Mediums For Better Soil Drainage

[Psychedelic Gecko]

Well just got my 1st grow underway, seeds sprouted after the 2nd day in an incubator and some potting mix, misted 2-3 times daily.

 

Sitting about 3-4 ft away from my 400w hps right now.

 

They are in little rectangular seedling trays and I don't want to keep them anymore than a week in there before I transplant them into proper 150 mm pots.

 

I want to use some worm castings, pot power soil, dolomite lime, a small amount of verm and I'd like to use perlite for drainage but I can't find any, I have some pumice but i'm not sure if it will suffice.

 

Pics will come soon

[F420]

Pumice is awesome shit if its been treated, I used some once in my soil but I didnt treat it and it fucked my plant, aparently it needs to be heat treated by boiling it.

 

Why cant you find perlite though, almost all supermarets, hardware stores etc sell it.

[jaikai]

pumice is okay, as ferenge said: treat it first...just pour plenty of boiling water through it mate.

 

JAIKAI

[everest]

maidenwell , all purpose hi-silica growing medium , i've been using this shit with great results

[Nath]

Im using cocopeat.. it seems really good.. plants are loving it. $30 odd dollars for a 50 litre bag, www.cocopeat.com.au Its pretty good stuff, and promotes better root growth etc. Since im growing indoors, I want the best possible stuff for my plants, so I have just DutchFest Grow, changing to Canna Coco for a bit, and ill use the rest of the DutchFest elsewhere, its not that great anymore it seems. When it comes to flowering, Ill be using Canna with some Extra Yield. Also some other secret herbs and spices, not sure yet. But thats the good thing, I can control everything If i have a non-organic medium.

[Luke Skywalker]

Gravel and coarse, washed river sand can also provide good drainage if you can't find perlite. Composted pine bark, the type used to pot epyphytic orchids can also be used, but don't use fresh stuff, as this can create a nitrogen draw effect as the bacteria break down the bark. So make sure it's well and truly composted and black, or buy it from a garden center.

 

Personally though I think perlite rocks. Coco has given good results too, but I prefer to mix in at least 30% perlite to this, (more often 50%) and have a base layer in the pots about 5-10cm thick of pure perlite as well.

 

All my humblest of opinons.