No Myco web on Super Soil

Any soil you start should have some inoculants in there. A bit of Neem and crab meals, for example.

Don't over-water and don't worry about a web on the soil. My 0.02

Rrog said:

Any soil you start should have some inoculants in there. A bit of Neem and crab meals, for example.

Don't over-water and don't worry about a web on the soil. My 0.02

Click to expand...

Yeah I have read several threads where people are adding the same thing. I guess another question I might have is should I mix those inoculants in to the current soil or just start a new batch?

Thanks!

if its Sub's recipe for Super Soil, then you re doing something wrong, it should have a web.

jesus of Cannabis said:

if its Sub's recipe for Super Soil, then you re doing something wrong, it should have a web.

Click to expand...

Kind of why I made the thread....

Did you use Subs recipe? innocs would make a difference if you did your own from scratch. I have went ahead and just added and go for the gold! Didnt have any probs. Mostly ants if anything

Xub420 said:

Did you use Subs recipe? innocs would make a difference if you did your own from scratch

Click to expand...

Yes I used sub's recipe. The recipe I saw from him didn't include any neem or crab meal so I did not add it. Safe to add it now with my insect issue or just start a new batch from scratch?

I am also interested what you put in it. If the container was truly sealed, adult fungus gnats wouldn't have been able to get in there to lay eggs; otherwise they were already in the soil before cooking.
To prevent or help get rid of gnats you can use Bti (Mosquito Dunks or Bits, Gnatrol). Dunks are sold in virtually every hardware store, break them up and soak in water to apply. They also sell beneficial nematodes which attack pests like fungus gnat larvae. Others such as various predator mites which can live in the soil may also attack fungus gnat eggs, small larvae and pupal stages.

Most mycorrhizal fungi wont live (actively) without a plant host. What you may see is the mycelium of saprophytic fungi, which decay organic matter. They'll grow where ever it is moist and warm enough, given suitable organic matter.

Hopefully someone in this thread can clarify a few things for me. Whats with the idea that a super long cooked super soil is better than one cooked for a month? It takes a few weeks for everything organic you added to the soil to break down into nutrients in said soil. Some substances take longer than others, for instance Greensand is basically useless to add unless you are doing a super long "cook time" because it takes a long time to break down. But whats with this idea of "letting soil cook" for two years and other crazy leangths that I have seen? Specifically, WHY is it better. I also don't understand how mykos can establish a web without any roots to live symbiotically with.

Can anyone provide any scientific backing for these ideas?

edit: Just saw your post Nullis, that clarifies the mykos part of my question. Thanks!

Nullis said:

I am also interested what you put in it. If the container was truly sealed, adult fungus gnats wouldn't have been able to get in there to lay eggs; otherwise they were already in the soil before cooking.
To prevent or help get rid of gnats you can use Bti (Mosquito Dunks or Bits, Gnatrol). Dunks are sold in virtually every hardware store, break them up and soak in water to apply. They also sell beneficial nematodes which attack pests like fungus gnat larvae. Others such as various predator mites which can live in the soil may also attack fungus gnat eggs, small larvae and pupal stages.

Most mycorrhizal fungi wont live (actively) without a plant host. What you may see is the mycelium of saprophytic fungi, which decay organic matter. They'll grow where ever it is moist and warm enough, given suitable organic matter.

Click to expand...

My Mix:
1 bag of roots organics soil
1/6th bag of roots soil-less mix
5 lbs EWC
10 oz fish bone meal
10 oz Happy Frog Bat Guano
10 oz blood meal
1.5 tbsp epsom salt
1 tbsp dolomite lime
1 tbsp azomite
3/4 tsp humic acid

Perhaps the container isn't 100% sealed but its one of the most heavy duty trash cans I have seen and the top is REALLY hard to get off and makes almost an air-seal noise when I remove it.

I definitely saw several adult fungus gnats in there so would it be pointless adding nematodes at this stage? Especially since I plan to use azamax and I believe that is not compatible with nematodes.

Nullis said:

I am also interested what you put in it. If the container was truly sealed, adult fungus gnats wouldn't have been able to get in there to lay eggs; otherwise they were already in the soil before cooking.
To prevent or help get rid of gnats you can use Bti (Mosquito Dunks or Bits, Gnatrol). Dunks are sold in virtually every hardware store, break them up and soak in water to apply. They also sell beneficial nematodes which attack pests like fungus gnat larvae. Others such as various predator mites which can live in the soil may also attack fungus gnat eggs, small larvae and pupal stages.

Most mycorrhizal fungi wont live (actively) without a plant host. What you may see is the mycelium of saprophytic fungi, which decay organic matter. They'll grow where ever it is moist and warm enough, given suitable organic matter.

Click to expand...

Yes, this ^

Don't worry if you don't see any "web" on the surface. There's a whole lot going on in there that can't be seen with the naked eye. I judge my soil's readiness mostly by smell. When you stop smelling the individual ingredients (beefy cow blood smell, fishy fish meal, etc) and start smelling that nice fresh soil smell, you're ready to rock.

Southerner said:

Hopefully someone in this thread can clarify a few things for me. Whats with the idea that a super long cooked super soil is better than one cooked for a month? It takes a few weeks for everything organic you added to the soil to break down into nutrients in said soil. Some substances take longer than others, for instance Greensand is basically useless to add unless you are doing a super long "cook time" because it takes a long time to break down. But whats with this idea of "letting soil cook" for two years and other crazy leangths that I have seen? Specifically, WHY is it better. I also don't understand how mykos can establish a web without any roots to live symbiotically with.

Can anyone provide any scientific backing for these ideas?

edit: Just saw your post Nullis, that clarifies the mykos part of my question. Thanks!

Click to expand...

It's not useless if you re-use your soil. If you put together a nice batch of soil, it gets better as it ages because as you rightly pointed out some ingredients take much longer to become bio-available.

I've never heard of someone "cooking" their soil for 2 years, but 60 days is a reasonable amount of time to allow the microbes in the soil to break down the organic inputs.

^^^^ Yeah ^^^

I'd put these pest amendments in at any time. You've got great soil going. Just add the items mentioned.

You would never want a sealed bin of soil. You want lots of O2

...........................

SpicySativa said:

Yes, this ^

Don't worry if you don't see any "web" on the surface. There's a whole lot going on in there that can't be seen with the naked eye. I judge my soil's readiness mostly by smell. When you stop smelling the individual ingredients (beefy cow blood smell, fishy fish meal, etc) and start smelling that nice fresh soil smell, you're ready to rock.

Click to expand...

Ok that is some what comforting. It smells a lot less funky than it did when I first mixed it. That is for sure.

Rrog said:

^^^^ Yeah ^^^

I'd put these pest amendments in at any time. You've got great soil going. Just add the items mentioned.

You would never want a sealed bin of soil. You want lots of O2

Click to expand...

Ok thanks for all of the info man. Much appreciated.

roots has fungus gnats for a fact..and i add in a big jar or myco madness and use great white shark water to add the water when i mix it to boost myco life but as someone said it rarely lives without a host which would be plant roots but either way i get the mycellium web in a few days of it being warm and moist....also ive herd smaller batches don't "cook" up as well but it will still work buddy

I mix my mykos or tarantula and piranha in with the soil that goes on top before planting. I don't mix it in with the super soil. Also I use kelp extract in my super soil recipe at the same ratio as azomite.

I mixed in roots oregonism to my supersoilish mix, I closed it and came back the next day at temps of 60° and had a web. I hear good things of roots oregonism and ill use up a whole pound in each supersoil batch. I just buy the $50 bag and use it like crazy lol especially when transplanting.

Has anyone made their own Lactic acid bacteria??If not you are missing something...I worked with myco but when I tried my first batch of my homemade Lactobacillus,I was sold!!!It is sold in a few preparations in the hydro store but NEVER in the amounts you will come to be using...