advice on container and soil prep

[crazy_teuful]

I'm very new to all of this, I need advice please. starting out with bag seed just to see how it all works. The soil I will use is : Recipe 420 Potting Soil
The Emerald Triangle blend is a special blend of ingredients hand selected specifically for the needs of professional flower growers. Our 100% natural & organic formula is carefully crafted to provide the ideal conditions for cut flower production. Recipe 420 is a blend of premium aged fir bark, coir, sphagnum peat moss, pumice, earthworm castings, seabird guano, crab meal, and humic acids. Enhanced with mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial soil bacteria
I will plant the seedlings in a 5 gallon bucket to grow. HOW should I prep the bucket ? holes for drainage ? any other medium in the bottom for drainage ?
The lights will be T5 fluorescent with cfl's for added light. The grow area will be all white until I can afford some mylar or a grow tent.
This is all I have to start with.
Tia crazy

[Blaze4daze]

Welcome crazy_teuful

The 420 soil sounds like good potting soil and yes, you'll need holes in those 5 gallon buckets. I recommend drilling 7 or 8, 1/2 holes into and spaced evenly around the bottom of the buckets for maximum drainage. Also recommend using perlite too.

Those ingredients in the potting soil, with perlite and adding holes should give you a good start with a dependable soil mixture, for your first grow. Let us know if you have any more questions. Best of Luck to ya.

[Mega nute]

What he said!

[crazy_teuful]

Thanks Blaze and Mega !

[Anthony C]

Definitely what Blaze and Mega said. I would also add that it wouldn't hurt to add a thin layer of gravel to the very bottom of the bucket (maybe an inch or two) since you are using a fairly large growing container. Just regular gravel out of your driveway will work perfectly. Whenever I don't do this, the bottom several inches of soil tend to become very waterlogged to the point the roots in the very bottom often die off. By adding gravel I have healthy roots all the way through the bucket. It sounds like you have everything else figured out so far. Good luck.

[Schmokin]

Sounds like a great soil. Definitely add perlite or vermiculite. Don't be shy with it either. Get plenty in to make a nice light and airy soil. Getting oxygen to the root system is crucial to good growth, that's why weed plants don't like being waterlogged. A good soil is half the battle won. ;-) What size are your T5s and CFLs?

[crazy_teuful]

Thanks Anthony and Schmokin ! So far I have two 24 inch T5's, I have to buy some cfl's . I have an old 4 foot fluorescent with cool whites in it also. I'll pick up some perlite my next trip to town, then I'll mix it in the 420.
I appreciate the advice on the soil and how to prep the buckets. The seedlings are doing alright for bag seed.

[oleman]

Welcome and good luck, let us know how it goes. Mike