So automated water, as in self watering bases? Edit, just checked out the self watering planters so we’re back to wick systems of the late 80s early 90s? There’s surely a better way then this, auto pots?
Idk… if i were going into something more automated… like that… id do a sip (sub irrigated planter)
Crunchberries has a thread on it … super cool stuff man
Why would organics be a hampster wheel??
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Im confused… i am using 5 gallon pots organic… and my veg went quite a bit… and i could have went as long as i wanted …
Just add some teas… replenish the nutrients …
I read once that organic soil needs huge pots for the pH to be buffered… 
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Hey now. I grow no-till, lol. Not to look down on others, but because I’m lazy and like to make things as easy as possible. I literally don’t till anything. I just top dress with dry amendments and water it in.
I chop close to the soil and let the roots and stalk decompose. It happens pretty fast. I plant next to the stump or in an empty pot. I rotate them sometimes but I’ve never had issues planting another plant next to the decomposing stalk.
When I started I bought FFOF and after a few runs of just top dressing I mixed in rice hulls, pumice, and lava rock. Been using it as is for probably 4 years now. I just liked how the no-till method sounded.
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Not dissing no till, it’s just scary to me
So you don’t even let the once used soil Mass sit a round out? Just straight into it again?
Im intrigued, as it seems to less work. So do you have to build the initial run super Hot to last? Or Just reammend with a stout top dressing of various inputs?
Have you ever noticed anything amiss with it?
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I Heard that the rhizosphere needs to be large in living soil, that small pots like 1-4/5 gallons or so cant sustain a booming microlife to make it work right. Again, this is just what I’ve Read, ive witnessed the exact opposite.
First I’ve Heard of the pH buffering being hamstrung because of smaller volume of soil.
Sounds like there’s lots of assumptions with various author’s writing blogs on the net.
With that said, I try to go on what im witnessing in my grow and others. Because if we go by everything we Read, we will be chasing out tails to satisfy each different requirement to mimick what we Read day to day.
I have some 30 liter pots (8 gallon) that looking at them visually, i could not image it being Just Big enough. But a few things I read and a few mentions here in this very thread says that they’re just barely Big enough.
I think what it comes down to is how we each adapt to various tweak’s we make when using organic soil.
Guy’s who are good with growing in smaller pots, have Thier own tweak’s that possibly wouldn’t apply or be detrimental to guy’s in big big pots
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Thanks, I remember @Shadey speaking about that, not sure if they should have 10 or 15 gallons of soil at least, moving to organics but everything is too new for me…
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I was just joking. I know it sounds kinda intimidating but it not that hard at all. I knew it was going to be challenging but it gets easier and easier.
I’ve let the pots sit between rounds and planted straight after chopping. If they have a chance to sit first it probably works a little better but either way works fine.
I just top dress. My soil hasn’t been tilled or remixed in years. It’s nothing like the original FFOF anymore. It’s dense nutrient rich soil now. It probably is time to mix in some more aeration but that sounds like a lot of work. And as long as it keeps working good I’m not gonna worry about it.
No, it doesn’t need to be mixed hot first. Top dressing works fine. I like to to give it less but more often. If you overdo it you have to wait a long time for it to mellow out.
The thing I learned is since my water and amendments have plenty Ca, I limit any extra Ca. Since I have been using more K and Mg in sulfate form I’ve had better luck. Sulfates can do some cool shit. The sulfates can bind with Ca and help flush out excess. Another thing is adding micronutrients. I don’t think I was giving them enough at first. So occasionally I’ve been adding Big 6 or TM-7.
Mulch, cover crops, or both makes a huge difference. That’s probably the best advice I could give. Mulch is a must with organic soil. I’ve done it without but it’s much easier with mulch.
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Those are cool little tool chest things. Where’d you get’em, what are they? What brand? Husky?
You’ll be ok.
From Walmart, on sale for 70 bucks. Hyper tough Walmart brand
I run 1-2 gallon pots to flower, under LED, all organic. Basically no veg. It can easily be done. The trick is dont let the soil dry out. My trick is a cheap capillary mat and a Blumat surface sensor stuck on the corner of the mat. Not to say large pots arent easier for beginners. But a month veg + a 5 gallon, that should be looking like half pounders, not single colas. Heres what they look like with no veg in a 1 for me. Lotta stuff with still bush out too.
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Thede here are in about 5 gallon pots, second pic appears to be 3
Ive seen plenty Big multi top plants in 5g or less.
I used to run 4 gallon bato buckets, spaced 10" apart in a 10x12 room under 5k. Had 2 identical bedrooms like this filled with 4 gallon square pots . Rooms yielded quite well. 10 - 12+ pounds. One room was straight 5k hps. Other room I used to run those 600/400 hybrid bulbs. Had a 600w hps Arc tube with a 400w MH arc tube
But 4 gallon pots gave nice 5-7 ounce plants Way more than single cola
Thats what im mimicking now, 9 plant’s under a “1k” or in this case a 760w medic grow smart 8 plus with 4 ac infinity uv bars at 48w total, 2 mars ir bars at 30w Total, Mars deep red bars at 54w total and 4 ac infinity 16" supplemental full spectrum bars at 45 watts total on the corners of tent. Totalling 937 watts hoping for at least 3+ LBS
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TBF, that’s a better trick than you think…even the SIP guys run dry sometimes
a month with which clone? and you’re not just anybody, are ya? 
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I heard the same, but Ive never found drybacks to be helpful personally. I also use a simple promix soil with no compost or anything. Trying to follow the "Teaming with Microbes philosophy of once soils dry, aerobic microbes start going dormant/anaerobic, and I want them suckers to be as active as possible to break down all the amendments and whatnot. Not to say drybacks are horrible or anything. Just finding that balance!
Usually from seed! I used to run lots n lots of clones, but usually just veg em to a foot tall and stick em in soil beds. Of course clones are gonna be all over the place in that sense. I always found older clones did best into flower as soon as possible. When Id toss out old moms that would be all big, itd usually be pretty choatic lol.
Heres what 1 month veg looked like for my in 7s.
And for context, heres an old Gelato(33 or 41) I got as a clone with a month veg. The stuff like Sour D would veg even faster.
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totally agree. just meant that even guys with sizable reservoirs can’t seem to keep 'em moist all the time.
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What brand of coco chip’s do you use? Looking too do a mulch layer, but im worried of salts coming From shit Brand coco chip’s
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