Soil usage

[trini trees]

Good morning all, so at the moment I'm using organic potting soil. Im looking into coco+perlite how much of difference will this soil make in my grow. I read the "facts" from the companies. I wanna know personal facts/thoughts on this medium.

thanks guy/ladies

 

[Emilya Green]

coco is not soil, so it changes everything.... even the pH that you will need to operate at. There is nothing for the plants in coco, so there is also no buffering of nutrients or pH as soil can provide, and there is no way to support the microlife that soil growing allows... in coco, it is all about your nutes.

Some people love the control you have over all aspects of your grow in coco, and claim hydro speeds in growth and production. I love soil, and the ability to walk away for several days at a time, and the ability of the soil and the microbes within to add to the grow and even replace the need to use outside nutrients. I enjoy the cost savings and sustainability that soil growing allows me, instead of throwing all my money into nutes.

 

[Vegan4life]

I found that Living Organic soil is easier for me. I use "Coot's mix", occasionally add aerated compost tea or earthworm castings, maybe some malted barley flour. Water once or twice a week. I did one "Coco perlite" grow, fed/watered plants 6 times a day, had to buy expensive nutrients, constantly mixing nutes and checking PH levels.

Bottom line, Coco (for me) was more time consuming, less forgiving, more expensive and not organic... Living organic soil is way easier, less time consuming, more forgiving, cheaper and organic...

 

[013]

Hey Trini, There are very nice specimens grown in all types of media, but soil is highly regarded as the pinnacle for taste & terps. Hydro does mean hands on all the time plus all of the ph measuring & adjustments suck ass. Too high, too low, too high again but 2 minutes later it’s at another reading. In soil I pour well water from tap into a 5 gallon bucket add 1/4 of a mosquito dunk...... I can add kelp, dry ferts and DE to get a ppm of 10,000 slather it on with a freaking trowel and my plants don’t give a shit. And as Emilya so eloquently stated......... the ability to walk away, that alone is a huge benefit. I can leave for an easy 4 to 5 days and not worry. Yeppers on multiple use, sustainability, organic, microbes, forgiving, more freedom ...... the final answer is D: All of the Above!

I do believe hydro grows happen a hair quicker - but I’m ok with that. I will experiment with hempy blend of hydro maybe this winter, just to gain experience..... but I’m a soil grower and nothing can top that in my book.

 

[SmokingWings]

I love soil, and the ability to walk away for several days at a time, and the ability of the soil and the microbes within to add to the grow and even replace the need to use outside nutrients.

A very important point, maybe the absolute best one, in Emilya's message.

Growing can be a fun hobby or occupation but us humans do need a break every now and then. If growing in coco mixes it seems that it will be impossible to leave town for more than 12 hours before problems start. Maybe plan ahead as to who can be trusted to come in and water and mix nutrient solutions on schedule.

Soil can be saturated before leaving and still have enough left to keep the plant alive 4 days later if going away on an extended weekend for a wedding, family emergency or just take a break from it all.

If you want to try coco then go for it. I might do it myself one day just to see what it is all about.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Mmm coco coir is basically an inert growing medium as many others have suggested it is a lot of work to which you will need to PH adjust the nutrient feed every watering.

Soil is more for giving & to this day I still growing in an organic based soil

I've tried hempys a couple of times that is like a run to waste system in a bucket a serious pain in the butt.

 

[013]

They grow some fine looking weed in hydro and I want to learn for myself, but yes hands down it’s soil for me!

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

PICT000266

• Fuzzy Duck
• Nov 3, 2013

PICT000157

• Fuzzy Duck
• Nov 3, 2013

Hempy bucket grow & as O13 mention you can get some pretty fine looking plants but might not be as tasty as soil grown plant... depends on what you are looking for ?

 

[trini trees]

coco is not soil, so it changes everything.... even the pH that you will need to operate at. There is nothing for the plants in coco, so there is also no buffering of nutrients or pH as soil can provide, and there is no way to support the microlife that soil growing allows... in coco, it is all about your nutes.

Some people love the control you have over all aspects of your grow in coco, and claim hydro speeds in growth and production. I love soil, and the ability to walk away for several days at a time, and the ability of the soil and the microbes within to add to the grow and even replace the need to use outside nutrients. I enjoy the cost savings and sustainability that soil growing allows me, instead of throwing all my money into nutes.

Yo Em you stay comn thru with the clutch facts........love it and thank you.....ill stay in my current lane till i have gad atleast 3 harvest.

 

[trini trees]

Hey Trini, There are very nice specimens grown in all types of media, but soil is highly regarded as the pinnacle for taste & terps. Hydro does mean hands on all the time plus all of the ph measuring & adjustments suck ass. Too high, too low, too high again but 2 minutes later it’s at another reading. In soil I pour well water from tap into a 5 gallon bucket add 1/4 of a mosquito dunk...... I can add kelp, dry ferts and DE to get a ppm of 10,000 slather it on with a freaking trowel and my plants don’t give a shit. And as Emilya so eloquently stated......... the ability to walk away, that alone is a huge benefit. I can leave for an easy 4 to 5 days and not worry. Yeppers on multiple use, sustainability, organic, microbes, forgiving, more freedom ...... the final answer is D: All of the Above!

I do believe hydro grows happen a hair quicker - but I’m ok with that. I will experiment with hempy blend of hydro maybe this winter, just to gain experience..... but I’m a soil grower and nothing can top that in my book.

Im now 100% sticking to soil for the moment as i like to move around freely all that extra work is not in the forecast lmao

 

[trini trees]

A very important point, maybe the absolute best one, in Emilya's message.

Growing can be a fun hobby or occupation but us humans do need a break every now and then. If growing in coco mixes it seems that it will be impossible to leave town for more than 12 hours before problems start. Maybe plan ahead as to who can be trusted to come in and water and mix nutrient solutions on schedule.

Soil can be saturated before leaving and still have enough left to keep the plant alive 4 days later if going away on an extended weekend for a wedding, family emergency or just take a break from it all.

If you want to try coco then go for it. I might do it myself one day just to see what it is all about.

ill try it 1 day...i did look up all the nutes n coco n this n that n this n that.....as a beginner i opt out lol

 

[trini trees]

im currently seeking kush mints seeds....nobody got em

 

[Nunyabiz]

Living Organic Soil

 

[bobrown14]

I found that Living Organic soil is easier for me. I use "Coot's mix", occasionally add aerated compost tea or earthworm castings, maybe some malted barley flour. Water once or twice a week. I did one "Coco perlite" grow, fed/watered plants 6 times a day, had to buy expensive nutrients, constantly mixing nutes and checking PH levels.

Bottom line, Coco (for me) was more time consuming, less forgiving, more expensive and not organic... Living organic soil is way easier, less time consuming, more forgiving, cheaper and organic...

This ^^^ Coots for the win

Coco = soil-less medium
soil = soil medium

Opposite ends of the spectrum.

It all depends on your personal goals. You have goals right?


Soil is generally forgiving BUT and it's a big ass butt - you need to pay attention to your soil recipe. The best soil use is if you have your own compost or access to some locally. If you look around you will find it. We have the best leaf mold in the world free in the woods on our property and we make our own compost, beg and borrow from our farmer neighbors too.

"Get your compost right and there's not much to worry about." Coot

Water only

Soil-less medium you use fertilizer you need to "feed" the plants with daily.

 

[Emilya Green]

Check out any of my current grows, the last lines in my signature. They are all being done in a three layer container, with my old 7 year old supersoil mix in the bottom third, Fox Farm Ocean Forest to the middle, and then after throwing in the latest rootball, Fox Farm Happy Frog packed in to the top. For nutrients, I am using @GeoFlora Nutrients VEG and BLOOM, a very economical topical granular application that only needs to be given once every two weeks. It contains all the minerals that your soil would have needed to feed the plants, plus the microbes that are specially cultured to be able to process those exact nutrients. It really is the easiest way to do a completely organic grow that I have found yet, and I have tried gobs of them, and the system can turn any run of the mill potting soil into a fully self contained organic grow. It doesn't get any easier than this, and the quality of my grows so far is astounding.

 

[Islandgrow]

Good morning all, so at the moment I'm using organic potting soil. Im looking into coco+perlite how much of difference will this soil make in my grow. I read the "facts" from the companies. I wanna know personal facts/thoughts on this medium.

thanks guy/ladies

Hey bro sounds like you're in the Caribbean trini I would say the main difference is that with coco/perlite you will need to feed every watering which is great because you will get faster growth . As pure coco and perlite is considered hydroponics. I use masterblend which is similar to Jack's a 3 part dry nutrient. But if growing outdoors straight coco is recommended will hold more moisture especially in cloth pots. You can also grow larger plants in smaller containers than with soil as well. Just make sure you have a pH pen and a ts meter.

 

[bobrown14]

Bigger roots bigger shoots

This is 30 gal container organic soil coots mix with a local clay btm layer (was already there - the clay). 12 foot ladder

 

[trini trees]

Hey bro sounds like you're in the Caribbean trini I would say the main difference is that with coco/perlite you will need to feed every watering which is great because you will get faster growth . As pure coco and perlite is considered hydroponics. I use masterblend which is similar to Jack's a 3 part dry nutrient. But if growing outdoors straight coco is recommended will hold more moisture especially in cloth pots. You can also grow larger plants in smaller containers than with soil as well. Just make sure you have a pH pen and a ts meter.

from the Caribbean lol...i have both. i will def try the coco 1 day when i have more free time

 

[013]

That will do nicely!

 

[trini trees]

Bigger roots bigger shoots

This is 30 gal container organic soil coots mix with a local clay btm layer (was already there - the clay). 12 foot ladder

whats the strain on that beast?