Soil choice

[Friend-of-a-friend]

I'm currently growing in FF Happy Frog. I mix in a little perlite, bat guano, and garden lime. I don't measure anything, as I have been mixing it long enough to go by eye. I was just curious if anyone has any suggestions, recommendations for soil choices. Been contemplating trying coco cana out. Any experiences with this product?

 

[Rosebud]

Have you thought about making your own soil?

 

[Friend-of-a-friend]

Yes, I have Rosebud. I am an avid gardener and have a diy compost tumbler. I'm just nervous about sterilization. I don't bring anything into my growroom from outside.

 

[HighBrixMMJ]

Yeah I'd try making your own super soil. I use sub cools recipe, but I hear NV has a great recipe that a lot of growers here use and have great success. I personally start with FFOF and add light warrior to it. Two bags of ocean forest to one bag light warrior, then mix in my amendments and water it with ph'ed water, then let sit in at least 75 degree temps for at least six weeks to cook, or chelate all of the ingredients. I add mycorrhizae, sweet lime, Epsom salt, worm castings, composted cow manure, blood meal, fish bone meal, high P bat guano, azomite, and humid acid. Now this mix is hot so If I put clones or seedlings in it it'll fry the bejesus out of it. So I just put about 4 gal in a 7 gal pot. And then add regular unamended soil to the top and kind of blend together where the two soils meet, so my plants don't burn and slowly adjust to the hot soil. Then all I do is water through veg and flower and get great results. If I see any deficiencies I just make up a tea and water in. Hope this helps.

 

[HighBrixMMJ]

Put your soil in large plastic trash cans with a lid, it doesn't have to go outside, just needs to be 75 degrees or better to cook.

 

[Friend-of-a-friend]

Wow. Impressive recipe, but 6 weeks to cook? Seems like a lot of work, but then again, anything worth doing....

 

[nouvellechef]

You will never match the ultra low cost of making your own soil from a net cost per gram standpoint. But it is most def more effort to make your own soil mix. However, whether your making your own or using bottled nutrients, I only use Pro-mix or Sunshine#4. The soiless mix for both is the lowest cost per cubic foot you will find at around $5 per cf.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Actually 6 weeks isn't bad--look at how long compost takes. I use NV's super soil and I only let it cook about 4 weeks this last time and it seems just fine. If you can stir and mix it inside, there is no reason to have it outside. I have a small worm bin in my house.

 

[Rosebud]

I just gave away all my roots organic nutrients. It is pretty fun when you can take a plant all the way thru with a little molasses and if your want a "tea".

The part about bringing in bugs, it wouldn't be any different then the bagged soil we buy. If your an avid gardener it is a natural step..It is great fun building it and watching it turn into wonderful black soil.

There is a whole lot of recipes in the soil section.

 

[grass hopper]

I just gave away all my roots organic nutrients. It is pretty fun when you can take a plant all the way thru with a little molasses and if your want a "tea".

The part about bringing in bugs, it wouldn't be any different then the bagged soil we buy. If your an avid gardener it is a natural step..It is great fun building it and watching it turn into wonderful black soil.

There is a whole lot of recipes in the soil section.

this site is just so informative and fun !!! THANKS ALL

 

[Wetdog]

Yes, I have Rosebud. I am an avid gardener and have a diy compost tumbler. I'm just nervous about sterilization. I don't bring anything into my growroom from outside.

:yeahthat:

That was the best advice I ever got when I finally went indoors over 20 years ago. I've been growing outside for twice that long.

It's a simple solution, just keep the outside stuff outside, especially anything that's been in contact with the ground.

I make my own mix for everything, outside container veggies and indoor herbs. After mixing, it's stored in 32 gallon trash cans till use. I just keep one or part of one separate for indoor use only. My worm bins are indoors and only have the bugs they are supposed to have.

I've never fretted over much about sterilization much, mainly because I've done it so long without knowing about it and no bad results.

If it hasn't been in contact with the ground, where you can get soil borne pests and pathogens, not much worry. Air borne stuff you can get no matter what you do and you just deal with it.

Make your own, save money and have a higher quality mix in the bargain.

Wet

 

[HighBrixMMJ]

The bugs like the roots and plant matter, since soil doesn't have any of that in it til you bring it in and put it there, you won't get any bugs in the soil!