Super Soil vs Top dressing

CannaR05 · Nov 2, 2022

Hi,

I know for a plant to grow healthy you need to use the right nutrients. Which is easier in the long run, Should you use a Super Soil recipe or use a base soil with nutrients and when the nutrients runs out top dress every 2 weeks with nutrient?

I've heard nutrients take time to break down to be available in a plant and when using Super Soil you "cook" it for at least 1 month before using it for your plants to give the nutrients in the soil time to break down. When you top dress with dry amendments is 2 weeks really enough time for the dry amendments to break down in the soil to then be available to the plant?

What do you think is the easier and more automated process?

I am asking because I am an organic grower that top dresses every 2 weeks and get pretty good yields and results, but I am beginning to have less and less time to devote to growing so I need a more automated process when administering nutrients to the soil.

Any and all advice would be appreciated!

Thanks,

JerzeyMike · Nov 2, 2022

This run I am doing now is homemade super soil and I am only feeding it organics terp teas, compost/ewc, and epsom salts from start to finish. Throughout veg its been a tea a week, but it’ll probably be a little more in flower. If you are looking for more automated, Ive heard blumat systems work well in living soil. Happy growing!

2Bad · Nov 2, 2022

Top dressing seems much easier.

CannaR05 · Nov 2, 2022

JerzeyMike said:
This run I am doing now is homemade super soil and I am only feeding it organics terp teas, compost/ewc, and epsom salts from start to finish. Throughout veg its been a tea a week, but it’ll probably be a little more in flower. If you are looking for more automated, Ive heard blumat systems work well in living soil. Happy growing!

So even though you used super soil you still need to add compost/ewc and a tea every week? Why? Also is your whole pot super soil or is it like i have read online - 1part super soil then 2/3 base soil? to prevent roots burning. I am planning on using Subcool's recipe since I have never used Super soil before, Is 1 month "cook" good to break down the nutrients? Also I am planning on buying AC Infinity's Self watering bases when they become available again. Most of my equipment is AC Infinity except my Flowering light which is the PhotonTek SQ300 I grow in 3x3 tents.

CannaR05 · Nov 2, 2022

2Bad said:
Top dressing seems much easier.

To me it's more time consuming due to having to do it every 2 weeks, not to mention I do not know if 2 weeks in enough time for the nutrients to be available to the plant.

2Bad · Nov 2, 2022

Yeah so what happens is the nutrients break down slowly like it's time release. The nutrients usually start working after a week. Like jerzey says he makes a tea EVERY week and more in flower.

SylviaLynn · Nov 2, 2022

I'm looking into this as well. @JerzeyMike, what do you have growing with your lady?

JerzeyMike · Nov 2, 2022

I wouldnt say “need to “ necessarily, water would probably be fine atleast all through veg, but its more of an experiment to me this run. I dont mind making them and seems to be working for me so far.

JerzeyMike · Nov 2, 2022

Build a soil clover mix cover crop. Helps with nutrient uptake and protecting the soil from the lights.

CannaR05 · Nov 2, 2022

2Bad said:
Yeah so what happens is the nutrients break down slowly like it's time release. The nutrients usually start working after a week.

Is that every type of dry amendment you use? EWC, kelp meal, blood meal, bone meal, bat guano, alfalfa meal, ect? As in the week time to break down? If that is the case why does super soil need a month more to “cook”? Different quantities?

SylviaLynn · Nov 2, 2022

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense.

CannaR05 · Nov 2, 2022

JerzeyMike said:
I wouldnt say “need to “ necessarily, water would probably be fine atleast all through veg, but its more of an experiment to me this run. I dont mind making them and seems to be working for me so far.

Do you clean your tea bags and equipment after each tea run to avoid contamination or do you clean it after the grow itself?

CannaR05 · Nov 2, 2022

JerzeyMike said:
Build a soil clover mix cover crop. Helps with nutrient uptake and protecting the soil from the lights.

Wouldn’t mulch work too?

E9noxis · Nov 2, 2022

CannaR05 said:
So even though you used super soil you still need to add compost/ewc and a tea every week? Why? Also is your whole pot super soil or is it like i have read online - 1part super soil then 2/3 base soil? to prevent roots burning. I am planning on using Subcool's recipe since I have never used Super soil before, Is 1 month "cook" good to break down the nutrients? Also I am planning on buying AC Infinity's Self watering bases when they become available again. Most of my equipment is AC Infinity except my Flowering light which is the PhotonTek SQ300 I grow in 3x3 tents.

I read in the self watering bases review that the roots need to be touching the floor of your pot before these start to work. I never tried them but it's something to consider

2Bad · Nov 2, 2022

CannaR05 said:
Is that every type of dry amendment you use? EWC, kelp meal, blood meal, bone meal, bat guano, alfalfa meal, ect? As in the week time to break down? If that is the case why does super soil need a month more to “cook”? Different quantities?

People cook super soil because they are working on microbial life ...more microbial life means less deficiencies and less feeding.

And i'd say they all break down evenly . There's micro and macro nutrients this is the recipe I use. https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/growing-with-gaia-green-shadeds-method.140538/

JerzeyMike · Nov 2, 2022

CannaR05 said:
Do you clean your tea bags and equipment after each tea run to avoid contamination or do you clean it after the grow itself?

Yea i clean them out after each “tea party”. I use a lingerie bag for my tea bag, just turn it out and rinse. Im semi retired so my methods aren't the fastest, i like to spend time with my girls. This is my epoxy og, in a 5x5 tent. Ive never used mulch, and i can’t remember why not, bugs probably, i have used barley straw before. That worked well too. Ive only been doing this since last Nov. I have taken some classes online that helped alot, but I am still learning everyday!

CannaR05 · Nov 2, 2022

E9noxis said:
I read in the self watering bases review that the roots need to be touching the floor of your pot before these start to work. I never tried them but it's something to consider

I understand your concern, have you looked up reviews on this specific self watering base? I would assume the roots look for water so they would grow to the bottom and grab the water plus the wick lines are supposed to wick the water up into the soil since these are specifically for fabric pots only.

CannaR05 · Nov 2, 2022

2Bad said:
People cook super soil because they are working on microbial life ...more microbial life means less deficiencies and less feeding.

And i'd say they all break down evenly . There's micro and macro nutrients this is the recipe I use. https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/growing-with-gaia-green-shadeds-method.140538/

Yea that’s one reason for the super soil direction, I stress way too much over diagnosing deficencies in the plant and I just want to basically the grow to be on auto pilot with minimal interference I mean I would stil train the plant, defoliate, ect. I am not lazy I just don’t have as much time as I used to.

CannaR05 · Nov 2, 2022

2Bad said:
People cook super soil because they are working on microbial life ...more microbial life means less deficiencies and less feeding.

And i'd say they all break down evenly . There's micro and macro nutrients this is the recipe I use. https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/growing-with-gaia-green-shadeds-method.140538/

Yea that makes sense! Also I wish I could get my hands on Gaia green! But I’m in the USA, Maine and it’s not available.

CannaR05 · Nov 2, 2022

JerzeyMike said:
Yea i clean them out after each “tea party”. I use a lingerie bag for my tea bag, just turn it out and rinse. Im semi retired so my methods aren't the fastest, i like to spend time with my girls. This is my epoxy og, in a 5x5 tent. Ive never used mulch, and i can’t remember why not, bugs probably, i have used barley straw before. That worked well too. Ive only been doing this since last Nov. I have taken some classes online that helped alot, but I am still learning everyday!

Yea I am in the same boat I’ve done 3 successfully grows so far. Started with synthetic nutrients but the flushing was annoying to deal with. Then I switched to organic becuase you get a better flavor profile and every was going good, but life has curves and my curve is a time restraint hence the super soil and self watering. I would love to spend time with my girls too if I had more time. Do you fill the whole pot with super soil or do 1 part SS 2/3 parts base soil? (You may have already answered this so sorry if you give the same answer twice)

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