Noob question for sure..gotta ask.

[Planewreck]

Ok ive grown outdoors for years.I live in an ohio river bottom.Everything here gets huge outside with little or no fertilizer.Dirts almost black.What would be the chance of this being a good indoor medium or just a plain no no.Didnt see a post about this but i may have missed something.And thanks to serveral of you guys..Aquaman...1deisel1...to many to name each.Already kept me from screwing up before i even got started.

 

[MIMedGrower]

No! Pests, pathogens, weed seeds, drainage. I guess you could cook it in the oven to sterilize but then it would lose the micro biology that makes it so good.

 

[Planewreck]

Ok was kinda thinking that thank you very much.Indica will get ten foot tall here....i had to ask.

 

[Aqua Man]

Yeah nature has a balance to the pest thing for the most part. Inside we have to play God and imo you never want to introduce something that has bugs.

I am anal about keeping anything in my grow pest free. There will come a day but doing my best to avoid that.

 

[Aqua Man]

I mean i guess you could steam the living shit out if it or bake it but I would bring it in without knowing it's completely pest free.

Even media bags I inspect for the tiniest holes. Of they have I won't buy em.

 

[tobh]

Yeah nature has a balance to the pest thing for the most part. Inside we have to play God and imo you never want to introduce something that has bugs.

I am anal about keeping anything in my grow pest free. There will come a day but doing my best to avoid that.

^^ like he said.

Pro tip: don't bring containers of coco that has lived in your garage for months into your grow space. Gnats will come with it.

 

[Planewreck]

Covids caused me to have to work 12hr shifts for the last seven days but im started.Only thing left is the roof duct.One good things coming from it is upgraded lighting next year.

 

[PiffinOut]

No! Pests, pathogens, weed seeds, drainage. I guess you could cook it in the oven to sterilize but then it would lose the micro biology that makes it so good.

If worried about bugs or pest you could age the soil, spread it out thinly over a tarp outside to brave the sun and temp changes and wet and dry. You could flood it and then let it dry a bunch over and over in a rubbermaid just turn the soil everynow and then to even it out and for air distribution. . Or the oven. I wouldnt steam. But I could even see boiling. Could even reintroduce some of that microbiology later as you please as you age it. Just add some fungi and let them do their thing in a rubbermaid... the bacteria will come back if you just sprinkle some dirt and leaf litter and/or EWC on top but fungi are harder to culture for a soil emmersed herbaculture grow and are very beneficial for general plant root health.
Did you know you can get beneficial fungi from an old growth tree with just an old sock and wet rice/oats?

 

[MIMedGrower]

If worried about bugs or pest you could age the soil, spread it out thinly over a tarp outside to brave the sun and temp changes and wet and dry. You could flood it and then let it dry a bunch over and over in a rubbermaid just turn the soil everynow and then to even it out and for air distribution. . Or the oven. I wouldnt steam. But I could even see boiling. Could even reintroduce some of that microbiology later as you please as you age it. Just add some fungi and let them do their thing in a rubbermaid... the bacteria will come back if you just sprinkle some dirt and leaf litter and/or EWC on top but fungi are harder to culture for a soil emmersed herbaculture grow and are very beneficial for general plant root health.
Did you know you can get beneficial fungi from an old growth tree with just an old sock and wet rice/oats?

After all that you would put the dirt inside your house to grow indoors?


not me bud.

 

[PiffinOut]

After all that you would put the dirt inside your house to grow indoors?


not me bud.

Ive brought dirt in directly from my garden and potted plants inside and outside on multiple occasions over multiple years.
If worried about bugs you could just get a dope mantis, or some ladybugs. or put down some sand a a top coat and choke them out.

 

[MIMedGrower]

Ive brought dirt in directly from my garden and potted plants inside and outside on multiple occasions over multiple years.
If worried about bugs you could just get a dope mantis, or some ladybugs. or put down some sand a a top coat and choke them out.

i think i will keep the bugs outside and my flowers clean thank you.

 

[Flexnerb]

Ok ive grown outdoors for years.I live in an ohio river bottom.Everything here gets huge outside with little or no fertilizer.Dirts almost black.What would be the chance of this being a good indoor medium or just a plain no no.Didnt see a post about this but i may have missed something.And thanks to serveral of you guys..Aquaman...1deisel1...to many to name each.Already kept me from screwing up before i even got started.

Dont cook it indoors dude! You can die from the toxic substances in soil when baked inside your home...this is no lie! Facts! Dont give shite wat any1 has to say about it either....get a grill and a flat pan it has to hit like 180 for so long not sure. Just google soil pasteurization is all....

 

[Wh1teScorp1on]

Use the freezer to kill pests in soil. A lot safer and easier then oven. I use nematodes and beneficial myko fungi and age my coco which I run like soil. Very few issues. Impossible to do with living soil

 

[Flexnerb]

If worried about bugs or pest you could age the soil, spread it out thinly over a tarp outside to brave the sun and temp changes and wet and dry. You could flood it and then let it dry a bunch over and over in a rubbermaid just turn the soil everynow and then to even it out and for air distribution. . Or the oven. I wouldnt steam. But I could even see boiling. Could even reintroduce some of that microbiology later as you please as you age it. Just add some fungi and let them do their thing in a rubbermaid... the bacteria will come back if you just sprinkle some dirt and leaf litter and/or EWC on top but fungi are harder to culture for a soil emmersed herbaculture grow and are very beneficial for general plant root health.
Did you know you can get beneficial fungi from an old growth tree with just an old sock and wet rice/oats?

Solarization is what you need. You cant with a tarp bro....clear plastic or close to clear...lol

Why do i want fungi from a tree? Name of fungi please. Thanks in advance!

Ok wait a minute here. You dont want to steam, you want boil it? Why?

Steam is pretty hot depending on the pressure its under....heres a link


Ya'll gunna kill the guy! Lmfao....chances of getting sick af are pretty high if you dont bake that soil outside...lol

Steam Tables Pressure vs Temperature

Tables and graph of the relationship between pressure and temperature for Steam.

www.valvesonline.com.au

 

[Flexnerb]

Use the freezer to kill pests in soil. A lot safer and easier then oven. I use nematodes and beneficial myko fungi and age my coco which I run like soil. Very few issues. Impossible to do with living soil

Freeze thrips? They diapause and fungus gnats can live in -45 deg f lol. Thats a fact idgaf wat any1 says!

 

[PiffinOut]

Solarization is what you need. You cant with a tarp bro....clear plastic or close to clear...lol

Why do i want fungi from a tree? Name of fungi please. Thanks in advance!

Ok wait a minute here. You dont want to steam, you want boil it? Why?

Steam is pretty hot depending on the pressure its under....heres a link


Ya'll gunna kill the guy! Lmfao....chances of getting sick af are pretty high if you dont bake that soil outside...lol

Steam Tables Pressure vs Temperature

Tables and graph of the relationship between pressure and temperature for Steam.

www.valvesonline.com.au

I wont comment on whether or not its "safe" to bake or boil soil inside. I usually keep all my windows open and fans on during the process and I have suffered no ill-consequences . Mind you, I kept the temp below 220 for the baking. Freezing it is another decent idea if you have the freezer space. However, I have my reservations on freezing soil by itself, as some bugs like gnats may survive freezing temp.

The safest method in my opinion is solarizing it outside or putting it in a low temp bake.

As far as solarization goes, you do not need a see through tarp. Any tarp works. Lay the tarp flat put rocks on its sides so the wind doesnt move it, and spread the soil on in a light coating. Water the soil on the tarp occasionally when the soil is dry to help speed up the bacteria which are mineralizing the dirt and let the sun do all the hard work sterilizing it for a few weeks. Your solarized soil will be ready when it feels like dust in your hand with no clumps visible.

One can also boil,flood, and or freeze as extra precautionary measures.
If you want to steam it too go right ahead, that will certainly kill anything bad in your soil for sure. However, I think steam heat may breakdown your nutrient content too much as well as kill beneficial bacteria.. so be aware of that.

Lastly I have no name for the fungi, but I find it under all of my old growth sugar maple roots near the compost pile. The maple roots are covered in this white spongie fungi and the maples trunk and roots are very healthy. The maple roots are very well spread out and I can essentially rake new rooting systems out and make a solid grow media with the roots and dirt. This spring I will be sure to take a picture and send it to the forum.
There are plenty of videos,articles, and studies showing the benefits of getting myco/fungi from old growth trees. They are beneficial for the tree and will also provide benefit to your horticulture grows. You can always buy your myco if you prefer, however, I myself prefer el natural, organic, and homegrown and have seen no ill effects from using the mcyo the sugar maples roots in my yard can provide to me.

 

[Homesteader]

I use soil, leaves, sticks from outside all the time and inoculate my new soil with it. People are too concerned about pests and such IMO. What is it they are concerned about really? A healthy soil will take care of itself unless you kill all the good guys off. Thrips? mites? Learn the life cycles. Easy to get rid of with preventive maintenance and $25 worth of supplies. Don't wait until they become a problem though. I treat all my plants in veg and again before flower.
You are not going to really sterilize the soil unless you get a flame or steam to it but why?
I would use it and not think twice but I would also mix in a peat moss base to it and a lot of aeration.
Or you can buy soil from a bag that got shipped across the nation.....

 

[BigCube]

I'm with the majority, the reason I don't grow outside is that I don't want to smoke bugs, bug shit, mold and other pollens/pollutants.

If you're one of those lax guys that DGAF about a little mold or bugs then have at her. Personally I care too much about my health for that.

 

[PiffinOut]

I'm with the majority, the reason I don't grow outside is that I don't want to smoke bugs, bug shit, mold and other pollens/pollutants.
If you're one of those lax guys that DGAF about a little mold or bugs then have at her. Personally I care too much about my health for that.

Most of us on either side of the spectrum care about our health. Bugs wont really effect your health as much as metals and toxicity. I personally do homegrown because i know what I put in my dirt. i have never used weedkiller or pesticides here in my 20 years and my soil is lab tested every couple of years for heavy metals and general nutrient makeup and always comes up with amazing numbers. Knowing all of that for certain, I have no issue getting my soil sanitized and debugged via solarization or baking, which can easily be done in my yard or basement with no concern. Once sterilized I am able to make a quality soil that I am happy with.

Those who go storebought however do not know where other companies mix may have come from, or what was in it in what proportions. If you asked the company if the land it came from was ever sprayed you might have a hard time getting solid answers or outright lies, as most of the companies geared towards THCfarming are new and havent been around for 20 years.
Buying soil from a distributor doesnt necessarily limit your exposure to things that negatively affect your health.
Id rather have some gnats I have to bake off/ solarize or deal with during my grow than lead, arsenic or microplastic exposure.

So we reach a difference of opinion, I know my soil nutrient makeup and I know my tox levels, I know whats been done to my soil for over 20 years, and I know how to sterilize/debug it and have the means to do so.
Meanwhile, you many not know your storebought soils actual test results, you have to take the manufacturer at their word, and while it may not have zhe bugs... you have no guarantee that it doesnt have heavy metals toxins etc unless you get the soil tested yourself. For all you know your soil may also be harming the planet via being removed from the amazon, my dirt from the yard, doesnt contribute to such deforestation practices.

Read enough on this forum and youll discover that not even rock dust or bone meal is created equal. Different mining sources have different heavy metals and other toxins amounts. Different bone meal suppliers have different levels of arsenic etc.
Manufacturers lie all the time, its a cost of doing business. Unless you get their products tested yourself you do not know whats in their product, or how healthy it is, you just know you arent seeing bugs.

Some soil companies own electronics recycling centers... why on earth do soil companies own electronic recycling centers... let that sink in before you decide to pay for questionable dirt again.

Ill gladly deal with having to sanitize good and independently tested homegrown soil for bugs, over having possible heavy metals, carcinogens, and/or toxins in store bought dirt mixes.

 

[BigCube]

Most of us on either side of the spectrum care about our health. Bugs wont really effect your health as much as metals and toxicity. I personally do homegrown because i know what I put in my dirt. i have never used weedkiller or pesticides here in my 20 years and my soil is lab tested every couple of years for heavy metals and general nutrient makeup and always comes up with amazing numbers. Knowing all of that for certain, I have no issue getting my soil sanitized and debugged via solarization or baking, which can easily be done in my yard or basement with no concern. Once sterilized I am able to make a quality soil that I am happy with.

Those who go storebought however do not know where other companies mix may have come from, or what was in it in what proportions. If you asked the company if the land it came from was ever sprayed you might have a hard time getting solid answers or outright lies, as most of the companies geared towards THCfarming are new and havent been around for 20 years.
Buying soil from a distributor doesnt necessarily limit your exposure to things that negatively affect your health.
Id rather have some gnats I have to bake off/ solarize or deal with during my grow than lead, arsenic or microplastic exposure.

So we reach a difference of opinion, I know my soil nutrient makeup and I know my tox levels, I know whats been done to my soil for over 20 years, and I know how to sterilize/debug it and have the means to do so.
Meanwhile, you many not know your storebought soils actual test results, you have to take the manufacturer at their word, and while it may not have zhe bugs... you have no guarantee that it doesnt have heavy metals toxins etc unless you get the soil tested yourself. For all you know your soil may also be harming the planet via being removed from the amazon, my dirt from the yard, doesnt contribute to such deforestation practices.

Read enough on this forum and youll discover that not even rock dust or bone meal is created equal. Different mining sources have different heavy metals and other toxins amounts. Different bone meal suppliers have different levels of arsenic etc.
Manufacturers lie all the time, its a cost of doing business. Unless you get their products tested yourself you do not know whats in their product, or how healthy it is, you just know you arent seeing bugs.

Some soil companies own electronics recycling centers... why on earth do soil companies own electronic recycling centers... let that sink in before you decide to pay for questionable dirt again.

Ill gladly deal with having to sanitize good and independently tested homegrown soil for bugs, over having possible heavy metals, carcinogens, and/or toxins in store bought dirt mixes.

Not sure why you replied to me, I don't care what you do. I was answering a question. Do whatever makes you happy man. not sure why you felt the need to share it with me though.