What's your essentials in an organic /non organic soil mix?

[The Aspie Toker]

Also I use a layer of plain coco (about 1 inch thick) over the top of soil as I was having fungus gnats living in the soil up until then. they don't seem to like the coco and I've had a pest free run so far (I think it was the biobizz soil that gave me fungus gnats tbh)

I've seen fungus gnats in coir. It's better to use sharp sand as it rips off the wings.

[HippyDi]

What is good HippyDi?

So first of all there is no 'right' way when it comes to soil and I like that freedom personally.

I started using bought soil (biobizz) and then, over later grows, started to add a few amendments until I've finally started to make my own soil mix.

What works for me (and this may not work for anyone else!) is having the building blocks of nutrients in the soil and then adding any macro nutrients via foliar or waterings.

So right now for veg I use coco, organic mushroom compost, Perlite, calcified kelp and volcanic rock dust. I used to measure but now I can pretty much make up a soil mix (I always mix up a 100 litres as I use 25 litre pots and grow 4 plants at a time and it makes maths easier when you're high) using handfuls of amendments.

I prefer to use foliar sprays of Cal mag to prevent any deficiency. Reason being as you really need to add dolomite lime and let it cook with your soil. Plus I've had calmag issues with a few grows now so I thought if I'm treating it with a calmag foliar spray I may as well just use that and skip the dolomite.

For flower I use the same except I've been swapping out the kelp for bat guano(I pot up just before I filp them to flower). This for the last 2 runs have worked out well.

The most important thing to have is time. The soil needs to cook for at least 4-6 weeks before you want to use it. Trust me, I've ruined a few seedlings now by putting them into 'hot' soil. Also remember you're not feeding the plant but feeding the soil so the plant can take what it needs from the soil.

Compost teas feed that soil microbes and keep it living and the plants happy. I've done a bit of research and listened to a lot of podcasts on compost teas so if that's the route you're going for (I have seen great results from compost teas so recommend fully) I'll give you some tips/advice.

Make sure you hold off on any bottle nutrients until your plants start to look like they could do with a feed. I've carried on feeding plants as normal after potting up in the past (like 6 weeks ago ) only for the roots to grow into some nitrogen heavy soil and then, boom, they're over fed.

Also I use a layer of plain coco (about 1 inch thick) over the top of soil as I was having fungus gnats living in the soil up until then. they don't seem to like the coco and I've had a pest free run so far (I think it was the biobizz soil that gave me fungus gnats tbh)

Here's how I stack my soil, this is my flowering soil for the next run which are still baby seedlings... always planning with soil but it's nice to get outside and do some shovelling.



Just so you know I've only been growing since feb 2018 so I'm no expert and this may be like singing to the choir or a load of shit but it's how I do it and so far... so good.

Anything else, just ask

Brilliant thank you:) yeah, I'm definitely going with organic coco mix base. And feeding soil with compost. Appreciate your input. In the past Ive used a potting soil compost mix that I used for my 'normal' plants for years. Meh I had relatively good results. But I've evolved:) after growing with hydroponics my eyes have been opened! So excited to try organic. My actual soil here has quite a bit of clay so not great to use in a mix, although Ive thrown some seedlings in the ground with some success.

Its winter here now (mild) and what I like to do is grow like 15 bag seeds, shove them outside after potting, weed out the males, and let them flower. End up with one tiny bud per plant. But generally covered in thrichomes and stinky as anything.
So this time I'm going to experiment with a few different soil mixes and see how it goes. Will use the best mix for summer planting.
I am definitely going to try the semen when potting at least one :) lol will have to ask for donations.



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