Soil and nutrients

[rvenneman]

I am ready to order the grow room and supplies. But I have a question because I am a bit confused.

The dirt! (I was raised in New Jersey so it is dirt! Not soil!) I looked at grow kits from “A Pot for Pot” and four-five gallon pots would run close to $300. These are, according to their website, everything that is need. Just needs water and sun.

I haven’t priced chemicals nor do I know how much of what and when to use.

Is $300 an outrageous price for the dirt and chemicals for four five-gallon pots?

 

[Rexer]

Hi @rvenneman

I'm not a soil grower, but have you looked @GeoFlora Nutrients, for your nutrients?

Many have used it here with great results, it's easy and I think organic as well. Might save you quite a few $$ as well!

 

[bobrown14]

I am ready to order the grow room and supplies. But I have a question because I am a bit confused.

The dirt! (I was raised in New Jersey so it is dirt! Not soil!) I looked at grow kits from “A Pot for Pot” and four-five gallon pots would run close to $300. These are, according to their website, everything that is need. Just needs water and sun.

I haven’t priced chemicals nor do I know how much of what and when to use.

Is $300 an outrageous price for the dirt and chemicals for four five-gallon pots?

I'm a soil grower growing organically in no-till soil same soil for several years.

300$ is a lot for that little bit of soil.

I use "Coots mix" - you can run that without any other inputs but water.

Suggest going to bigger pots for soil run - say +7gal at min.

Dont forget you gotta buy lighting so I'd spend more on that and make my own soil mix for pennies. Worst thing that can happen - toss soil in your outdoor garden for next spring. It's perfect for that as well.

 

[Nunyabiz]

That seems a bit steep for what it is.
Kinda sounds like it might be super soil for the bottom 3rd for just four 5 gal pots.

If you have decided that you want to bottle feed then IMO you're better off just going with 5 gal fabric pots filled to the brim with a quality coco with a bit of pumice and a little Pre-charged Biochar mixed in, and then get whatever bottled nutrients designed for use with coco that floats your boat.
This way you can feed small amounts every day, can flush out the medium quicker if you phuck up with nutrients, don't have a watering problem you just water daily.

IF you would rather go with soil then I would suggest stay away from bottled nutrients, go organic, use large 20+ gallon fabric pots, add worms, cover crop, use sprouted seed teas, compost teas, coconut water etc and just grow soil, let the soil grow the plant.
A proper Living Organic Soil with cover crop and worms should also be able to be watered basically everyday, so again less stress with watering.
This method will produce the best bud.

IMO the worst thing you can do is use a heavy non aerated soil in a small plastic pot with salt based nutrients.
It can of course be done but I think there's a big learning curve, got no buffer if you phuck up, can go south quick, PIA to water, you're forced to do two things roots hate the most, stay wet too long and the top 4" dry for too long.

Id make it easier on yourself and your plants roots and pick a method you can water everyday.

BuildASoil is about to have a black Friday sale, you could get their take and bake kit which I think makes around 70 gallons of soil and get three 20 gallon fabric pots, cover crop seeds, colrado worm castings which should have worms in it, some predator bugs like Rove Beetles.
Thats usually $325 but I am guessing will be on sale for black Friday

 

[bobrown14]

BAS also have a "coots mix" - cheap enough. I forget how much I spent last soil mix but it wasn't much more that 110$ for 130+ gal of soil. Add in a bale of peat moss (12$) + some compost of some sort can buy that at the same time you purchase your bail of peat moss prolly another 35$

I make my own so I only need a bail of peat moss. Some garden centers will carry bagged compost and also make their own a lot cheaper.

Bagged compost try and steer clear of generic manure based composts. IF you go bagged there are a few that are standouts. BU Blend and Coast of Main Lobster compost. I've used both and can vouch for their goodness.

 

[Nunyabiz]

And the Buildasoil Oly Mountain Fish Compost is probably about the best there is.

 

[rvenneman]

Thank you all for your advice. I do appreciate it.