Trying no-till living soil grow

[Halloweed]

Hello growers. I'm gonna post here as the grow goes on as long as I keep at it lol.

Growing Sour Stomper and HBSS x Skystomper 2.0.

I started them in small pots using BAS lite. Only giving small amounts of water. I plan on transplanting them this weekend. I got the earthbox set up and filled with BAS 3.0.

Temp is around 77 f. Humidity around 72%. VPD stays around .85.

The plants are around 3 weeks or so. I added some pics. The one plant has weird looking leaves. Not sure what it is or if it's anything but gonna keep an eye out.

When is the best time to start cutting off the low branches? Kind of lolipopping I guess.

 

[Natep]

Awesome. Looking forward to following along.

 

[Smokey_LaFleur]

You've got some time before you start defoliating, imo. Lollipoping is usually done closer to flower stage, like right before. Speaking of photos, that is. Autos are different, I believe. I've never grown Autos. One or two weird looking leaves is no big deal.

 

[Halloweed]

I transplanted into the Earth box Saturday. Bought some nightcrawlers and clover seed at local place here. I currently have the cover on so they probably won't grow.

I only put 6 Nightcrawlers in. I have 6 more but wasn't sure how many to use. Threw some rice hulls on top for mulch.

I did notice that they started to preflower. I'm hoping I didn't damage them any.

I think I read to wait until the roots get deeper before I try the reservoir.

 

[Natep]

I transplanted into the Earth box Saturday. Bought some nightcrawlers and clover seed at local place here. I currently have the cover on so they probably won't grow.

I only put 6 Nightcrawlers in. I have 6 more but wasn't sure how many to use. Threw some rice hulls on top for mulch.

I did notice that they started to preflower. I'm hoping I didn't damage them any.

I think I read to wait until the roots get deeper before I try the reservoir.

Yeah you want to do a top water till the roots are in the reservoir. Then start filling it and letting it choose. You are going to be surprised how fast it drinks that water.

 

[Halloweed]

Getting the water right might be harder than I thought. I gave around 5% on Saturday I think. Yesterday it felt kind of dry so I gave a little water and sprayed the mulching.

I also put the rest of the worms in for a total of 12. Kinda bummed though. When I just checked on everything today, I had 2 dead worms on top.

I don't think I have the soil moist enough and they dried out. I don't want to give water everyday and have the roots drown, but I also want the microbes and worms to live.

I think I'm gonna add more water. If it's too much it will drip into the reservoir anyway.

 

[mancorn]

I was out pulling dandelions the other day. I’d use my little tool and try and get the root out and then pound the divot back down. Within a few minutes there were about 6-8 worms on the surface. Worm grunting (charming) works. So get yourself a drum!

The ancient art of worm charming

Need an interesting quarantine activity? Learn the ancient art of worm charming from past Midland County 4-H teen leader Nathan Laurenz.

www.canr.msu.edu

 

[Natep]

Getting the water right might be harder than I thought. I gave around 5% on Saturday I think. Yesterday it felt kind of dry so I gave a little water and sprayed the mulching.

I also put the rest of the worms in for a total of 12. Kinda bummed though. When I just checked on everything today, I had 2 dead worms on top.

I don't think I have the soil moist enough and they dried out. I don't want to give water everyday and have the roots drown, but I also want the microbes and worms to live.

I think I'm gonna add more water. If it's too much it will drip into the reservoir anyway.

It will get easier when you start bottom watering. Probably wouldn’t hurt to do a bottom water now.

 

[Halloweed]

It will get easier when you start bottom watering. Probably wouldn’t hurt to do a bottom water now.

Cool. Sounds like a plan. I'll fill reservoir this evening. The clovers are coming up, more than I thought lol. Also going to add more straw to top lair so it's fully covered.

 

[Halloweed]

So far so good I think. It's been around 5 to 6 weeks since sprout. Only giving water. Top dressed with some worm castings.

Bottom watering is going good. It's hard to tell when it's low though. I thought looked low and added water to reservoir. It must have still had water. I got probably close to a gallon leak out lol.

Trying some training. I need to figure something better. It's hard tying them to the earthbox. Been using steaks but it slides right off.

 

[Natep]

Look down the tube. Wait till it is completely dry.

 

[Week4Bytch]

Look down the tube. Wait till it is completely dry.

I'm new to these earth box deals, have two still in their shipping boxes. But am curious about the reservoir, and had the idea to keep them filled for optimum uses? Or as your suggesting, just let it dry out before filling again?

 

[Halloweed]

I'm new to these earth box deals, have two still in their shipping boxes. But am curious about the reservoir, and had the idea to keep them filled for optimum uses? Or as your suggesting, just let it dry out before filling again?

Yeah, your supposed to let it completely dry and top water when you add amendments and casings. I was getting ahead of myself lol.

They seem to do a good job. I wish I put wheels on mine. It's sometimes hard to move.

 

[7munkee]

I am glad to see another Earthbox grower. I have been using Earthboxes for 3 years now and I wont go any other way. My god they grow fast. Like you, I do No Till. I have been growing in the same undisturbed soil for 7 cycles in a row about to start my 8th. I ran out of room for top dress and had to scrape a gallon and a half off the top. This is what my EB looked like a week after I flipped to flower last time

so plan for massive root expansion during the flip.

Like others have said, do not fill the reservoir until you know the plant can drink it or you will stunt it. I top water for at least the first few weeks. And for the best results let the reservoir dry completely before refilling. I use this opportunity to add my Recharge or other favorite microbe/mychorizha supplement and then fill the reservoir the next day.

 

[Halloweed]

I am glad to see another Earthbox grower. I have been using Earthboxes for 3 years now and I wont go any other way. My god they grow fast. Like you, I do No Till. I have been growing in the same undisturbed soil for 7 cycles in a row about to start my 8th. I ran out of room for top dress and had to scrape a gallon and a half off the top. This is what my EB looked like a week after I flipped to flower last time View attachment 2434712

so plan for massive root expansion during the flip.

Like others have said, do not fill the reservoir until you know the plant can drink it or you will stunt it. I top water for at least the first few weeks. And for the best results let the reservoir dry completely before refilling. I use this opportunity to add my Recharge or other favorite microbe/mychorizha supplement and then fill the reservoir the next day.

This is my first time with the Earth box and living soil so I'm still learning. And from what I read you can get big plants.

I put 2 plants in 1 EB but next time I'm only gonna do 1 per EB. So they have more space.

 

[7munkee]

I'm new to these earth box deals, have two still in their shipping boxes. But am curious about the reservoir, and had the idea to keep them filled for optimum uses? Or as your suggesting, just let it dry out before filling again?

Yeah. Let it go dry before watering. I add my goodies at this point (Recharge, Great White, worm teas, etc) VIA top water and then fill the reservoir the next day. During the stretch you may go through a full reservoir in one day

 

[7munkee]

This is my first time with the Earth box and living soil so I'm still learning. And from what I read you can get big plants.

I put 2 plants in 1 EB but next time I'm only gonna do 1 per EB. So they have more space.

I've done it both ways. I prefer a shorter veg with two plants. I have run 2 Earthboxes each with two plants and filled a 3x3 in a 3 weeks. I also filled the 3x3 with one plant in one Earthbox and it took 2 months. I'm almost 60 so I will never go through all my seeds growing in my 3x3 if I live to be 90. May as well plant 4 at a time in hopes of a unicorn!

 

[shaganja]

Pulling up a chair. If you had worms that decided not to crawl down, it could be the high humidity under your top cover. If they dont feel dry air, they won't crawl down. In nature, when it rains, the worms come up. Some get caught in the road, because they sun dries em out before they realize they gotta leave. Perhaps same type of thing happened.

 

[Natep]

This is my first time with the Earth box and living soil so I'm still learning. And from what I read you can get big plants.

I put 2 plants in 1 EB but next time I'm only gonna do 1 per EB. So they have more space.

I’m doing two plants in a 2x4 with two city picker pots. For some reason in the sip the stretch is always crazy.

 

[7munkee]

I’m doing two plants in a 2x4 with two city picker pots. For some reason in the sip the stretch is always crazy.

IMO, those City Pickers would be great or autos. Autos usually don't trigger until the tap toot hits bottom and those things are DEEP.