Transplant... Cheaper Soil On Top, Bottom, or Mixed in?

[CannaKitty]

Heyaaa...

So I am posting this question outside my grow journal to try and get some opinions because I am transplanting to my final 18 Liter Pots (Just under 5 gallon) today. Last transplant before the flip in 10-14 days.. depends how effected they are by said transplant.

I have used BioBizz All Mix with extra added perlite throughout my grow so far. I have had great results and am VERY happy with it. For the last big transplant, I have a fresh 50 liter bag of the allmix, maybe 5-10 liters left from my last bag, 10 liters of perlite, and then realizing I would be a little short after doing the math I bought 20 liters of the simplest mix I could find in my little town. It is Italian, with a short list of components: baltic peat, granulated bark, coco, and 'soil fibers' (I don't know what that last one means and am just directly translating). I would never use it as my main soil but it had the shortest list of ingredients, lists a ph of 6.0 (the biobizz is actually 6.5), was available locally, and didn't have any added fertilizer.

Now... I have noticed both in my last transplant, and generally... the roots don't penetrate the top few inches of soil. Does ANYONE have any opinions as to how I should use the cheaper soil? I was thinking of using it mixed in at first but then after giving it a bit more thought...I am leaning towards using it only on top... dressing it so to speak. Since the roots don't generally penetrate that area... I think it would have the least effect over all. But THEN... I started researching more online and have found gardeners using buffing soil on the BOTTOM... now I would think that would be the worst place for it as I want that perlite and allmix and its wonderful drainage qualities on the bottom of the pot... not some 'soil fiber' mucking up my good soil.

So... how should I do it guys?? Top, mixed in, or bottom... I keep second guessing myself. Anyone have any ideas, theories, experience, or advice? Anyone have a joke to tell? Sike... but seriously. I am about to get elbow deep in some dirt and hoping someone will quell my fears.

Thanking You In Advance!

xxKitty

 

[Weaselcracker]

I'm not a soil grower. But the stuff you're listing isn't actually soil either. It's peat moss and coco, which is what is generally called 'soilless'. Not sure what the 'fibre' part is. Not being a soil grower my input is limited - but I don't think you should put it on top. It will dry out relatively quickly and make a poor top layer IMO. Either put it on the bottom where it can provide good drainage and aeration for the roots, or mix it in.
Soilless usually uses the hydro ph range. So- quite different than soil. But I think it will probably work out ok somehow if you use both together, since the soilless part will be a small percentage.

 

[CannaKitty]

I'm not a soil grower. But the stuff you're listing isn't actually soil either. It's peat moss and coco, which is what is generally called 'soilless'. Not sure what the 'fibre' part is. Not being a soil grower my input is limited - but I don't think you should put it on top. It will dry out relatively quickly and make a poor top layer IMO. Either put it on the bottom where it can provide good drainage and aeration for the roots, or mix it in.
Soilless usually uses the hydro ph range. So- quite different than soil. But I think it will probably work out ok somehow if you use both together, since the soilless part will be a small percentage.

Sorry the last and main ingredient I translated poorly but it is, in fact, 'Fibrous Earth' ... Earth and soil are synonymous in Italian (Terra). So like my all mix it has soilless components but ... is in fact a soil mix.

If not for the 'wood' and/or 'bark' components I would gladly mix it in... but everytime I read about wood in soil mixes it is in a negative light. I WANTED to find some plain coco to mix in actually but yeah.,.. not here in Italy :-/

I read ikea does sell coco here. But if I am going to go to Ikea... I might as well hoof it to the hydro store.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Ahh I see... I'm getting confused myself now. 'Wood and/or bark' seems like it would be better on top, if used at all.

 

[CannaKitty]

Ahh I see... I'm getting confused myself now. 'Wood and/or bark' seems like it would be better on top, if used at all.

Haha...

You know what the rediculous part is... in my obsessive search for answers in this internet age. I have been sitting in front of the computer with the bag of soil on the sofa next to me and its UNOPENED! It took me taking a few hits of my morning joint to even realize how fucking ridiculous that is!

Lets open 'er up and if it feels like top soil... use it as a top soil... if it looks like something that would go with my BioBizz mix... mix it...

Opened...

Smells rich but definitely looks more like a top soil to me.... Big Ass twig in the first grab... mulch... surprised it's 6.0ph... looks like it'd be acidic...

Honestly... it's some crap... and not the good chicken kind. I mean it was only 4 euro for 20 liters but it was the 'better' quality at the local market... hrmmmm... I don't even know if I wanna fuck with it...






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[Weaselcracker]

I think that's the stuff they call 'dirt'.

 

[CannaKitty]

Dirt is better than this! What the fuck am I supposed to do with this? Its like the stuff they covered playgrounds with when I was a kid ... before they made that safe foamy stuff!

Fuck... guess I'm going to have to postpone and go to hydro store. I don't trust that 6.0 ph number at all.


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[Weaselcracker]

No I wouldn't. That stuff is just filler for a compost bin.

 

[jmills826]

Im just a noob still but that looks like some crap i used before called super soil, it gave me fungus gnats and horrible drainage. Obviously i switched to something better...
dont use it bro...

 

[dr.h00k]

Don't really think it's an issue, if you mix it with your Bio and perlite...just adds volume and maybe some water retention...I've done similar with no adverse effects...cheerz...h00k...

 

[CannaKitty]

I ended up having to use it... I went to the little hardware store in town and they didn't have anything better.. and more notably without any ferts or unrecognizable ingredients. That's the hardest part. Everything is mixed with stuff I don't recognize... in any language...

I just didn't feel like going into the city... dealing with going to the hydro shop for ONE bag of soil. Once I pulled out the few twigs it really did have mostly coco and peat... I mixed in a ton of perlite and filled the 8 pots as much as I could with BioBizz and then top dressed it with the Italian dirt. I had a total of 140 liters of soil mix and 8, 18 liter pots... that's 17.5 liters mix per pot (including the soil is already used) but it definitely compresses... gotta remember that for next time. I thought you could get away with less soil than the pot can contain but I'd say you need more. About 20 liters mix per 18Liter pot would have been ideal. The plants sit a little lower than I would have liked in an ideal world but that's going to be all branches in a week or two anyway...

I have learned that my bidet is the perfect spot for watering until runoff... and the plants are looking a little droopy from the transplant and being saturated. It was a lot of work... now I am off to pick up some smoke as a matter a fact... I deserve it. Worked from 530am till 1130 and then carted around HUGE pots of saturated soil. Oh...

Once they perk back up and recover I'll be doing some photos under white light in my journal.

At least I got her done...

Thanks guys for your help .. It's always nice to be able to run things by the 420 crew when I'm nervous... even if I still ended up needing my Italian 'dirt'.

XxKitty