Living soil

[gazmufc]

Hey guys

Gonna starting a outdoor in the coming weeks.. Will be growing Durban in a tunnel, and I am looking for advise on which premade organic living soil to go for? This grow won't be close to home, so need a soil where the plant has all its needs
Thanks in advance...

 

[RetiredRN]

Hey guys

Gonna starting a outdoor in the coming weeks.. Will be growing Durban in a tunnel, and I am looking for advise on which premade organic living soil to go for? This grow won't be close to home, so need a soil where the plant has all its needs
Thanks in advance...

I use natures living soil but I have to tell you it won’t get you thru the entire grow, only about a month in my experience even though the manufacturer claims otherwise. You will still need to top dress with amendments about every 2 weeks till the end and more if the plants show you their hungry.

 

[gazmufc]

I use natures living soil but I have to tell you it won’t get you thru the entire grow, only about a month in my experience even though the manufacturer claims otherwise. You will still need to top dress with amendments about every 2 weeks till the end and more if the plants show you their hungry.

OK thanks for the reply. Some were suggesting fox farm forest, mixed with ocean fox? Have u heard of these branded soils?

 

[Nunyabiz]

Outdoor, so you can grow in the ground or are you growing in large fabric pots?

One of the best overall living Organic Soils would be the Buildasoil V3.
Then add a couple inches of quality worm castings on top and a good cover crop.
Need giant pots or a really good large bed for the plant to feed off of for months.

You could also just buy the amendment kit and make your own Coots mix.

 

[RetiredRN]

OK thanks for the reply. Some were suggesting fox farm forest, mixed with ocean fox? Have u heard of these branded soils?

Yes. That’s exactly what I’m going to do for my next grow.

 

[gazmufc]

Outdoor, so you can grow in the ground or are you growing in large fabric pots?

One of the best overall living Organic Soils would be the Buildasoil V3.
Then add a couple inches of quality worm castings on top and a good cover crop.
Need giant pots or a really good large bed for the plant to feed off of for months.

You could also just buy the amendment kit and make your own Coots mix.

Hey thanks for taking the time to reply, yeah have a great chance now to grow properly without the restrictions of space. Have a top class tunnel ordered its 9mx4m, and has automatic windows to allow air flow.. Durban seeds just arrived, Super excited to say the least. Yes using fabric pot, building my own soil.. This is a new site, so the ground soil is pretty messed up at the moment, going to build it up for direct planting over time. I'm looking for a good soil that will last them as long as possible. What lt size pots would u recommend? 10lt pots? Was thinking of doing some companion planting, using red clover for veg cycle.. Any ideas what is good for companion planting during flowering cycle? At the end I will plant vetch.. It is great for sucking up remaining nuts and storing them, they can then be overturned back into the soil for re conditioning. Any good videos or blogs of guys growing Durban outdoors. Would be appreciated....

 

[Nunyabiz]

Didn't you say these will be far away from you so the soil needs to feed it and supply moisture for i would assume days on end?
I wouldn't even plant a seedling in a 10lr pot.

Id do a 100lr fabric pot "indoor".

Outdoor you should be using large beds or like 500lr fabric pots.
Unless your goal is to grow dwarf outdoor plants and you have an automatic watering system.
A 2 gallon pot would need to be watered probably at least twice a day and even the most nutrient rich soil would be depleted in about a week.
What size plants are you trying to grow?

 

[gazmufc]

Didn't you say these will be far away from you so the soil needs to feed it and supply moisture for i would assume days on end?
I wouldn't even plant a seedling in a 10lr pot.

Id do a 100lr fabric pot "indoor".

Outdoor you should be using large beds or like 500lr fabric pots.
Unless your goal is to grow dwarf outdoor plants and you have an automatic watering system.
A 2 gallon pot would need to be watered probably at least twice a day and even the most nutrient rich soil would be depleted in about a week.
What size plants are you trying to grow?

I'm starting them indoor under white fluorescent, gonna slowly acclimatise them, and after about 3 to 4 weekss the plan is to transfer them to a tunnel.. We have a automatic watering system coming, it's a drip set up, so I will spend the time and check how long it takes for the water to run through. I will be keeping a eye on them. They are a outdoor seed, Durban, been told they do well in tunnel set up in European climate. The plan is to have them finished by late September early October.. Trying to use what I've access to easy and on a lowish budget as we spent alot in the tunnel.. Csn get bags of organic farm yard manure local.. I use it on my vegetable allotment. I could mix some of this with the better living soil to provide extra nutrition, but it's my first time doing outdoors so not sure. Done it inside few times, small grows.. I've seen people make big containers for outdoor grows before, using light plastic sheeting, make a circle with it and hold it in place with ree bar.. Could use my-pex (breathable fabric, but would keep soil and roots inside.) not really bothered of the plants get massive, just as long as its decent smoke, we are not greedy lol

 

[Joe Brewster]

I say plant it straight in the ground. Roots need room to grow. Especially when you have the sun for a light.
The spot I planted in was about a foot of sandy soil on top of clay gumbo I added 5 gal pail of leaf compost ( cow manure is very high in nitrogen & will burn if to much is used) a couple handfuls of bone meal & blood meal . Was also a clover patch in front of it Did add 4 gallons of bud boom when was into budding a couple times
did it 2 years in a row & got same results
this is the roots from the first year plant check my media for the other pics of plant

 

[gazmufc]

I say plant it straight in the ground. Roots need room to grow. Especially when you have the sun for a light.
The spot I planted in was about a foot of sandy soil on top of clay gumbo I added 5 gal pail of leaf compost ( cow manure is very high in nitrogen & will burn if to much is used) a couple handfuls of bone meal & blood meal . Was also a clover patch in front of it Did add 4 gallons of bud boom when was into budding a couple times
did it 2 years in a row & got same results
this is the roots from the first year plant check my media for the other pics of plant

Hey thanks for the reply.. Blood and bone meal is easily available where I live.. U see the site is a new one, and the area where the tunnel is going is on top of Blue clay soil, big undertaking to dig it out now and replace it.. Next season definitely will preep the ground for direct planting.. This Yr tho he wants to just use big pots.. I'm looking at 50lt +.. Hopefully will get OK medium size plants at least. Its bloody expensive getting living soil shipped to EU.. I can get wrom castings, and mycrorizel shipped cheeper.. I've read people getting decent results from using the soil from the tomato grow bags, and then adding what I've just mentioned? . Going to be planting red clover as well as green manure. Have just cracked the seeds today so Time is kinda the essence, and budget as well, as I can only spend so much each week, so need to get something organised in the coming weeks for sure.

 

[Joe Brewster]

Hey thanks for the reply.. Blood and bone meal is easily available where I live.. U see the site is a new one, and the area where the tunnel is going is on top of Blue clay soil, big undertaking to dig it out now and replace it.. Next season definitely will preep the ground for direct planting.. This Yr tho he wants to just use big pots.. I'm looking at 50lt +.. Hopefully will get OK medium size plants at least. Its bloody expensive getting living soil shipped to EU.. I can get wrom castings, and mycrorizel shipped cheeper.. I've read people getting decent results from using the soil from the tomato grow bags, and then adding what I've just mentioned? . Going to be planting red clover as well as green manure. Have just cracked the seeds today so Time is kinda the essence, and budget as well, as I can only spend so much each week, so need to get something organised in the coming weeks for sure.

if you don't plan on moving the pot, plant them 6" into the ground & the roots will make there way into the ground , keeping them from getting root bound.
Also just in case they get dry they have a place they can find water

 

[bobrown14]

I'm starting them indoor under white fluorescent, gonna slowly acclimatise them, and after about 3 to 4 weekss the plan is to transfer them to a tunnel.. We have a automatic watering system coming, it's a drip set up, so I will spend the time and check how long it takes for the water to run through. I will be keeping a eye on them. They are a outdoor seed, Durban, been told they do well in tunnel set up in European climate. The plan is to have them finished by late September early October.. Trying to use what I've access to easy and on a lowish budget as we spent alot in the tunnel.. Csn get bags of organic farm yard manure local.. I use it on my vegetable allotment. I could mix some of this with the better living soil to provide extra nutrition, but it's my first time doing outdoors so not sure. Done it inside few times, small grows.. I've seen people make big containers for outdoor grows before, using light plastic sheeting, make a circle with it and hold it in place with ree bar.. Could use my-pex (breathable fabric, but would keep soil and roots inside.) not really bothered of the plants get massive, just as long as its decent smoke, we are not greedy lol

Doubtful true Durban going to be anywhere near September .... its a long running sativa and by long running I've flowered some went 120+ days in flower so thats 4 months after August 1.....

Durban is at the same latitude as say New Orleans to give you an idea.

You need Durban hybrids to speed up the flowering time. Trust me on this one. I'm running Transkei indoors right now. Seeds direct from the region. They arent even thinking of being done at 75 days right now.

In bags outside you need A LOT of soil. The plants are going to get HUGE - much larger then your hoop house/green house. I wont grow outside in anything less than 30 gallons and thats small. Just dig a hole and fill it with a soil mix that will work.

Can do coots mix like I do.. no-till do again next year just add some compost.

RE-think Durban outdoors or grow it indoors. Or get a hybrid with something mixed in to shorten flowering.

 

[Deketx]

Unless you use much larger bags than you want to use, you're going to have to feed them. The LOS isn't going to take you all the way through.

 

[Nunyabiz]

Your best bet is a Hugelkultur mound for outdoor.

 

[Odjob]

Most logs here get trucked to mills now. Years ago they milled in the woods. The old bark and brush piles are a motherload if you can find them.

 

[gazmufc]

Doubtful true Durban going to be anywhere near September .... its a long running sativa and by long running I've flowered some went 120+ days in flower so thats 4 months after August 1.....

Durban is at the same latitude as say New Orleans to give you an idea.

You need Durban hybrids to speed up the flowering time. Trust me on this one. I'm running Transkei indoors right now. Seeds direct from the region. They arent even thinking of being done at 75 days right now.

In bags outside you need A LOT of soil. The plants are going to get HUGE - much larger then your hoop house/green house. I wont grow outside in anything less than 30 gallons and thats small. Just dig a hole and fill it with a soil mix that will work.

Can do coots mix like I do.. no-till do again next year just add some compost.

RE-think Durban outdoors or grow it indoors. Or get a hybrid with something mixed in to shorten flowering.

Hey thanks for your opinion, here is the link to the seeds I choose, they have bred this strain for cooler climate, this strain has shorter flowering period? I was advised it was 1 of about 4 strains that wud be OK to grow in my region outdoor in a tunnel. The other strains where Hollands hope, early girl, big bud and this Drban strain. I cud buy some of Holland hope as well just to be sure, as its well known they do good outdoors in Hollands damp climate. What u think?

https://sensiseeds.com/en/feminized-

eeds/sensi-seeds/durban-feminised#description

 

[gazmufc]

Doubtful true Durban going to be anywhere near September .... its a long running sativa and by long running I've flowered some went 120+ days in flower so thats 4 months after August 1.....

Durban is at the same latitude as say New Orleans to give you an idea.

You need Durban hybrids to speed up the flowering time. Trust me on this one. I'm running Transkei indoors right now. Seeds direct from the region. They arent even thinking of being done at 75 days right now.

In bags outside you need A LOT of soil. The plants are going to get HUGE - much larger then your hoop house/green house. I wont grow outside in anything less than 30 gallons and thats small. Just dig a hole and fill it with a soil mix that will work.

Can do coots mix like I do.. no-till do again next year just add some compost.

RE-think Durban outdoors or grow it indoors. Or get a hybrid with something mixed in to shorten flowering.

Doubtful true Durban going to be anywhere near September .... its a long running sativa and by long running I've flowered some went 120+ days in flower so thats 4 months after August 1.....

Durban is at the same latitude as say New Orleans to give you an idea.

You need Durban hybrids to speed up the flowering time. Trust me on this one. I'm running Transkei indoors right now. Seeds direct from the region. They arent even thinking of being done at 75 days right now.

In bags outside you need A LOT of soil. The plants are going to get HUGE - much larger then your hoop house/green house. I wont grow outside in anything less than 30 gallons and thats small. Just dig a hole and fill it with a soil mix that will work.

Can do coots mix like I do.. no-till do again next year just add some compost.

RE-think Durban outdoors or grow it indoors. Or get a hybrid with something mixed in to shorten flowering.

 

[gazmufc]

Ce

Doubtful true Durban going to be anywhere near September .... its a long running sativa and by long running I've flowered some went 120+ days in flower so thats 4 months after August 1.....

Durban is at the same latitude as say New Orleans to give you an idea.

You need Durban hybrids to speed up the flowering time. Trust me on this one. I'm running Transkei indoors right now. Seeds direct from the region. They arent even thinking of being done at 75 days right now.

In bags outside you need A LOT of soil. The plants are going to get HUGE - much larger then your hoop house/green house. I wont grow outside in anything less than 30 gallons and thats small. Just dig a hole and fill it with a soil mix that will work.

Can do coots mix like I do.. no-till do again next year just add some compost.

RE-think Durban outdoors or grow it indoors. Or get a hybrid with something mixed in to shorten flowering.

 

[bobrown14]

Most logs here get trucked to mills now. Years ago they milled in the woods. The old bark and brush piles are a motherload if you can find them.

This is true. We have woods and an old road on the property. Loggers used to mill the wood right there on the old road. We have been scooping up the remains that have composted.

Then we screened out the larger particles. Black gold right there. Good soil.

 

[bobrown14]

Ce

Must be a Durban hybrid then. You read what I said about flowering times??

I've ran it many many times. I had to cross it with an indica that runs less time that lowered the flowering time to 10-12 weeks. Thats getting into mid October with a shortened flowering time hybrid seed mixed in.

Also I woodn't call Durban an easy one to grow. Its tolerable to a lot of issues but getting to harvest was never the easiest for me.