I think my first mistake that I made was thinking that I needed to add stuff (nutes) to a living soil, before the Plant could use any in the first place. I may have caused a nitrogen toxicity to my plants by adding things directly after transplanting from MG Organic soil to Sohum. But my favorite thing is I learned something from this experience so I don’t do it again or right away.
What do you all think are common Misconceptions?
I think you are spot on with this. I learned the hard way, too. The other thing I learned NOT to do is that water and not watering matters. It only takes once with fungus gnats. Well, in my personal experience, anyway.
One of the biggest misconceptions I had as a beginner when I started is that cannabis didn’t need oxygen. My first indoor grow ever I used some tightly packed soil and didn’t aerate any of my feedings. (Used the same soil straight from my backyard that I would plant into for outdoor)
I wondered why my plant wouldn’t grow right and why the soil was smelling bad even though I made sure it was dry up to my first knuckle between waterings.
Realized I got root rot because the soil had no air flow and was retaining moisture in the root zone.
Every indoor grow since I made sure to have good aeration in my soil and I aerate all waterings and feedings.
Agreed on this!!! I have to say, not one person ever taught me the importance of aeration. I didn’t hear about it until I started a class.
What do you use to aerate your plants?
@Adcrag I just make sure i have plenty of coco coir, peat, wood debris, perlite, and vermiculite so there’s good drainage and air can get into the soil to the roots.
I also use an aquarium air pump with an air stone to aerate my waterings and feedings for 24 hours before I water or feed.
If I’m using soil, can any of those items be added to soil & not damage the roots
@Adcrag yes. All of those items I listed are common items used to amend soil for aeration and water retention.
Is any one item better than the other when I mix it in with my soil how much do I add?
I do everything that @MDBuds said. I learned early on the importance of oxygenating my water, it also helps keep the bad bugs away. I also aerate my soil occasionally, when needed with a fork. I literally just stab the earth as if I had a proper hay fork outside. I also use a lot of biodiversity techniques that aren’t as popular, but seems to be spot on for helping maintain the water/natural silica balance in my soil. My last grow was ruined (to include my entire indoor farm project) mostly because I let life get in the way, but also because I had fungus gnats from hell due to our a/c breaking midway through. Sorry that I’m so longwinded, but it was a hard lesson.
@Adcrag I personally prefer perlite and coco coir. I use about 25% perlite and coco coir to 75% of my mulch/soil/compost.
@adcrag I would also save it for next grow since you already planted. Aerating your waterings and feedings will help and using a stick or pencil you can poke holes in the soil to aerate.
You have to add the coco coir and perlite when you mix your soil before planting.
Lol my very first mistake was watering, I did soooo much reading online and from a multitude of places and ppl growing different ways it was like collecting different handfuls of puzzle peices from a bunch of different puzzles and then try put them together…that was so confusing that I didnt know what to do any more than when I started lol
Oh, and when I physically aerate, I let it literally air out for a bit to get the gas exchange sorted. I found that watering right after, there can be a bit of a protest.
PS: This is my experience indoors only, I have no experience outdoors. I do have faith, if anything else.
Ok, I will discard soil after this grow & amend my soil. Trying to decide what I’m growing next. Magnum auto fem, zittles auto or gelato og auto. Like to do all three, but I’m growing 3x3x80.
Thoughts
You can do 3 autos in 3x3x80 easy.
I myself am using a 2’x4’ and am thinking I have enough room for 4 auto plants pretty easy. Im using Sohum as my medium. I had a nitrogen deficiency that I have flushed out. Hopefully anyways. I’ve also bought a second ph reader to double check every mix and water. My non HGCC lucky seed gifts have had a rough 3 weeks with my novice skills. But in turn, I learned more while searching for the solution. Im grateful for that.
Which would be best for beginners to use? super soil, living or luck lol
That would depend: Inside or outside?
inside for sure. I cant grow outside yet . unless we growing pine trees lol