I recall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedwell68 Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share Posted November 16, 2020 25 minutes ago, KC said: West+ was a compost that Westlands used to sell. It was very fibrous, like it had a lot of straw in it or something. Well it seems they stopped selling it but use it to make up other varieties of their composts. I did use it for a couple of years I recall. You can still get West+ Peat Free, they say it is composted wood fibre. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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