sifting soil question?? help

Me and my grow partner have been arguing whether you should sift the soil in the pots all the time. I want to know if this is correct cuz if you're sifting the soil couldn't you tare and damage roots? Someone help with this. I don't want to kill the plants

Indoors i break up the top few inches with my hand. If you hit roots stop.

yea, he wants to like get in there and sift the soil. He says pulling on some roots won't hurt it. I tried telling him other wise. I'm growing outdoors and when i stick my finger in like down an inch and half i hit roots

I wouldnt mess with the roots. If the top of the soil is hard and need to be "Fluffed" up do so but dont disturb the root system.

If your soil structure isn't good, sifting isn't a solution that is going to help anything long term. The soil will just settle and compact itself again in no time.

You should add more organic matter to your soil (compost, earthworm castings, or a mulch layer). If you have really hard soil/clay you could add gypsum or greensand to help improve it long-term.

It's never really good to disturb roots, especially after intiating bloom.

I use fox farm, I have awesome soil, my partner is just paranoid lol and I'm trying to tell him it's a bad idea

I'd agree. Even when top dressing or working anything into the soil you want to take care not to damage any roots as much as possible. Disturbing them when it isn't warranted is a bit senseless.

Queeny420 said:

Me and my grow partner have been arguing whether you should sift the soil in the pots all the time. I want to know if this is correct cuz if you're sifting the soil couldn't you tare and damage roots? Someone help with this. I don't want to kill the plants

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You should get a new grow partner - or at least tell your's to get his head out of his ass and find out what he is talking about!

What does your grow partner think he will achieve by sifting the soil exactly?

some folks just have an obsession to constantly fiddle with their plants
your ladies do not want to be groped incessantly, a little restraint will produce a better result

kagecog said:

What does your grow partner think he will achieve by sifting the soil exactly?

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He thinks it will make the roots grow down lol! I know he just killed my oldest too, we just transplanted her and she's in flowering and he caused root damage cuz he wanted to do it the quick way. I have patients and don't feel the need to play with my plants. I just like to look at them and smell them and now I'm gunna have to watch one die I'm very sad. In other words yes I need a new partner or better yet no partner at all haha

Roots are roots. Weather they are at the top of the soil, or deep in the soil, they are constantly up taking nutrients, and excreting exudates to maintain a healthy rhizosphere. The only time it is "beneficial" to damage a root system is if the plant has become root bound, and it is being transplanted. In this case, damaging the roots encourages the production of new healthy feeder roots.

I suggest you tell your partner to read a few plant biology books...

Couldn't agree more

i trim my roots when i transplant been doing it for years save a dose of fungar rid for me

but then again h/g roots xl and canna rizo is my best friend

Before topping off my 10gal. pots with more soil I rip/sift/aerate/loosen the top 3-4 inches in my pots... I can't tell if my plants notice shit- I can see no verifiable evidence of shock/stunt or F'n up after doing so....
But the addition of the new soil does help hold more moisture in the pots a Lil longer- which is a plus as I water daily, pretty much...

Sent from my SM-N900V using Rollitup mobile app

Torch1 said:

Before topping off my 10gal. pots with more soil I rip/sift/aerate/loosen the top 3-4 inches in my pots... I can't tell if my plants notice shit- I can see no verifiable evidence of shock/stunt or F'n up after doing so....
But the addition of the new soil does help hold more moisture in the pots a Lil longer- which is a plus as I water daily, pretty much...

Sent from my SM-N900V using Rollitup mobile app

Click to expand...

I understand that kinda (so more air can get through the soil or so water has somewhere to go and the soil isn't so compact) but he wants to sift the soil every other day which I think will bug the plants. Imagine someone picking at your feet all the damn time. And if you go deep enough (which he does) you do hit baby root systems. Now I'm no expert but man do I read a lot and I know for cannabis it is not ok to destroy any root structure or it can shock/kill the plant. This is why I'm asking because everything I've read has said not too. But I like to hear from people who actually grow and go through the experience themselves. So when you are moving your soil around and putting new soil on top do you ever see or disturb any baby root systems?

Here is the thing mang.

I have no roots growing in the top few inches.
I add new soil there as needed.
I break that soil up constantly so water will make contact with all of the soil.

I loosen the soil down to where the roots start.

I use good soil so my hand is all that is required.

I agree that you should only use hands, I would be more comfortable with that cuz then you can feel what you're doing as oppose to that rake thing that he wants to use. I would do this on my adult plants but It's ok to add new soil all the time to younger plants? Won't that give nute burn or cause the stalk to rot? I really don't know much about this, which is why I'm asking so sorry if I sound stupid and clueless lol

Good questions.
I top dress with new soil/worm castings or
other amendments as needed.

As long as you are using products suitable for the lifecycle the plant is in and you are only adding it when you should there is no issue.

I transplant just prior to flowering.

Breaking up the top layer like i said earlier.
once stretch is over and flowering is established I add more of whatever I need to the top and continue on.

Long story short I only add to the top a couple
times close to a month apart.

BUT
That is how I feed
your mileage may very