Packing my bags

[Gingerbeard]

Is there a best practice (notice how I did not ask for the best way) for loading bags/pots? That is, should the medium be dumped in and left or dumped in and packed?

[Orggrwr]

I usually fill my bags in my shop and kinda let them pack themselves by picking them up about 6-8 inches and letting them drop on the concrete floor a few times. Then add more soil and repeat till the dirt level stays an inch or two from the top

[Bluey]

This is what I did and water it also

[Going2fast]

What they said

[Sixwinds]

I pack it a bit, then use water, then pack again. Seems to work.

[Radeon]

I don't pack. I fill my 5g gallon fabric pots all the way to the top and SLIGHTLY tamp down with pre-watered soil (using the squeeze test) , and when I say slightly, I mean slightly tamp down. Then about flip time or a couple weeks after the soil should be settled a bit. Maybe 2". Then I'll top with fresh soil to the very top and tamp that down a bit.That way when I water next couple times those extra fresh nutrients, minerals, and microbes will filter into the soil a bit making up for what was used during veg. Then proceed with Terp Tea Bloom as a supplement every other watering up till 3 weeks before finish.

That's how I do it. Everyone's different....

[shadycon]

I don't pack my bags unless I'm told to leave.

[Rwise]

I own the place she can pack her bags!

[Farmbuck]

I live in the grow room so I don't need to pack!

[Gingerbeard]

You live in the barren planes of Limehenge, currently being overrun by coconut helmeted, 3-headed gray squirrels.

[Gingerbeard]

Who do I thank??? Who do I PPffpffttt???

[Gingerbeard]

Reason I ask is because I tamped 2 of my pots and let sit 2. Don't remember which, probably because I do drugs.
Seedlings in 2 pots are halfish the size of the other 2. All coco from the same bags. All else is equal.
I even took 2 of the larger seedlings and put them in the 2 pots with the smallers. The largers have slowed way down. They all seem as compact to a finger poke.
No pictures. Y'all know what a seedling is.

[Bluey]

Did you add perlite in the top and middle to help them along?

[Gingerbeard]

Umm... never have. I use a 70/30 coco/perlite blend.

[Gingerbeard]

Been doing the same thing for a few years. Just this time did I consider compactness.

[Rwise]

I don't pack my soil, 'cept where I drop the seed the rest is done by rain and gravity.

[golfnrl]

I run a 50/50 coco/perlite mix. I wash the coco with a cal-mag solution after I put the medium in the pot. I use my hands to compact the medium (pressing firmly) and fill the pots to the top.

[No3odiesShad0w]

I don't pack. I let the worms move stuff around to how they like it.

[Gingerbeard]

Well, I don't know what the deal is. Two pots are moving right along. Two pots are runts. Even the ones I transplanted from the good pots have stopped growing.
Maybe it is a packing thing? Maybe they could have used fertilizer a little earlier?
Still, no pictures. They are just not pertinent. Big seedlings. Little seedlings. Ohmmm...

[shadycon]

I think I will just "PACK MY BAGS" and light another bowl