Punk#1 Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 OK so they way things have worked out for me this year is I'm growing in pots, 11L or so. I've got a bag of bat mix, a bag of standard verve compost and Seedling compost enough for 9 plants. Seedlings are already popping their heads up in some lovely peat free seedling mix, really good stuff. So when it's time to plant out in a couple of weeks I'm going to fill the bottom of the 11L pots with a few handfuls of bat mix, the next layer on top will be verve and I will then top off with a bit of Seedling compost so they have 3 layers of compost strength to get them though what roughly 6 weeks or so, by that time I reckon they might start getting hungry I have liquid nutes on site just for the sake of it.. but I'd rather use some dry ferts instead obviously from about week 6 when they might need a tad more N, or NPK I've already got some potash for flowering time, but I'm not yet sure when I'll need to add this, I'm guessing a week or 2 into flower but that's another story. Anyway my question is after week 6 in the 11L pots what would be a good dry N fert or equal ratio NPK to sprinkle on top to see them through till flower? Any ideas? They are RGSC Green Gold Bx btw Cheers 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blerie420 Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 I've always been taught dry ferts on edible plants can taint the taste, but most in smaller doses are perfectly fine. Fish meals good for more N whereas FBB tends to lean more to P. Either way just don't hot dose them and you should be sound. For future years it's 200% worth starting a compost bin at home, knowing what's gone in means you know for the most part what'll come out 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cajafiesta Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 (edited) If you care to simplify things, just search out some sort of complete, organic dry amendment mix. I'm not in the UK, so I can't give you a specific brand. Stateside, though, I have GREAT luck with Build-a-Soil "Craft Blend" as well as a mix of two separate products made by Dr. Earth. I mix 50/50 Dr. Earth "Flower Girl" and "Homegrown." The Flower Girl is aimed at flower stage and then "Homegrown" has some added calcium. You can top dress with either of those ( you need to be ahead of the plant's wants. It takes a week or two for the top dressing to start visually impacting the plant) to see yourself through. I also use the same shit as a soil amendment. Life is a lot easier when you have one bag of stuff that handles it all. Both of these products are essentially the same thing, more or less, A mix of dried, pelletized green matter like Alfalfa and clover, blood and bone meals, various "cakes" ( neem cake etc) and then rock/shell dust. I've switched to this means and method over the past couple of months and it's working very well for me. Very simple as long as your environment is well sorted out. Edit: Just speculation here, but I probably wouldn't make a "layer cake" as you're describing. If the roots hit a layer that's all bat guano, you may get some shitty results. If my opinion matters, I advocate for mixing the amendments into the soil. I say this cause I've seen field crops burn due to poorly worked-in horse manure. Plants don't seem to be very fond of living in straight amendment that's nitrogen rich. Seems to get a little burn-y Edited April 30, 2023 by Cajafiesta 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punk#1 Posted April 30, 2023 Author Share Posted April 30, 2023 (edited) Nice bit of advice from you there mate cheers, you know I might just mix the multipurpose compo with the batmix, Great idea. That's thing though, I've never used batmix so I'm not even sure if the potash is going to be necessary nevermind extra N. Got to play it by ear though as they say but really don't want to be going to the grow every week to make sure they aren't getting deficient in any way. But thanks for the tip about taking a couple of weeks for dry amendments to start working, I've never used any dry ferts in my life, been all liquid feeds for me so far. I'll see if there are any amendments in the local garden center I can mix in. Tbh I'll probably be ok with what I've got, got good composts great location and protection from deer and rabbits etc so hey maybe I'm stressing for nothing Edited April 30, 2023 by Punk#1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punk#1 Posted April 30, 2023 Author Share Posted April 30, 2023 2 hours ago, blerie420 said: I've always been taught dry ferts on edible plants can taint the taste, but most in smaller doses are perfectly fine. Fish meals good for more N whereas FBB tends to lean more to P. Either way just don't hot dose them and you should be sound. For future years it's 200% worth starting a compost bin at home, knowing what's gone in means you know for the most part what'll come out OK mate ill go really easy if u do use anything. I'm starting a compost bin at my site 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punk#1 Posted April 30, 2023 Author Share Posted April 30, 2023 (edited) So Ive got some fbb, should I top dress later in a few weeks once the plants are established or should I mix it in with the 50/50 batmix/verve combo before planting? If I should top dress or mix in 11L of compo, how much should I use of the fbb? I don't trust the backs of boxes, I hear they always tell you to put loads more than you should eh Don't want to burn these sucks right off the bat either! Edited April 30, 2023 by Punk#1 I'm shattered ;) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crow River Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 About a handful of FBB per pot I reckon. Bit less if you're growing autos. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punk#1 Posted April 30, 2023 Author Share Posted April 30, 2023 @Crow RiverSemi autos mate.. Half a handful then? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crow River Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 Sounds about right. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonkeyBlazed Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 You could try Dr Forest dry nutes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punk#1 Posted April 30, 2023 Author Share Posted April 30, 2023 (edited) 28 minutes ago, MonkeyBlazed said: You could try Dr Forest dry nutes Never heard of them they good then i take it? Unfortunately I've spent all my budget this year, maybe next! Edited April 30, 2023 by Punk#1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punk#1 Posted April 30, 2023 Author Share Posted April 30, 2023 (edited) 44 minutes ago, Crow River said: Sounds about right. How about the potash mate? How much shall I use per pot? And shall I add that to the compo/fbb mix or wait till nearer flowering? Edited April 30, 2023 by Punk#1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punk#1 Posted April 30, 2023 Author Share Posted April 30, 2023 Found some wisdom from Oldtimer "But remember adding a high amount of soluble potash before the middle of flowering will reduce your yield, as it will drastically alter the npk balance of the compost as well as killing a lot of the fauna" R.I.P to the legend 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crow River Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 Dunno about potash, but outdoors reckon go easy on the ferts. Depends on your soil mix - with what you're using there will be quite a lot of nutrients already. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punk#1 Posted May 1, 2023 Author Share Posted May 1, 2023 @Crow River Yeah mate thinking twice about the potash tbh, was thinking exactly what your thinking. All they're getting is some fbb and if there's a dry spell in veg some bio fish mix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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