Gro Dirt advice

[Sedge]

It’s already buffered ,,just use as is.

 

[afghan bob]

Don't know what sorta budget u on mr pie, but there is a product called Cannaterra which is a mix of coco, perlite and spagnum moss and is pretty good for newbies ......[something else in there but brain drain]
I mean it's gotta be less stressful than soil and gives u a bit of an idea about coco

 

[R3za92]

Don't know what sorta budget u on mr pie, but there is a product called Cannaterra which is a mix of coco, perlite and spagnum moss and is pretty good for newbies ......[something else in there but brain drain]
I mean it's gotta be less stressful than soil and gives u a bit of an idea about coco

Canna terra professional isn’t coco. It’s peat based. Coco is inert where as peat isn’t.

CANNA Terra Professional | CANNA Australia

CANNA Terra Professional is a nitrogen-rich potting mix for plant cultivation. Your plants grow best in a nitrogen-rich potting mix. CANNA Terra Professional potting mix is unlike anything you will find in a garden centre.

www.canna.com.au

 

[afghan bob]

I knew there was something important that i left out

Still way easier than soil

 

[Anaken Moonwalk]

I'm going to play devil's advocate here.. take this with a healthy grain of salt as I'm probably the least experienced grower on the forum

I'm having difficulty understanding how a soil grow with a 'water only' soil like grow-dirt would be considered more challenging or expensive than a hydroponic grow in some sort of coco based medium.. please straighten this out for me!

For the hydro grow you're potentially buying three types of substrate (as suggested in this thread) - coco/perlite/ + peat or soil - then buying bottles of veg and flowering nutes - as per Sedge, looking at $140 for something on the cheaper end. Then you're probably going to need a half decent pH and EC meter (not cheap) +/- buffering and calibrating solution. Forgive my ignorance here but are you just using a standard pot and hand watering device or is there more potential expense involved in feeding systems?

For the soil grow it's the bag of soil + water.. (if you stick to the directions, i.e water only). About $60 for 20L of soil I think, or $100 for 40L.

What am I missing here? How is the water-only soil grow going to be more complicated or expensive?

 

[Sedge]

If it’s $60 for 20l of soil mix and the best chance of keeping a healthy soil alive is min of 50 l per pot and he wants two plants that’s 100 l or 5 times $60 = $300.

I’ve seen Itchy say min of 50l pots and I’d go off his advice than anyone else’s.

Then the cost of amendments,, unless that soil has enough in it for a full grow,,which I’d be surprised if it has.

Added cost of Blumats to regulate moisture levels ,,unless you expect a newbie to already know the correct level.

I suppose watering is about the most challenging ,,followed by when to add amendments,

Pretty sure I said you can use the coco on its own, Or add perlite and / or potting mix ,,the coco on its own is pretty cheap ,but even if you bought the three there’s plenty left over for next crop.

Sure just adding water is more simple than spending a couple of minutes mixing nutes ,

But we’re still seeing people here not getting things right with living soils ,,so somewhere it gets challenging for people to get it right,,,especially if it’s the first time with weed.

Hey ,the OP could get it right who knows ,and good luck to him if he does ,but he asked for advice and that was mine,

The brands I recommended work as well or better than dearer nutes and medium. So compared to other hydro gear it’s cheaper and effective.,.And plenty more than needed for just one grow.

Not sure if I said it’s cheaper than living soil but pointed out extra costs like blumats and amendments ,,

I can’t be fucked working out what’s cheaper or dearer between the two,,but doubt it’s too much,

 

[Thepie]

If it’s $60 for 20l of soil mix and the best chance of keeping a healthy soil alive is min of 50 l per pot and he wants two plants that’s 100 l or 5 times $60 = $300.

I’ve seen Itchy say min of 50l pots and I’d go off his advice than anyone else’s.

Then the cost of amendments,, unless that soil has enough in it for a full grow,,which I’d be surprised if it has.

Added cost of Blumats to regulate moisture levels ,,unless you expect a newbie to already know the correct level.

I suppose watering is about the most challenging ,,followed by when to add amendments,

Pretty sure I said you can use the coco on its own, Or add perlite and / or potting mix ,,the coco on its own is pretty cheap ,but even if you bought the three there’s plenty left over for next crop.

Sure just adding water is more simple than spending a couple of minutes mixing nutes ,

But we’re still seeing people here not getting things right with living soils ,,so somewhere it gets challenging for people to get it right,,,especially if it’s the first time with weed.

Hey ,the OP could get it right who knows ,and good luck to him if he does ,but he asked for advice and that was mine,

The brands I recommended work as well or better than dearer nutes and medium. So compared to other hydro gear it’s cheaper and effective.,.And plenty more than needed for just one grow.

Not sure if I said it’s cheaper than living soil but pointed out extra costs like blumats and amendments ,,

I can’t be fucked working out what’s cheaper or dearer between the two,,but doubt it’s too much,

Sorry for more questions Sedge , but you mentioned Blumats ? That’s a new one to me , giving me head noise , should I start a new thread or could you explain/ elaborate on Blumats , good ones to buy etc sorry again for all the questions

 

[Aye Shroomer]

If it’s $60 for 20l of soil mix and the best chance of keeping a healthy soil alive is min of 50 l per pot and he wants two plants that’s 100 l or 5 times $60 = $300.

I’ve seen Itchy say min of 50l pots and I’d go off his advice than anyone else’s.

Then the cost of amendments,, unless that soil has enough in it for a full grow,,which I’d be surprised if it has.

Added cost of Blumats to regulate moisture levels ,,unless you expect a newbie to already know the correct level.

I suppose watering is about the most challenging ,,followed by when to add amendments,

Pretty sure I said you can use the coco on its own, Or add perlite and / or potting mix ,,the coco on its own is pretty cheap ,but even if you bought the three there’s plenty left over for next crop.

Sure just adding water is more simple than spending a couple of minutes mixing nutes ,

But we’re still seeing people here not getting things right with living soils ,,so somewhere it gets challenging for people to get it right,,,especially if it’s the first time with weed.

Hey ,the OP could get it right who knows ,and good luck to him if he does ,but he asked for advice and that was mine,

The brands I recommended work as well or better than dearer nutes and medium. So compared to other hydro gear it’s cheaper and effective.,.And plenty more than needed for just one grow.

Not sure if I said it’s cheaper than living soil but pointed out extra costs like blumats and amendments ,,

I can’t be fucked working out what’s cheaper or dearer between the two,,but doubt it’s too much,

Your right sedge about the most challenging part is getting the watering correct

But I grew three primo plants in one 40L bag of Gro Dirt ( though I also had experience, a few more amendments from the same company and a wicking planter box to not over water it)

I think the best thing for @Thepie to do is pick a style to try and research the crap on how to use it.
I had better results with coco and GP nutes but my first grodirt turned out awesome.

 

[thefullspectrum]

Easier and cheaper to start in coco and liquid nutes. Its basically a set regime and process helping to get a feel for how the plant grows. Quicker, bigger growth than soil if done relatively right.

Saying that, living soil is not as hard or problematic like its being made out to be. Providing you make/buy good stuff to start with, re-amend every grow and totally replace when necessary. Living soil suits my needs better but certainly not for everyone. Smaller plants, but better smelling and tasting bud no doubt.

The 50 litre minimum pot thing is probably justified outdoors but ridiculous as an indoor grow. Takes up way too much space and very heavy. 30 litre pots (400mm) work alright with some help along the way. Root roids then Fruit roids feeds, then plain water in between. Gets pricey that shit though so im trying worm castings as well every few weeks in this grow.
Unlike coco, best to use a moisture meter in soils to regulate watering. A little every day works better than more every 3-4 days. Keeping it consistent is the key and it changes all the time with the climate and stage of growth. Very hard to tell without a quality moisture meter. Takes all the guesswork out of it.

 

[R3za92]

Easier and cheaper to start in coco and liquid nutes. Its basically a set regime and process helping to get a feel for how the plant grows. Quicker, bigger growth than soil if done relatively right.

Saying that, living soil is not as hard or problematic like its being made out to be. Providing you make/buy good stuff to start with, re-amend every grow and totally replace when necessary. Living soil suits my needs better but certainly not for everyone. Smaller plants, but better smelling and tasting bud no doubt.

The 50 litre minimum pot thing is probably justified outdoors but ridiculous as an indoor grow. Takes up way too much space and very heavy. 30 litre pots (400mm) work alright with some help along the way. Root roids then Fruit roids feeds, then plain water in between. Gets pricey that shit though so im trying worm castings as well every few weeks in this grow.
Unlike coco, best to use a moisture meter in soils to regulate watering. A little every day works better than more every 3-4 days. Keeping it consistent is the key and it changes all the time with the climate and stage of growth. Very hard to tell without a quality moisture meter. Takes all the guesswork out of it.

The medium has little to no influence on how a plant will smell or taste. That is all due to genetics

 

[thefullspectrum]

The medium has little to no influence on how a plant will smell or taste. That is all due to genetics

Beg to differ. My post was my opinion as is yours.

 

[frankreynolds]

Growing indoors with organic 'soiless' mixes is a very inefficient way of growing (more time and money needed)

There are a lot of claims of better product from organically produced buds, but the reasons why are vague and often anecdotally based.

I agree with reza what you grow in has little to no effect on end quality product, that is largely genetic based.

 

[frankreynolds]

Canna terra professional isn’t coco. It’s peat based. Coco is inert where as peat isn’t.

CANNA Terra Professional | CANNA Australia

CANNA Terra Professional is a nitrogen-rich potting mix for plant cultivation. Your plants grow best in a nitrogen-rich potting mix. CANNA Terra Professional potting mix is unlike anything you will find in a garden centre.

www.canna.com.au

Technically coco is not inert, but i get what you mean

 

[R3za92]

Technically coco is not inert, but i get what you mean

I’ve always read that it is inert. Yeah it bio degrades but it doesn’t contain any nutrients

 

[R3za92]

Beg to differ. My post was my opinion as is yours.

I don’t think mines an opinion it’s been studied plenty of times with little to no difference based on the medium of terpene profiles in health plants. It’s the terpenes that are the cause of the taste and aroma and changing the growing medium isn’t going to add or take away terps, that’s all strain dependent.

Next plants don’t care where the elemental nutrient is sourced, potassium is potassium, phosphorus is phosphorus.

The things that differing medium will effect is rate of growth, plant size and yeild.

 

[frankreynolds]

I’ve always read that it is inert. Yeah it bio degrades but it doesn’t contain any nutrients

Yeh I think the fact that it is organic and will breakdown over time and change. More CEC sites opening up etc.

 

[Sedge]

Everything breaks down over time ..but the process of cation exchange ,means it’s not inert,,
Even after buffering I question if the chemical activity/changes have fully ceased.
And break down rate is far higher than say perlite.

From what I’ve seen and tried of living soil grown dope I don’t get the hype,,,nor do my mates ,,well except one but he’ll go back to hydro soon,,There’s no convincing the purists though.

50l pots indoors is very achievable,,bit of training on a plant that stretches no more than double and your looking at a good yield ,albeit longer in veg time than multiple small plants

@Thepie,,,
Google Blumats ,,for pricing and function.

 

[frankreynolds]

Everything breaks down over time ..but the process of cation exchange ,means it’s not inert,,
Even after buffering I question if the chemical activity/changes have fully ceased.
And break down rate is far higher than say perlite.

From what I’ve seen and tried of living soil grown dope I don’t get the hype,,,nor do my mates ,,well except one but he’ll go back to hydro soon,,There’s no convincing the purists though.

50l pots indoors is very achievable,,bit of training on a plant that stretches no more than double and your looking at a good yield ,albeit longer in veg time than multiple small plants

@Thepie,,,
Google Blumats ,,for pricing and function.

Yeh the CEC may play a role too, vermiculite/perlite have a CEC as well while being considered inert afaik

 

[R3za92]

Yeh I think the fact that it is organic and will breakdown over time and change. More CEC sites opening up etc.

Clay balls would also be considered organic, have cec sites and are considered inert. Same as wool (not rockwool I mean sheep’s wool). From my understanding they’re considered inert because they don’t attribute anything chemically/nutritionally to the grow themselves. Overtime they’ll all biodegrade (some quicker than others) mostly into carbon in the case of coco and wool but all require outside sources of plant nutrition and don’t really add anything themselves.

If we go down the route of having cec meaning a medium isn’t inert pretty much only sand and rockwool will be able to be called inert mediums

 

[frankreynolds]

Yeh think u guys are right about that.

Confused myself, it may be the preferential CEC of coco that sets it apart in the technical aspect alongside its nitrogen drawdown.