Otaku_grower
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When should I turn the soil? When inoculating or when the plant is in there turning the topsoil? I have clover seeds that will be sprouting around my transplanted plant.Turning the soil by hand so as not to accidentally kill worms and other beneficial microbial life would be my way of making sure it's not too moist. I also plant cover crops in my organic mix before I transplant my cannabis into the mix.
Give this a lookHello fellow growers,
I have been doing lots of research on growing in living soil. Two things I cannot find much about on the internet is inoculating living soil before use and how to water afterwards. Is it always good to keep your living soil moist and covered, letting it break down and colonize before use? And how can you tell if it’s beneficial bacteria colonizing or something not so beneficial? And I understand having to keep living soil moist for the microbes but how do you avoid overwatering while continuously keeping the soil moist? These might be some noob questions but I wanna get the discussion going online.
How much: i use a pump sprayer only when the soil is at the drying threshold(use a meter, 1-10 I’ll water at 4)…my gals are presently 2weeks into flower and they grow in 3gal cloth pots. For me I like to water each plant slowly with about a liter of (this week water/liquid kelp and URB liquid microbes) liquid then pause for 10-20 and hit them again. Presently I use around 2gal for 4 3gal pots.Hello fellow growers,
I have been doing lots of research on growing in living soil. Two things I cannot find much about on the internet is inoculating living soil before use and how to water afterwards. Is it always good to keep your living soil moist and covered, letting it break down and colonize before use? And how can you tell if it’s beneficial bacteria colonizing or something not so beneficial? And I understand having to keep living soil moist for the microbes but how do you avoid overwatering while continuously keeping the soil moist? These might be some noob questions but I wanna get the discussion going online.
Hi there, I see this was a while ago but how is it going? I am having the same issue with watering. Everything is ok right now, I don’t dare say better than that but they look good.Give this a look
'Cyborg Soil' Unearths a Complex Web of Hidden Microbial Cities
Dig a teaspoon into your nearest clump of soil, and what you'll emerge with will contain more microorganisms than there are people on Earth.www.sciencealert.com
What kind of pots are you in?Hi there, I see this was a while ago but how is it going? I am having the same issue with watering. Everything is ok right now, I don’t dare say better than that but they look good.
My soil maker, Vermont compost co says 5-10% of volume, which does moisten it nicely, keeping it moist, and never dry. Which I think is my problem. I can’t keep the top and middle moist, without drowning the bottom really. At least not yet. Like right now, the top and middle is reading at dry. The bottom, still wet. After transplant it was 6 and 7 days before not even a full 5% watering. (Day 6 I tried to center water the happy frog they came from, to actual success) next day much better but not fully, I did read the living and was now ready to my estimation. That was 12/7. Today, 4 days later, which my head is telling me is too soon, the meter is reading dry in the middle and top, but wet at bottom, I just don’t know what to do. This is what I mean by taking their “don’t let it dry” too seriously. They have to mean completely and desperately. Haha. I’m still afraid though. I’m fighting the urge to give them some.
Not the ones I wanted and was told were ordered, and then brought different. Haha.What kind of pots are you in?
I am trying so hard to work it out. I’ve bitten more than I can chew by not doing enough research and really thought I had. I’m learning and needing to make the best of it. I really do not know yet what is actually best. I don’t want this soil because I’m lazy and wanted water and go. Not in the least, and you know, that isn’t what it is. I just also didn’t want to be a chemist. Haha. I like this idea. I found out about container size too late, and there are still differing opinions. I want to listen to what the people who made it say. They agree with you. It gets hard to deny when ppl are telling you they are doing it though. It’s so confusing, I know different for all (what is success etc) with conditions, expectations etc. I bought the 30’s and more soil to fill them. It is in an upstairs room and my back and body are a mess. I can get rolling risers though. I spoke to the makers of RootMaker fabric pots etc., in the build a soil pots is a liner to help keep moisture in and sides from drying. Root trapping, not air pruning (air for very bottom). These just have a full coating on the outside, and they did invent them. Haha. They say they designed them to help the issue, but not for living soil itself etc.. They’re still in the emergency 3’s I had to use. There was no plan to do two transplants. These are just root pouch full fabric. The plan was the 5’s or 7’s I’d ordered, a friend got with his corp discount with them, but forgot to bring….haha. I’d since ordered the 30’s and keep changing the plan because I don’t know what’s best. They are doing great right now. Maybe this run I should leave them be and just work it out as it arises, re-amend it later and start fresh. I have it. I just don’t know what to do and am annoying people. Especially if they are seeing the soil as just soil. It’s so different and I don’t have the proper way to explain it. I don’t want to pretend I can teach anyone here anything. I cannot. Haha. It’s why I’m here. So far, you’ve all taken me further than I had faith in myself to get. We will get me there. Someone needs to just say, “you are doing this, now go do it.” Haha. Like @PK1 did with the light. Got me straightened right out. It’s been perfect. They’re so happy and I’d burned their little tips.7 gallon fabric pots are rough to grow in with organics. Im to the point anymore that the minimum is 30 gallons for a no till organic set up. Anyone that ive seen doing something smaller always seems to have issues of some kind. More soil the better.
That’s a confusion too. There are differences in bases and some ingredients, with many the same of course. Yes, same idea and mechanics of nature, just holds and acts differently. I’m not special. I picked this because I liked the farm it comes from etc. it’s Vermont, I’m NY bla bla bla. It’s just confusing for me still. This is equine manure and compost based. I think natures living is sea based. I don’t know that’s there is a difference. I’m just wondering if it may be.Growweedeasy.com has a tutorial on natures living soil with base watering chart for 5 gallon fabric pots. Might want to give it a look and dial it in from there. Deff want to keep the soil moist at all times. Blu mat or any drip systems work really well for that.
I love them and really wish I’d found them first. If I remember correctly I did, but didn’t watch enough. Watched more mixing and process stuff than container sizes. It was there, watching more, after buying these things that I saw the video about size. I’ve been stupefied since. Haha.Build a soil has great tutorials and products for first time living soil/ orangic farmers. They also use all of their own products in their personal grow and everything is documented on their IG and Youtube. Also small and family owned in Colorado.
Nice. There used to be a guy that grew in earth boxes here. Forgot his handle and he hasn’t been around for a minute. He was a cool cat though. I’d def like to get into living soil because I see a big difference in the way the flower smokes. It’s really a different high and smoke when the living soil is dialed in.I love them and really wish I’d found them first. If I remember correctly I did, but didn’t watch enough. Watched more mixing and process stuff than container sizes. It was there, watching more, after buying these things that I saw the video about size. I’ve been stupefied since. Haha.
I did buy their other products, cover crop, barley straw etc. I know they know and want to listen to them. The idea of 30’s is just tough. I have them and the soil though.
I do love the idea. It’s the hippie in me. Can’t help it. ‘69 baby. This guys farm, he’s the same, I could tell. That’s what did it. I’m not expecting what you’re describing quickly. I have a ways to go beyond the soil as we know, but it is the goal. Natural is the only way for me. I saw how it all works and am not sure I’d have done it if that’s the only other way. Just me being stubborn and not wanting complicated. Mixing crap and guessing. Being a chemist. I have no interest. This is supposed to turn out good for me, relaxing. Imagine!! Hahaha. It will be I know. As they are growing, I have more work to do so it’s starting. Finally.Nice. There used to be a guy that grew in earth boxes here. Forgot his handle and he hasn’t been around for a minute. He was a cool cat though. I’d def like to get into living soil because I see a big difference in the way the flower smokes. It’s really a different high and smoke when the living soil is dialed in.
They actually have 4x4 living soil beds on wheels. But yes it takes a long time. The bud I smoked was on its 8th cycle no till. These cultivators are on the rec market here in Long Beach Ca and they run rooms of living soil. Their weed hits way different but it sells out fast. It’s reasonably priced because they don’t have to recover the money they would have spent on bottled or granular nutrients. It just makes sense. We won’t get into the supply chain issues and what nutrients we may or may not be able to get soon.I do love the idea. It’s the hippie in me. Can’t help it. ‘69 baby. This guys farm, he’s the same, I could tell. That’s what did it. I’m not expecting what you’re describing quickly. I have a ways to go beyond the soil as we know, but it is the goal. Natural is the only way for me. I saw how it all works and am not sure I’d have done it if that’s the only other way. Just me being stubborn and not wanting complicated. Mixing crap and guessing. Being a chemist. I have no interest. This is supposed to turn out good for me, relaxing. Imagine!! Hahaha. It will be I know. As they are growing, I have more work to do so it’s starting. Finally.
I did consider a 4x4 bed but we definitely wouldn’t be moving that. Haha.
Everything is going to be a big problem and most of the people living or at least who need to know etc don’t really realize what’s coming. Not by fault. No judgment. We live in the US. We haven’t known it a long time. It’s in our history of course but we’ve been taught, or at least believe that stuff is the past and can’t happen or whatever. It’s here. I’ve seen the shelves. There’s a particular fan I want. It’s silly, I just want it. Been out of stock since September when I found it. Originally they expected them in November, they wrote (amazing) and said it wouldn’t be until late January (to best of knowledge). I mean, I’m fine, I have fans and it was just a want. I can’t have it though.They actually have 4x4 living soil beds on wheels. But yes it takes a long time. The bud I smoked was on its 8th cycle no till. These cultivators are on the rec market here in Long Beach Ca and they run rooms of living soil. Their weed hits way different but it sells out fast. It’s reasonably priced because they don’t have to recover the money they would have spent on bottled or granular nutrients. It just makes sense. We won’t get into the supply chain issues and what nutrients we may or may not be able to get soon.
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