Been reading here for awhile.
The knowledge of the guys/gals growing in soil and organics is kind of mind blowing.
I tried soil so many times and failed over and over.
Switched to hydro and I get good results, but it just seems so idiot proof - no green thumb needed.
Like if I screw up on tuesday, I can see it on thursday and adjust. In soil you guys seem to have so much foresight into how long the soil can go without top dressing and keeping your roots happy with correct mixes.
How did you all get so good at this? Is it reading, practice, natural gifts that I do not possess? LOL
Just kind of amazed and frankly jealous that I cant grow a danm thing in soil without it looking like crap or dieing a slow death.
For me it was just growing up growing our own food, its the same principle and its quite easy once you get it down, these were my first outdoor cannabis plants.
I enjoy indoor coco growing much more though, more environmental control. Especially since I live in the desert were it ccan be 115f one day, and 70f and flooded with 50mph winds the next.
Its a lifestyle. I dont watch tv, i dont play games, shit man i dont even have friendsš¤£ i just study. Soo many podcasts listened to. Soo many tests and studies. And the best part. Its all knowledge coming from soil scientists, microbiologists etc. No growweedeasy bro science bullshit.
Most people jump into soil by getting the shittest bag of soil around like foxfarms or roots organic and then they feed it bottles of āorganicā fertilizers. And only half the line. But when they do hydro they buy the best quality media, they buy the full canna line and run it by the schedule. Then say hydro is better.
Well duh.
Just keep reading dude. Look into the kis organics podcast. Or the grassroots living soil podcast. Get some books on soil life like teaming with microbes or thw one straw revolution!
You do posses them itās hidden in there somewhere ā¦
Find some good soil ,I myself will recommend happyfrog fertilizer dry amendments ā¦but not their soil to start off in ā¦be weary of cheap store bought soils as they can have pest ā¦fungus gnats aphids etcā¦ I get mine from our property comes with a lot of āgoodā bugs ā¦perlite and vermiculite are also āessentialsā
Hey if your interested in a easy way to do organic you could use this method Iāve used.
Pro mix mixed with Gaia green 4-4-4 and 2-8-4 at the recommended rates for container gardens. You can use just 444 or do 3/4 4-4-4 and 1/4 2-8-4 and let it cook for 3-4 weeks keeping moist.
Then just plant and water straight water and when I go into flower top dress every 2 weeks until week 5 or 6 with half 444 and half 284.
Then I reamend with half strength and let cook for another 3-4 weeks and use again. I have two sets of soil so I can run a flower cycle while my other soil cooks after reamend.
Maddawg is spot on with his sip comment. Iāve never used a sip but I use blumats to do the same thing. keeping your organic soil moist all the time is key, donāt want it to dry to much.
If u want a mentor then hit me up, Ive got into it from start to finish on this site when it comes to building a simple basic soil on a budget, actively aerated compost tea feedings and overall good soil health biology. Been on organic 300lb California farms over many years, I can teach u everything u need to know start to finish with excellent results and a willingness to throw a small investment at the needed supplies. Feel free to click on my profile and go looking through some of my posts on here u will find a lot of interesting stuff and very green gardens in the hottest part of the country in my greenhouse
Itās the opposite fir me, soil gives me so much time to react, much more forgiving and if I have a power outtage (we do lots I the winter as we are out in the boonies) I donāt worry about my plants being without water for a couple/few days. It also allows my excursions (hunting fishing camping trips) without worry.
I have ogs in soil but they eat everything in the kis soil or bas soil. I donāt know what and when to too dress. I mainly grow in coco. How often do you too dress and what?
Some research and a lot of observation.
Knowing how intelligent fungi are helps.
Theyāre like the nervoussystem of the soil.
You feed them right, and they give back.
Paul Stamets - Mycelium Running blew me away.
Life is endless once you get to know your soil a bit betterā¦
Observation, patience and experience are the only real teachers.
Book knowledge is just to get you inspired, the real value lies in the journey.
Also adding kitchenscraps to the soil mix and topdressing with them has been a real eyeopener for me.
Only harvesting half and letting the rest go back to the soil along with sowing nitrogen fixing covercrops is about as easy as it gets. Iām working my way to that.
I find soil less intimidating than hydro. Coming from someone who grew up in grandmas garden plot.
I grow and teach by the principles of LITFA or āLeave it the Fuck Aloneā and found value in it for sure.
I had a friend who had never grown cannabis. I gifted her 4 small potted girls in some optimum soil. And told her to leave it the fuck alone until harvest. Her plants turned out bomb for her first run, she didnāt feed em a thing. Im confident to say good soil will need less attention than hydro and less thought. Feed and farm the soil - and the soil takes care of the plants for you.
Edit: my point is - if youāve mastered hydro - soil is āin the bagā. Donāt over think itā - itās likely because your giving the same attention you would in a regimented hydro run. Itās too easy.
Found a picture of her 4 plants she gave only water when dry at the top since seedlings. image|375x500
From what Iāve seen and experienced with my own more simple version of octopot is that the topsoil never dries outā¦ No bueno if thereās fungus gnats around.
seeing where this thread goes 
Feel free to click on my profile and go looking through some of my posts on here u will find a lot of interesting stuff and very green gardens in the hottest part of the country in my greenhouse 
