Organic Growing: An Introductory Guide

Jubilant

Jubilant

Well-Known Member
Just recycled my soil today! Mixed it into my current soil mix I was inspired to make here.

Current soil got a bit anaerobic so I mixed the recycled soil in with it going to let it all dry out first, then water with an AACT after. Now that it is all in pots it should dry out no problem an have no more aeration issues.

Had about 20 Gallons of soil to use after shaking the roots out. I added
  • 2 Cups Fish Meal, Crab Shell Meal, Oyster Shell Flour, Seabird Guano, Kelp Meal ea.
  • 3 Quarts Earthworm Castings, Charcoal ea.
  • 6 Quarts Perlite, Compost, Coco ea.
  • 1/4 Cup Endo-Mycorrhizal Inoculate
We then mixed it up with the other soil and spread it out amount five 7 Gallon Fabric Pots and five 5 Gallon Fabric Pots

Figure it's should not take too long to dry out now in the fabric pots. Once dry, and I allow everything to dry properly between waterings, will I be okay?

How long do you guys think the anaerobic bacteria will stick around?

Bonus Recycling Shots!
IMG_0568_1.JPG IMG_0569_1.JPG IMG_0570.JPG
 
Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
Jubilant said:
Just recycled my soil today! Mixed it into my current soil mix I was inspired to make here.

Current soil got a bit anaerobic so I mixed the recycled soil in with it going to let it all dry out first, then water with an AACT after. Now that it is all in pots it should dry out no problem an have no more aeration issues.

Had about 20 Gallons of soil to use after shaking the roots out. I added
  • 2 Cups Fish Meal, Crab Shell Meal, Oyster Shell Flour, Seabird Guano, Kelp Meal ea.
  • 3 Quarts Earthworm Castings, Charcoal ea.
  • 6 Quarts Perlite, Compost, Coco ea.
  • 1/4 Cup Endo-Mycorrhizal Inoculate
We then mixed it up with the other soil and spread it out amount five 7 Gallon Fabric Pots and five 5 Gallon Fabric Pots

Figure it's should not take too long to dry out now in the fabric pots. Once dry, and I allow everything to dry properly between waterings, will I be okay?

How long do you guys think the anaerobic bacteria will stick around?

Bonus Recycling Shots!
View attachment 3853040 View attachment 3853041 View attachment 3853042
Click to expand...
As long as your soil has good drainage, so that oxygen can get to the roots, healthy aerobic bacteria should take over.

Be cautious with seabird guano mixed in soil, I prefer to top dress with it if I'm using it...those pellets can create hot pockets for your roots if they're not well mixed into the soil.

Also don't let things get too dry before you water. Go by weight, feel how heavy they are after you water. When they feel about half as heavy, water again.
 
Jubilant

Jubilant

Well-Known Member
Rasta Roy said:
As long as your soil has good drainage, so that oxygen can get to the roots, healthy aerobic bacteria should take over.

Be cautious with seabird guano mixed in soil, I prefer to top dress with it if I'm using it...those pellets can create hot pockets for your roots if they're not well mixed into the soil.

Also don't let things get too dry before you water. Go by weight, feel how heavy they are after you water. When they feel about half as heavy, water again.
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I was not aware of that!

However the soil is mixed VERY well and that 2 cups was put into the whole about 65 Gallons of soil. We mixed took some out mixed until empty then added it all back and repeated so many times. Hopefully everything is covered by this :lol:

NaturalFarmer said:
Does the fungi need a host root like winter onion? Will the myco survive without one?

Rodales recommends bahiagrass
http://rodaleinstitute.org/a-complete-how-to-on-farm-am-fungus-inoculum-production/
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From what I understand the inoculant will remain in the soil even without host roots for more than long enough until I plant. If they didn't die in the bag, they probably won't in my soil :P

Even so after plants are transplanted to these pots I will water with a slight inoculant solution to assure their is enough Mycorrhizal Propagules for reproduction/proliferation of the mycorrhizae.

:peace:
 
calliandra

calliandra

Well-Known Member
NaturalFarmer said:
Does the fungi need a host root like winter onion? Will the myco survive without one?

Rodales recommends bahiagrass
http://rodaleinstitute.org/a-complete-how-to-on-farm-am-fungus-inoculum-production/
Click to expand...
To grow it does. Cool thing, that with the bahiagrass, will look into it more :D
As for the mycos, the additives are spores. How long can a spore survive? 100, 1000, 10,000 years? The thing with mixing it into the soil is the dilution, making the chances of a spore being near a root small. By sprinkling the spores directly onto roots or into the planthole when planting, we add the mycos so they're right where they need to be. Saves resources. ;)
 
Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
calliandra said:
To grow it does. Cool thing, that with the bahiagrass, will look into it more :D
As for the mycos, the additives are spores. How long can a spore survive? 100, 1000, 10,000 years? The thing with mixing it into the soil is the dilution, making the chances of a spore being near a root small. By sprinkling the spores directly onto roots or into the planthole when planting, we add the mycos so they're right where they need to be. Saves resources. ;)
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I dont have the need to apply mycos to my plants anymore but when I did I would apply directly to the root zone upon transplant for just this reason.
 
bassman999

bassman999

Well-Known Member
Muskegman said:
My man! this is awesome info. I wasn't expecting this much so I'm pretty impressed. I'm going to try all of this out. It all makes a lot of sense now . Hell, I think I could have been under watering my plants and the microbes are dying off . I'm so worried about giving it too much water, getting root rot, suffocating things, flushing the soil of the bat guano, etc. I'm DEFINITELY going to go get the stuff I need to start making these teas. Thanks a million Rasta. You are really knowledgable and helpful.
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Same here with the under-watering
 
Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
bassman999 said:
Same here with the under-watering
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I've done the same thing before when I started growing organic. I was so used to watering the way you're supposed to use synthetic nutes (soak the medium, let the medium dry out), it took someone pointing it out to me what I was missing by not watering a touch more. Your plants will let you know if you're fucking up. When your lights turn on if the leaves are droopy but the pots are heavy then water a little less. If the leaves are reaching up towards the light, then you're doing great and your girls love you. On average (pot size, and plant size pending), you should be watering every 2-4 days.
 
bassman999

bassman999

Well-Known Member
Rasta Roy said:
I've done the same thing before when I started growing organic. I was so used to watering the way you're supposed to use synthetic nutes (soak the medium, let the medium dry out), it took someone pointing it out to me what I was missing by not watering a touch more. Your plants will let you know if you're fucking up. When your lights turn on if the leaves are droopy but the pots are heavy then water a little less. If the leaves are reaching up towards the light, then you're doing great and your girls love you. On average (pot size, and plant size pending), you should be watering every 2-4 days.
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My Dogs are often leaves down, but havent had any other plants not look happy. I go by weight usually, and the dogs drink lots compared to others in tent.
I normally use sealed totes, but this time I am using 7gal cloth pots so I can move them in and out if needed.
Maybe Ill mist top of soil between waterings.
Is perlite necessary? I quit using it as it always ends up on top. I am using chunky DE now instead
 
Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
bassman999 said:
My Dogs are often leaves down, but havent had any other plants not look happy. I go by weight usually, and the dogs drink lots compared to others in tent.
I normally use sealed totes, but this time I am using 7gal cloth pots so I can move them in and out if needed.
Maybe Ill mist top of soil between waterings.
Is perlite necessary? I quit using it as it always ends up on top. I am using chunky DE now instead
Click to expand...
Perlite does have a bad habit of that! I've been messing around with sand, it tends to to mix and stay evenly mixed. It's only drawback is it adds considerable more weight.

I have no experience with chunky DE, do you know much about it's water and air holding capacity?

If it provides aeration by holding water (like vermiculite), and you're creating an organic soil with compost, castings, and peat moss or Coco. Which all have great water holding capibilities...You could find yourself in a situation where you have anaerobic conditions.

You want things in your soil that hold water...But if that's all you have...That's no bueno. You want something that holds air (like perlite or sand) as well to ensure proper drainage and oxygen for your roots.

There's lots of different choices to consider using for aeration. As always I recommend what is most affordable and local to you. Considering those factors will help you make that decision.
 
bassman999

bassman999

Well-Known Member
Rasta Roy said:
Perlite does have a bad habit of that! I've been messing around with sand, it tends to to mix and stay evenly mixed. It's only drawback is it adds considerable more weight.

I have no experience with chunky DE, do you know much about it's water and air holding capacity?

If it provides aeration by holding water (like vermiculite), and you're creating an organic soil with compost, castings, and peat moss or Coco. Which all have great water holding capibilities...You could find yourself in a situation where you have anaerobic conditions.

You want things in your soil that hold water...But if that's all you have...That's no bueno. You want something that holds air (like perlite or sand) as well to ensure proper drainage and oxygen for your roots.

There's lots of different choices to consider using for aeration. As always I recommend what is most affordable and local to you. Considering those factors will help you make that decision.
Click to expand...
I have read that it holds water well and is good for aeration, but no from anyone growing bud.
It provides silica and some other things like helping with killing some bugs.
Anyway I dont have a problem with drainage as my soil seems o dry too fast if anything.
My base soil (Pro Mix BX) does contain perlite, I just dont add more like I used to.
 
Rasta Roy

Rasta Roy

Well-Known Member
bassman999 said:
I have read that it holds water well and is good for aeration, but no from anyone growing bud.
It provides silica and some other things like helping with killing some bugs.
Anyway I dont have a problem with drainage as my soil seems o dry too fast if anything.
My base soil (Pro Mix BX) does contain perlite, I just dont add more like I used to.
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Yeah I've never even heard of it in chunky form lol let alone heard of other cannabis growers using it...But cannabis growers do have a tendency to not try things unless they're recommended by a grow store lol.
 
bassman999

bassman999

Well-Known Member
Rasta Roy said:
Yeah I've never even heard of it in chunky form lol let alone heard of other cannabis growers using it...But cannabis growers do have a tendency to not try things unless they're recommended by a grow store lol.
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It was recommended by Supraspl in his organic thread.
I buy if from Napa auto parts sold as driveway clean up. Cheapest way to buy it, but the Tallinis Nursery near me sells it also by the pound for about 2x the price
 
NaturalFarmer

NaturalFarmer

Well-Known Member
@bassman999 Diatomacious Earth NEEDS to be food grade otherwise it will from one of the MANY mines that have diatoms and heavy metals. To add to this, the Diatoms are heated and turned into a crystalline form which is very dangerous for your lungs as opposed to the amorphous type which is unheated and in its natural state. There are only about 3 mines in the US that are deemed food grade.

http://www.fertrell.com/diatomaceousearth.htm
 
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