I'm switching to organics and I don't know what soil to get

SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member
Hello growers, I am a hydro guy who want to start growin in soil, I have some questions:
  1. is it true that taste and smell are better for buds grown in soil?
  2. is it true that with super soil I can ph stabilize my soil so I don't have always to check it?
  3. are bottled nutrients labeled as organics really organic?
  4. what is a commercial good soil to start with?
I am looking for a soil to keep my mothers and to flower my clones (right into 12/12), 2 different soils. I need about 8-10 gal of soil, not too much.

Biggest problem is I live in EU and I can't find a lot of ingredients locally, nor on the internet. If I find em they are incredibly pricy and from different stores.

Can I link the store I usually buy from so you can see what I can get?
The easiest way to do organics in soil is to start with a base soil that doesn't have a lot of nutrient additives and mix in a complete, dry organic fertilizer blend with beneficials. I know they're not available where you are but for reference I use Roots Organic B2 soil and add Down To Earth Bio-Live.

To answer you're questions;

1) Yes, soil can produce more of the essential oils and terpenes that give aroma and flavor. A lot of this comes down to the soil flora and fauna. You can mimic this in hydro but it won't be the same.
2)Yes, you can use natural ph buffers in your soil to stabilize the ph. To do this you have to adjust for soil additives that affect ph. You should also account for the ph of your starting water. Unless you're using distilled or RO water you should also be aware of seasonal ph changes, even on municipal water systems, if you aren't already.
3)I can't say for a fact what labeling laws are like where you are but here a product can only be certified organic if every input meats the standard. There are plenty of products that will try to trick people by stating something like,
"made with ORGANIC KELP" or similar meant to convince you that it's organic when it's just the one ingredient. In short, having the word organic on the label doesn't mean completely organic. Not even a claim of completely organic should be taken literally. Research your own local labeling and organic certification laws to know what to look for. Also, it's important to remember that most organic fertilizers are produced with a very low, acidic ph to keep them stable for an extended shelf life. When using these it's important to remember to adjust your feeds ph up. A convenient way to do this is to also feed with silica. It raises the ph so you'll need less ph up. Bottled liquid silica supplements may not be organic but there are soil bacteria that feed on it so it's actually beneficial for soil biology too. Not to mention that it doesn't really work as well without the soil bacteria unless you get the insanely expensive silicic acid form.

As far as organic goes I think everyone who's interested in it should read the article "Soil Sorcery, The Secret To Rich Dark Carbon Capturing Soil? Treat Your Microbes Well". The short version is that using some synthetics is ok as long as you still understand the basics of a healthy living soil rhizosphere. Most farm soils are depleted of soil biology because they only get the bare minimum of nutrients for profitable crops without any concern for soil tilth. The article even lists the ideal NPK ratio for peak microbial activity.
4)As for what soil to recommend it's hard to say without knowing what's available. I will say don't use the bailed sunshine promix. All of the perlite gets crushed into dust.
 
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SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member
I grow great weed every day. I use promix dirt and only add water and Organicare dry fertilizer per instructions. even you have amazoncom right?
good luck
I don't even want to think about the cost of shipping a couple of bags of soil across the world. Although... Amazon Prime?
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
I've grown successfully in sand, wood chips, lava rocks, gravel, styrofoam, insulation, sponge,bubbles...where there is a will there is a way
lol @ prime
 

Nutria

Well-Known Member
I grow great weed every day. I use promix dirt and only add water and Organicare dry fertilizer per instructions. even you have amazoncom right?
good luck
Similar, got Crab fish in bx. Much more productive then these recipes on this forum. No bother lime. Green, green
Goes to show simple is the way.
Commercial soils available: biobizz, plagron, atami, gold label, guano kalong, canna

View attachment 4016875
is a good stanby with use add some 33% perlite or builders sand from TESCO at 40 liters

A premium multi-purpose compost with added John Innes formula, this compost is perfect for all around the garden.
With sufficient nutrients to feed plants for up to five weeks, this compost will provide your plants with all they need for strong and healthy growth.
Please note that this compost is not suitable for acid loving plants such as Azaleas, Heathers and Rhododendrons.
What should I look for in a compost? I can find humus or worms compost or general purpose organic compost.
 

Nutria

Well-Known Member
For base soil i can get coco fiber, perlite, vermiculite but no coco chips.

and add:
dried blood (or ox's blood)
bone meal
worm humus
bat guano
fish powder
palm tree ashes (0-1-30)
seaweed powder
lava worm
 

vostok

Well-Known Member
What should I look for in a compost? I can find humus or worms compost or general purpose organic compost.
worm compost is the best, the worst has to be the compost with nute pellets added, or called time dissolved plant foods.,,,avoid

in my own case I asked a lot of old time gardeners where they got their tomato compost from

..and tracked down the hippies by the river and bought a trailer load..that was 20 years ago and been topping up since ...lol

shop smart shop local
 

SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member
worm compost is the best, the worst has to be the compost with nute pellets added, or called time dissolved plant foods.,,,avoid

in my own case I asked a lot of old time gardeners where they got their tomato compost from

..and tracked down the hippies by the river and bought a trailer load..that was 20 years ago and been topping up since ...lol

shop smart shop local
As for compost it's really best to get actual compost and not composted manure or even earthworm castings. Don't get me wrong, ewc is awesome and I always use it in everything I do, but it's really heavy and has to be used sparingly or it will make your soil heavy keeping it from draining properly and holding to much water. Aside from a source of microbiology, compost, which ewc is great for, is also a texture improver. It always improves a soils drainage and air/water holding ratio whether you're starting with heavy and dense soil (doesnt drain/stays water logged/no air) or loose fast draining soil (plenty of air but doesnt hold water/nutrients well).

Ewc isn't as good for improving soil structure the same way that actual compost is and should be used sparingly for a source of minerals and bacteria (this only if it's decently fresh). It's also a good source of humus but I prefer to go light on the ecw to keep a lighter, more aerated texture. You can go a little heavier on the ecw by using something that loosens and aerates the soil during the drying cycle between waterings and holds water/nutrients after watering. Perlite is good but breaks down easily. I prefer things that keep their own form/function like diatomite rock,silica rock, or hydroton. I wouldn't use sand for this. Some swear by it but it's better used in kids play boxes and cement than in garden soils.
 

toomp

Well-Known Member
For base soil i can get coco fiber, perlite, vermiculite but no coco chips.

and add:
dried blood (or ox's blood)
bone meal
worm humus
bat guano
fish powder
palm tree ashes (0-1-30)
seaweed powder
lava worm
Get the Kilomix top dress fish and sea weed as needed.
Test soil after the run see what's needed add the stuff you have back.
Kilomix out the bag will be fine
 

Nutria

Well-Known Member
Get the Kilomix top dress fish and sea weed as needed.
Test soil after the run see what's needed add the stuff you have back.
Kilomix out the bag will be fine
ty but how can I see if it is needed?
how do i know how much fish powder and sea weed do i have to add?
 

SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member
ty but how can I see if it is needed?
how do i know how much fish powder and sea weed do i have to add?
You can get soil test kits. Of course this is all assuming that you're recycling your soil. If you do then I'd definitely make sure to use something as an additive that doesn't break down like the diatomite rock, silica rock, or hydroton. Organic materials like peat or coco and things like perlite will break down over time changing the texture of your recycled soil.
 

Nutria

Well-Known Member
You can get soil test kits. Of course this is all assuming that you're recycling your soil. If you do then I'd definitely make sure to use something as an additive that doesn't break down like the diatomite rock, silica rock, or hydroton. Organic materials like peat or coco and things like perlite will break down over time changing the texture of your recycled soil.
I have a bag of hydroton lying somewhere...
If I grow with a soil like this I have to feed the plant with liquid ferts during flowering, am I right?
 

SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member
I have a bag of hydroton lying somewhere...
If I grow with a soil like this I have to feed the plant with liquid ferts during flowering, am I right?
Unless you do a true super soil. Even though you don't have to feed a super soil there are some things you just can't get in a dry soil amendment that I like to use so even with a super soil type set up I'll still feed with a few liquids. Mostly things that stimulate microbes.

As for using things like hydroton in soil mixes the general rule is not to use more than 20% total volume. I like to also use a 20% bigger container. So, for clarity, I'll just make sure that I'm talking about using something like hydroton in rich soil mixes like a super soil.
 

mauricem00

Well-Known Member
I am no expert on organics . just an average PU MMJ closet grower working on a budget but I have had good result using Kellogg patio plus organic soil and epsoma tomato tone' I recycle my soil just cleaning out the old root and adding tomato tone before planting and feed them more tomato tone when I switch to flowering. may not be the best way to grow organic but it works well for me and everything is available at home depot or walmart and inexpensive
 

ANC

Well-Known Member
Take soil, any soil, cover with two or 3 inches of chipped hardwood bark mulch and shredded leaves. Leave it outdoors of a year. sweep away what is left, observe the best soil you can make, already filled to the brim with microorganisms.
 

SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member
Take soil, any soil, cover with two or 3 inches of chipped hardwood bark mulch and shredded leaves. Leave it outdoors of a year. sweep away what is left, observe the best soil you can make, already filled to the brim with microorganisms.
There are definitely faster ways to get the same results.
 

ANC

Well-Known Member
SUre, you can throw shit on the ground, but it needs that year cycle to perfect the mix.
I'm having a hard time explaining. say you look at plants and trees that can live in Alaska.
Some plants could survive there for short parts of the year, but can not survive the yearly drift down in winter temperatures.
Even if you plant a shitload full, in a season or 2 nature will cull them all. Outdoors our soil is like these climate zones. The microbial and fungal life should not only thrive one time of year, but survive until the next year's season. There are more living organisms in a hand full of forest topsoil then there are stars in the heavens. Good luck throwing the right mix at your soil.
 
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