S
screwdriver
Guest
This may be a boring thread, but I'll try to keep this updated with what I do to maintain my growing media. I thought this to be mainly organic so I posted here. I reuse my soil simply because I think it is easier than going out and buying new soil with each grow. So I thought each time I mess with my buckets I'll post it here.
My three buckets....Why three? Volume mainly, I may need four buckets soon.
View attachment 43728
Bucket three is where I put the last harvested plant's soil, the larger stems, rootball and a little bit of dirt from the previous round of soil. I'll add a teaspoon of clearzyme and moisten with fish fertilizer water. Every few days stir with my big spoon, all the way to the bottom of the bucket.
When things begin to break down it becomes easier to cut up the bigger pieces. We are just helping the process.
Bucket two is where the fan leaves, small stems, the soil from bucket three before the next harvest. this is where I add a pinch of Mycorrhizal fungi to the mix and watch grow. Stir every few days to the bottom.
Bucket one is where the nutes and perlite are mixed with the new reused soil. Not much going on in there right now, you'll just have to wait.
Other things about this are watering when the soil needs it. I keep the lids on the buckets, but not snaped so there is free air movement. There is no smell other than from the fish fertilizer and that lasts only the day of use.
The general idea is to move some of the soil from bucket to bucket while the added organic material is breaking down.
How do I know the nute values of the soil? I don't. I just guess.
My three buckets....Why three? Volume mainly, I may need four buckets soon.
View attachment 43728
Bucket three is where I put the last harvested plant's soil, the larger stems, rootball and a little bit of dirt from the previous round of soil. I'll add a teaspoon of clearzyme and moisten with fish fertilizer water. Every few days stir with my big spoon, all the way to the bottom of the bucket.
When things begin to break down it becomes easier to cut up the bigger pieces. We are just helping the process.
Bucket two is where the fan leaves, small stems, the soil from bucket three before the next harvest. this is where I add a pinch of Mycorrhizal fungi to the mix and watch grow. Stir every few days to the bottom.
Bucket one is where the nutes and perlite are mixed with the new reused soil. Not much going on in there right now, you'll just have to wait.
Other things about this are watering when the soil needs it. I keep the lids on the buckets, but not snaped so there is free air movement. There is no smell other than from the fish fertilizer and that lasts only the day of use.
The general idea is to move some of the soil from bucket to bucket while the added organic material is breaking down.
How do I know the nute values of the soil? I don't. I just guess.