subcool super soil. any experience?

BuDz047

Member
Really considering trying subcool's recipe. Everything in this HT article seems straight forward.
(http://www.hightimes.com/read/subcools-super-soil-step-step)

does anybody have any experience with this recipe? pros and cons?What water is best? Tap and letting it sit for a day or 2? R.O. and add Cal-mag and Epsom Salt.

I have facbric containers, whould that work? or should i go with plastic containers?

5 or 7 gallon?


Thanks in advanced.

ps.
Also, not looking into using 6 or 8 bags. looking to do 1/8 of the recipe.
(http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/928638-subcool-super-soil-smaller-batches.html)
 

OUTDOOR FARMER

Well-Known Member
My first season using it, and wouldn't use anything else. I use water straight from the hose, watering has been less also
Last season I used 2 fox farm nutrients and they didn't come close to producing what I've experienced this season
 

oldman60

Well-Known Member
I can't say about the soil but I won't use anything else but
fabric bags, they help the roots stay cooler, prevent circle root,
air prune and they are environmentally responsible.
I use root pouches made from recycled materials.
Use the largest you can work with for auto's I use 7gal.
for photo's I like 15gal. or larger check out A.M. Leonard
look under container production they have the best prices
I have found.
Happy growing.
:peace:
 

BuDz047

Member
My first season using it, and wouldn't use anything else. I use water straight from the hose, watering has been less also
Last season I used 2 fox farm nutrients and they didn't come close to producing what I've experienced this season
2 ff nutrients, meaning you used their soil, plus the nutrients, and the recommended feeding schedule?
 

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
Use it, you'll like it. Just don't start your seeds in it. Water alone will be all you need for a good 6 weeks and if you do a few AACTs after that you may not need anything else.
 

BuDz047

Member
I can't say about the soil but I won't use anything else but
fabric bags, they help the roots stay cooler, prevent circle root,
air prune and they are environmentally responsible.
I use root pouches made from recycled materials.
Use the largest you can work with for auto's I use 7gal.
for photo's I like 15gal. or larger check out A.M. Leonard
look under container production they have the best prices
I have found.
Happy growing.
:peace:
Ditto
 

BuDz047

Member
My first season using it, and wouldn't use anything else. I use water straight from the hose, watering has been less also
Last season I used 2 fox farm nutrients and they didn't come close to producing what I've experienced this season
When watering during veg, do you water til you get run off, or do you water just enough to wet the top soil and not get the concentrate soil in the bottom wet,?
 

BuDz047

Member
Also, I fond Humic Acid but in granulated form. is this ok? or should i really use powdered? same for dolomite lime and rock phosphate? only found granulated.

Can i just crush it myself?
 
Really considering trying subcool's recipe. Everything in this HT article seems straight forward.
(http://www.hightimes.com/read/subcools-super-soil-step-step)

does anybody have any experience with this recipe? pros and cons?What water is best? Tap and letting it sit for a day or 2? R.O. and add Cal-mag and Epsom Salt.

I have facbric containers, whould that work? or should i go with plastic containers?

5 or 7 gallon?


Thanks in advanced.

ps.
Also, not looking into using 6 or 8 bags. looking to do 1/8 of the recipe.
(http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/928638-subcool-super-soil-smaller-batches.html)
Hey Budz

I use SS. I have to mix up a base of my own because the soil I have access to in my area is not great for choice - can't get anything like roots here easily.

As far as watering goes it will work either way (straight from the tap or let it stand), but I would personally let tap water stand for a day, or bubble an air pump through it for an hour or two before using it, because some of the sterilization agents in the water can damage the microherd (microbes in the soil), and letting it stand allows the water to purge these things. I then add Epsom salt at a rate of 1.5 - 2 tbsp per gallon depending on strain, as required.

Ultimately what you want is living soil, full of beneficial microbes which breaks down the nutrients into plant-ready food. If you're interested, check out a book called Teeming with MIcrobes, and also the work of Dr Elaine Ingham. Combine that with Sub's Supersoil and you will be unstoppable.

I find the best way to stimulate the microherd, and in turn your plants, is to add compost teas (AACT) a couple of times during flower to get the beneficial microbes in the soil working hard. I use a combination of worm castings and hydrolyzed fish/kelp extract bubbling for a few days, but there are literally hundreds of ways of doing it.

Gives them a great boost!

Also, from personal experience, I would recommend taking your base soil as seriously as your super soil, because the veg stage will be miserable otherwise - make sure you got mycorrhizae, epsom salt and lime added to your base soil if it's lacking, and I mixed in a load of coco fibre too to be sure with aeration.


All the best with your experiments!
 

BuDz047

Member
MorrisMinority;

thanks a lot for your input. I've been farming for about a year and a half with 4 harvests under my belt. Each one better than the next. I've only used Roots Organics. Their Soil, nutes, and Master Feeding Schedule. Everything by their book. So im basically just above a newb. Learned a lot of things.

Question. (s)

* At what week do you add the AACT's? I've read that about the 6th week of flower the super soil starts getting a bit week.

* Also, When watering during vegetation mode , do you water til you get run off, or do you water just enough to wet the top soil and not get the concentrate soil in the bottom wet,?

* Another question is: the "improved" recipe of subcool's super soil calls for Bloom Bat Guano 0-5-0. I was able to only get 0-10-0 (Sunleaves' Jamaican Bat Guano). I lied, I had a choice of both Jamaican or Indonesian 0-7-0. Im questioning my purchase. Should i have gone with 0-7-0, or should i really use 0-5-0. I think Happy Frog carries a 050.

and lastly,

* I fond Humic Acid but in granulated form. is this ok? or should i really use powdered? What about rock phosphate 0-3-0? How does that usually come, the main hydro stores around me didnt carry it, nor did Hope Depot.

Found it on Amazon by Espoma.
http://www.amazon.com/Espoma-RP7-Ro...qid=1409115608&sr=1-1&keywords=rock phosphate

This the same brand i bought my Dolomite Lime in. They are round pellets, the size of peppercorn or bibi gun pellets.

Here's the Recipe. Gonna' use the small batch portions.

Subcool’s Super Soil Recipe Improved,
Large Batch :

  • 8 ten gallon bags of high quality Organic Potting Soil Such as “Roots Organic Soil”
  • 25 – 50 pounds of Organic Earthworm Castings
  • 5 pounds of Blood Meal (12-0-0)
  • 5 pounds of Bloom Bat Guano ( 0-5-0)
  • 5 pounds Fish Bone Meal ( 3-16-0)
  • 3 pounds Rock Phosphate (0-3-0)
  • 3/4 cup Epsom Salt
  • 1 cup Dolomite Lime
  • 1/2 cup Azomite
  • 2 table spoons (Tbs.) powdered Humic Acid
Subcool’s Super Soil Recipe Improved, Small Batch :

  • 1 ten gallon bag of high quality Organic Potting Soil Such as “Roots Organic Soil”
  • 3 to 6 pounds of Organic Earthworm Castings (1 lb. of casting = about 1 gal.)
  • 10 ounces of Blood Meal ( 10 oz. of blood meal = about 1 & 1/2 cups)
  • 10 ounces of Bloom Bat Guano ( 10 oz. of guano = about 1 cup)
  • 10 ounces Fish Bone Meal ( 10 oz. of bone meal = about 1 cup)
  • 6 ounces Rock Phosphate
  • 1&1/2 tablespoons Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate)
  • 2 tablespoons or 1 oz. (liquid measure)of Dolomite Lime
  • 1 tablespoons or 1/2 oz. (liquid measure) of Azomite (trace elements)
  • 1 teaspoon of powdered Humic Acid
 
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