Recommendations

[Terpeneluv]

Hey folks,

Ok, I've got about a month to go from the current coco run and I'm looking at soil for the next one. I'm having success with coco for being a newbie, but I want to take a shot at soil. I'm just not going to have the time, or be at home, to do another coco grow in the months ahead.

I figure now is a good time to get this together as I've been reading these mixes may need time to break down.

Any advice or recipes will be greatly appreciate.

Thanks!

 

[az2000]

I documented the soil I use here, and the nutrients here. (<<links). The soil is almost soilless like coco. It's a light, airy soil. You'll have to water/feed every 2-3 days (it dries that quickly, and has virtually no nutrients in it). My feeding schedule is dialed in to not get salt buildup, although I would monitor runoff PPMs. Using that soil and those nutrients, the runoff ppm can go high in early flower. The strengths and runoff volume are dialed in so it hangs around 1600-1800. If it reaches 2400-2500, it will lockout. If it hits 2000ppm, I take steps to reduce strength, increase runoff. (These ppm values seem very meaningful for that soil and nutrients. It may not apply to other soils. But, seems very well correlated to overfeeding, acidification of the soil as the ppms climb.).

I like growing that way because I grew in soilless as you are. Except, I grew in peat, not coco. I wanted to do something more soil'ish. But, not a fully fortified, heavy, self-feeding soil. I like feeding the plants, varying things (the same way I could in soilless). If you're wanting to get away from feeding, and want to water less frequently, my soil wouldn't be the right choice. I haven't grown in a more nutrient-rich soil. I can't recommend anything. If I did it, I'd probably make my own. I don't trust bagged soils. They're made local to the region they're sold in. That can mean it works great for someone somewhere else, but not in your region. You often see peple say they got a "bad bag." Maybe the quality control from batch to batch isn't good. I feel like being lighter with soil, I eliminate that variable. The downside is having to feed from the beginning. But, it doesn't take much work to scoop out 3/4 tsp of a dry product. (My schedule has me mixing a few things to customize the NPK ratio. But, I've grown just with the ratio 1-1-1 base nutrient. That works fine, and is easy.

 

[Terpeneluv]

Thanks, az!

 

[oldskol4evr]

i cant really recomend the magic your looking for,i have several all work for me,but folk dont want to take the time to finish a cook on the soil,straight up i feel there is a better soil that require only mother nature without any help from me,thats my goal and what im looking for,whatever you decide remember 1:1:1 and stick with it and you do fine,medium ,compost,air, ive said it a million times and no one listens,the soil you stand on is probally your best bet and easiest to work into what you want,testing is cheap and can do right at home,do a texture test first,mason jar,put about a 1/3rd of your yard soil in it,fill jar 1/3rd more a little more wont hurt,the organic matter floats to the top so leave room,shake it up real good,sit the jar on level place,as soon as you sit it down and it settles a second,take a permanet marker and make a line were the sand is,you will see it make that mark,30 minutes later do same thing to the silt,you will see it,make your mark,then 24 hrs later make another line for your clay,all that above water is organic matter,just for your own notes measure what that is for future reverence,once you have completed this,take a spoon and take all the floating stuff off the top,when you got it all let the water settle and then test your NPK cheap kit off amazon all it takes,ph and npk kit around 15 bucks,once youve done all this you have reached your goal of the start of building soil,from then you can amend to your hearts desire,for long term and short term source,if you need halp holler,i have thrown up a video of the soil texture chart too many times, but you can save tons of money with a base of your own yard you pay taxes on,so if you need help holler