My Soil Pics

Where's the perlite?

Wet

Hey thanks wet, i know... I added 16 qts of perlite and 8 qts of vermiculite with 6 cups of charcoal. I have been thinking about getting some coco coirs and adding some of that in there. what do you think about coco?

thanks

Wetdog said:

Where's the perlite?

Wet

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olylifter420 said:

Hey thanks wet, i know... I added 16 qts of perlite and 8 qts of vermiculite with 6 cups of charcoal. I have been thinking about getting some coco coirs and adding some of that in there. what do you think about coco?

thanks

Click to expand...

I have 0 experience with coco, so no help there.

No more vermiculite, looks like you have plenty of water retention right now.

I would add, at the least, another 8qts of perlite, if not more. 'When it looks like you have too much, it's just right', IMO.

Wet

I was thinking about adding another 8 qt bag to the entire mix and getting another 8 qt bag to add in when i am planting...

coco, i got that from Subcool. he recommends its use, so i was also thinking about giving that a try. I already ordered some azomite, i should be gettting it tomorrow and that will be the final addition to my mix... So, hopefully it will turn to be a good grow this go round! I ordered several hydrofarm dirtbag pots, they are like smart pots, but from hydrofarms, i got 2x 3 gallon pots and 1x 15 gallon pot. Im deciding which to put in what containers... SHould i put a sativa in the 15 gallon pot and indicas in the 3 gallon?

Wetdog said:

I have 0 experience with coco, so no help there.

No more vermiculite, looks like you have plenty of water retention right now.

I would add, at the least, another 8qts of perlite, if not more. 'When it looks like you have too much, it's just right', IMO.

Wet

Click to expand...

IDK to be honest. 3 gal seems a bit small unless you are doing clones, and 15 gal is a bit over kill unless you have the lighting for a plant that will fill it.

I either do 5-7 gal containers for a few, larger plants or, 1-2 gal if I'm doing a SoG thing with clones.

Wet

Coco works great!

hey thanks Wet, i thought the samething, but they were out of the 5 gallon and i had to wait 5 wks if i wanted to order a 7 or 10 gallon... so i was stuck with the 3 and 15 gallon pots... Im doing outside, so i think it will have enough light from the sun, right? Will the plants have height in the 3 gallon?

I have read that a foot of height is related to the amount the size in gallons of the pot, ie., 3 gallon pot = 3ft plant. Is that correct?

thanks wet

Wetdog said:

IDK to be honest. 3 gal seems a bit small unless you are doing clones, and 15 gal is a bit over kill unless you have the lighting for a plant that will fill it.

I either do 5-7 gal containers for a few, larger plants or, 1-2 gal if I'm doing a SoG thing with clones.

Wet

Click to expand...

olylifter420 said:

hey thanks Wet, i thought the samething, but they were out of the 5 gallon and i had to wait 5 wks if i wanted to order a 7 or 10 gallon... so i was stuck with the 3 and 15 gallon pots... Im doing outside, so i think it will have enough light from the sun, right? Will the plants have height in the 3 gallon?

I have read that a foot of height is related to the amount the size in gallons of the pot, ie., 3 gallon pot = 3ft plant. Is that correct?

thanks wet

Click to expand...

Yes, that's a rough rule of thumb.

Outside? The 15 gal will be fine, the 3's might be a bit on the small side, but you could also partially bury them and that will help. I've done this before, and it works fine. Bury the pot ~1/3 deep. The ground keeps it a bit cooler, slows evaporation some and the plant can shoot some roots out of the drain holes for more of everything. Of course you can't be moving them around. LOL

Wet

Wetdog said:

I would add, at the least, another 8qts of perlite, if not more. 'When it looks like you have too much, it's just right', IMO.

Wet

Click to expand...

Here's some food for thought: this came from Matt Rize's veganics post on the topic of perlite:
" diversity in the soil leads to microclimates. Microclimates lead to diverse microbe and beneficial fungi populations. Diverse populations lead to pH buffering, nitrogen fixation, root symbiosis, and overall pathogen resistance.

Now I have to address perlite. I can see how feeding more often in a lighter mix might make it easier to push nutes. I made the decision to go all natural, and perlite is not part of that.

To explain more: perlite is dead space in the microbial world. For me, it is not about feeding more, or more often. It is about maintaining a healthy root zone, and feeding both the roots and the microbes. The microbes in turn eat and their "poo" feeds the plants while I'm waiting to water again. By the time full roots have developed I'm watering my medium sized plants (in 4 gallon pots filled with terra plus straight outta the bag) about every-other day, just right IMHO."

Perlite being dead space in the microbial world... makes sense to me - there isn't perlite in soil naturally and nature seems to do just fine, that's my 2 cents.

sensi

Wouldnt perlite allow the root system to grow with ease? Making the soil lose and airy,wouldnt that help the plant, not by feeding, but by providing a better living environment? Also, some perlite is made from inert stuff, the one I got is organic from volcanic rock.

Subcool and Soma recommend it, if it works for them, then why is it bad?

SensiSoulJah said:

Here's some food for thought: this came from Matt Rize's veganics post on the topic of perlite:
" diversity in the soil leads to microclimates. Microclimates lead to diverse microbe and beneficial fungi populations. Diverse populations lead to pH buffering, nitrogen fixation, root symbiosis, and overall pathogen resistance.

Now I have to address perlite. I can see how feeding more often in a lighter mix might make it easier to push nutes. I made the decision to go all natural, and perlite is not part of that.

To explain more: perlite is dead space in the microbial world. For me, it is not about feeding more, or more often. It is about maintaining a healthy root zone, and feeding both the roots and the microbes. The microbes in turn eat and their "poo" feeds the plants while I'm waiting to water again. By the time full roots have developed I'm watering my medium sized plants (in 4 gallon pots filled with terra plus straight outta the bag) about every-other day, just right IMHO."

Perlite being dead space in the microbial world... makes sense to me - there isn't perlite in soil naturally and nature seems to do just fine, that's my 2 cents.

sensi

Click to expand...

I grow with 5 Gallon hardware store buckets I recently transplanted my plants in May into 25 gallon buckets. Remember its not the size of the bucket initially. Its the heat that grows the roots out, easiest way to grow in a bucket is to drill holes on the side of your container next get some weed barrier ( or burlap ) and line the inside of the bucket. This prevents earwigs and other small creatures you don't want in your soil. Buy the bucket cap use a hole saw and cut it wide enough 5" or bigger buy some panda plastic wide side up with a slit in it and black side down seal it with the bucket lid this heat will make your roots explode once your plant is big enough I would say at least 5' then transplant into your 15 gallon bucket and you will have a massive plant with massive colas and if you train it to the sides with other buckets filled with dirt to stretch it out you can have a massive plant I'd say a 6ft wide by 8ft tall plant or if you have neighbor requirements you can train it even shorter. But as far as smaller to transplant is better on your container size since you have the same type of soil it will not shock the plants to continue growing into a new size container just remember to keep trimming off the lower branches in order to use them as clones and to make sure your tops get the most nutrition.

Perlite is good. Too much perlite reduces the volume of media the plant can use and will require more frequent waterings. Find the right balance for you and your strain.