Soil mix help

[Iron Emmett]

Hey all

I want to use a supersoil with my next grow, something that i dont really have to feed, maybe make a tea once or twice during flower for a boost but other than that just water, i know that there are a ton of great soil recipes in this area that are sticked, but my problem is, i dont know anything about making the soil so i have no idea which one to use, i'd like something i dont have to cook, i dont have anywhere to really cook up soil.

I always grow from clone so i just need something that i can veg and flower in, can anyone make a suggestion?

also as a side note, i use coco not dirt, i know they are pretty interchangeable, but i guess it should be mentioned.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

I.E

 

[ozzydiodude]

Read the soil mixes in my sig they will give you a better idea where to start. Remember when we talk of "letting mixes cook" we are talking about giving the bacteria and fungus time to break down the nutes into usable forms for the plants to use better, not cooking the mixes on a stove like you would something you plan to eat

 

[Iron Emmett]

ODD, thanks for the reply, i have checked out the soil mixes in the sticky, i just dont know which one to use, also i know that cooking is letting the soil break nutes down into useable forms, but i was of the understanding, using Guanos and worm castings, you didnt need to let it cook, like you do when you use blood meal and bone meal amendments, is that not correct?

 

[BBFan]

Hey IE- Cooking your soil is always better. If your looking to do a supersoil set up, you're going to have to let it "cook". You can cook it in a large bucket or garbage can (depending on how much you need). Just need to keep it warm (above 55F) and moist for the biota to do their thing.

Amending soil for grows is different. Using castings, guanos, and meals are great as they continue to break down over the life of the plant- most start becoming available after about a month or so- just when the plants start to need it. Supplementing with teas is best IMO.

Best of luck to you on your organic adventure.

 

[Iron Emmett]

Thanks BBfan for the info, i suppose i was looking for amended soil mixes not supersoil.

I dont mind mixing a tea up every couple waterings, but would like to try to make a nice Amended soil that will feed itself with a watering, can you suggest one to try?

I use Earth Juice for nutes now, i love naturals/organics, i just have trouble hauling water then letting the tea brew and hauling water again, its getting harder to take care of the ladies lately.

 

[nouvellechef]

Mine see pics

 

[Wetdog]

You still need to 'cook' amended soil mixes.

SS is nothing more than a heavily amended (hot), amended mix.

The ingredients don't differ, just the amounts.

Wet

 

[Iron Emmett]

Thanks for the reply Chef, ive looked up your soil before, it looks really good.

wetdog, i appreciate the answer, i didnt know that soils amended with just Guano and castings had to cook, i guess ill just have to stick with making the earth juice teas, i live in a apartment, and i doubt my girl would be ok with my keeping a tub of decomposing poop in the bedroom

 

[BBFan]

You still need to 'cook' amended soil mixes.

SS is nothing more than a heavily amended (hot), amended mix.

The ingredients don't differ, just the amounts.

Wet

Hey Wet- Happy Holidays to you and yours!

I often amend soil and throw plants right in it without a "cook" and have never had problems. Some things, like castings, offer up nutrients pretty quickly while others do take a while to start feeding the plant. At least that's been my experience.

I dont mind mixing a tea up every couple waterings, but would like to try to make a nice Amended soil that will feed itself with a watering, can you suggest one to try?

Hey IE- Happy Holidays! Looking for a "just add water" mix is pretty tough without using a ss mix like Nouvelle's. If you're ok with brewing up a few teas now and then (or more accurately organic nutrient brews), there are plenty of good mixes (check out ozzy's sticky in this section). It comes down to what ingredients you can get a hold of and how much you're willing to spend. Unfortunately, most of the ingredients come in a fairly large quantity- even a few lbs. of rock phosphate (actually you're better off with bone meal for a P source- mineral amendments can cause problems without a proper cook) for instance will last for quite a few runs depending on the size of your grows, so you're going to have bags and bags of ingredients around for some time to come.

When looking at the ingredients, think about the plants needs over it's lifetime and how long some things take to break down- there are lists available from some .edu sites that give approximate break-down rates that will give you a rough idea for breakdown times- check out Washington State and Colorado State for some great info.

For instance, using blood meal and cottonseed meal for nitrogen sources will give you some quickly available nutrients from the blood and some later available nitrogen from the meal.

Using teas can supplement your amended soil to keep things going if you start to see a deficiency. You'll learn over time where your mix is lacking and you can adjust it for the next run.

It all comes down to balance. Too much of any one thing can cause issues- too much nitrogen can cause nitrogen fixing bacteria to become dormant, too much soluble phosphorous can inhibit mychorrizae, feeding molasses every watering can create anaerobic conditions at the root level and so on. Less is more.

If I had to limit my amendments to a select few, I'd use castings, kelp, cottonseed or soybean meal (though I've never used soybean myself), humic acid, blood meal, bone meal or high P guano, dolomite lime, and some greensand. You'll also need something to get the micro life going quickly.

Good luck with your organic adventure! Be Safe.
-BBFan