I think it will dial in eventually by itself in a few months 
if you are willing to wait it out. Perhaps, you can try growing some quick annuals in the soil once this grow finishes to test then try cannabis again. Thatās if you donāt get frustrated and give up on it completely.
Even my living beds arenāt exactly water onlyā¦ constantly need some maintenance, whether fish drenches or cal mag or something.
Once I get my grow expansion done Iāll probably try to dial it in again in the test area. Either way Iāll definitely be putting the soil aside for re-use.
Good to hear! Iād love to see it all dialed in. You know I love me some organics. Grow some marigolds or something in them as a test before next cannabis grow. I would. Def a flower though, a quick herb wonāt give you the full picture. Just a thought.
Bagged living soil blends always make me laugh. They make this nice biodiverse soil, but then package it in a plastic non permeable bag cutting off oxygen, killing microbes, and running the risk of going anaerobic. If theyād only package and sell them in burlap bagsā¦
There were small perforations in this bag, but it still may very well have gone anaerobic as it smelled alot like propane or gas for the first week of storage in my warm camper but didnt smell so bad when when I potted with it.
Rollin with the punches lol
Iām still interested in living soil but I suppose Iād need to make my own and let it sit. I just donāt have the space.
I was reading a little about top dressing and realized that I sort of already do it with worm castings and Epsom salts.
It took about 2 full cycles to get my pots not running too hot on the N, when I was building it I could not see anything I was adding into the mix to give any N, but there was plenty there. Then after 5 cycles most are showing some kind of deficiency, hopefully now amended.
Yeah living soil should have an earthy smell like the woods after it rains.
A good cover crop mix really helps with that, they soak up all the excess. Another option if itās running hot at the beginning is to top dress with powderize biochar. The high carbon in it will do the same thing as the cover.
Yeah if this were no till or I had the hindsight, I would have put some clover or something for a cover crop.
It doesnt have to be no till. I recycle my soil and use 5 gallon pots. The cover is good for about every size, I even use it with my 5" square pots. Itās the best form of mulch there is.
I canāt get my dutch white clover to germ outdoors. Iāve seeded the shit outta my living beds like 12 times. Threw more in the other day after our first rain. Hoping some takes with the cooler wetter temps now. If not Iām due again for a big giant box of straw. They stopped shipping the large boxes of it for free at Build a Soil. Bums me out. Itās cheap without the shipping. If any organic peeps know another source with free shipping Iām all ears.
I us white clover and alfalfa, I have both flower and germinate, took about 3months in veg for the clover, and the alfalfa has just started its flower cycle under a 20/4 light cycle. I think that is where the majority of the N comes from.
For straw? Check your pet supply store.
Iāll have to check closer to the hill where the rich folks live and have horses. Canāt find it anywhere down here in the city. No farm animals.
Its not sold for farm animals at the pet stores (farmers grow or buy theirs in bulk) itās for the little hamsters and rabbits and other furry things that need straw.in their cages.
They sell these little small bales, maybe a cubic foot , same oneās they sell for Halloween decor, but they charge like $13 bucks for it. I need a 30lb compressed box for outdoors. lol
Ah, then youāll want to specifically seek out a farm supply store. Itās a staple at any of them so just search in yellow pages or whatever and go there lol. It might annoy you that I live right next to a farm that sells the big bales 2 for $5 and then thereās a farm supply store down the road that sells them for $4 each. Basically giving it away lol
Completely jealous! No love around here for us few city farmers. Just no damn love. lol
