If I were to grow in original soil?

[CheesyCheddar]

Hey guys, I have a question and I would love if it were to be answered!!
What would happen if instead of buying bags and bags of soil, I were just to plant in regular soil and in worm castings, perlite, and everything else most outdoor growers use? Would everything go fine? Or would I waste my hard work and time and end up having a dead plant?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Richard Richardson]

Hi Cheesy Cheddar Welcome to

Cannabis is a plant, so the rules are not so much different to normal gardening.

The limitations of our grow environments usually determine our outcomes.

Your soilmix would work great, as long as the final product is loose with lots of organic matter.

Roots need air as much as water, so break the soil down finely (use compost if you have any).

Perlite and worm castings and all the usual additives that gardeners use are great.




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[Cultivator]

Yeah as rico says but also try find out whats in the soil and its ph.

 

[WillGrapes]

Hi Cheesy Cheddar Welcome to

Cannabis is a plant, so the rules are not so much different to normal gardening.

The limitations of our grow environments usually determine our outcomes.

Your soilmix would work great, as long as the final product is loose with lots of organic matter.

Roots need air as much as water, so break the soil down finely (use compost if you have any).

Perlite and worm castings and all the usual additives that gardeners use are great.




How to Grow Marijuana Everything You Need to Know

Photo Gallery Guide - How to Resize, Upload & Post Photos

How to Make a Grow Journal

Thanks for the help! I really do appreciate it!! I was wondering the same thing!

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

As Cultivator mentioned finding out the PH of garden soil is important ideally it would be nice some where between PH 6 & 7 as this will allow for best nutrient uptake



You can get basic PH soil test kits from most garden centers normally a liquid test, take sample of soil 6 inches below surface mix with solution & wait for colour change measuring colour next to chart to find out aprox PH value of soil.


Soil PH can be buffered also if acidic or alkaline by adding amendments, don't forget to add plenty of well rotted organic matter aka garden compost, rotted manures, leaf mulch etc as these contain low value NPK & some trace micro nutrients also very good for helping retain moisture holding properties with in the soil.

 

[CheesyCheddar]

Thanks all!! I will find out the ph asap!! Also how would I change the ph of the soil?

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Ah !

If acidic apply dolomite lime or garden lime this also adds Ca-calcium & Mg-magnesium if your soil is heavy clay based you will need to add more.

If alkaline apply sulfur or sulfur of flowers a little bit aggressive other wise use well rotted manure or 100% peat based compost.


With these methods mentioned above the soil is best worked a couple of months in advance prior to planting for amendments to buffer soil before planting

 

[donpaul.p]

if you find your garden soil is not that good and is mainly soil with not much composted material in it then go to some where near you that has a wooded area, dig some soil in this wooded area and this should be good compost/soil to use, most garden soil is pretty dead as its never had anything added to it or has never had much plant or tree matter worked in so its usually pretty dead and poor for growing plants,

but if your soil is nicely composted and dont just turn to mud when watered then you should be ok, sounds like you have got plenty of great advice and fuzzy duck is on the case,

 

[KingJohnC]

To use regular garden soil you will have to fortify the soil for it to be effective. You will need to add compost, a surce of nitrogen such as worm castings, a source of calcium and magnesium such as gypsum, a source of phosphate such as soft rock phosphate, a source of minerals such as galacial rock dust, perlite, vermiculite and mycorrhizae.

 

[CheesyCheddar]

To use regular garden soil you will have to fortify the soil for it to be effective. You will need to add compost, a surce of nitrogen such as worm castings, a source of calcium and magnesium such as gypsum, a source of phosphate such as soft rock phosphate, a source of minerals such as galacial rock dust, perlite, vermiculite and mycorrhizae.

Are there any exact amounts im supposed to use for each amount of soil? Because I dont wanna over do it with one element and under do it with another.. What if I were to dig a 4x4x4 hole?

 

[CheesyCheddar]

Ah !

If acidic apply dolomite lime or garden lime this also adds Ca-calcium & Mg-magnesium if your soil is heavy clay based you will need to add more.

If alkaline apply sulfur or sulfur of flowers a little bit aggressive other wise use well rotted manure or 100% peat based compost.


With these methods mentioned above the soil is best worked a couple of months in advance prior to planting for amendments to buffer soil before planting

could you possibly link me to threads on how to use these?

 

[KingJohnC]

here is a youtube search for amending soil that may help

https://www.youtube.com amending soil

 

[NotoriousBOB]

Also Are you then bringing outside soil into indoor garden? Because then you would bring in any insects or mites or Disease as well, when it's outside it's kept in check from natural occurrences like other mites and fungus and such, I guess it's just a heads up if you didn't think of it. If your gonna make soil it's a good thing and nice t o be able to control your product but it's not economical if your not gonna make large batches and use alot of it .

 

[CheesyCheddar]

No im growing outdoors

 

[donpaul.p]

if your growing outdoors why not dig down a couple of feet and buy a few bags of compost and work that into the soil, if i was growing outside and my soil was pretty much brown mud then id buy a few bags of cheap compost and work that into the soil, just dont use anything with slow release nutes in it or anything miracle grow based, the best compost i have found is the john innes brand, its cost me £0.99 for a big bag and ive tried all sorts of compost for my plants and found john innes branded product gives me the best results.

so thats another option you have, you would need some nutrients though for flower depending on how good your ground soil is, but when my family grow anything in their gardens they dig down a foot or 2 and throw in a few bags of compost and work in the soil they took out so its all mixed up, if they never did this the plants would constantly need nutrients, the soil where my mom lives is pretty dead

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

could you possibly link me to threads on how to use these?

Rates of application change a bit depending on soil structure & PH value - Lime and liming / Royal Horticultural Society

This ones a little bit more easy - Acidifying soil / Royal Horticultural Society



Being an English gardener by trade for some 20 years the RHS is 100% top notch