Making soil for containers

skink#1

Well-Known Member
For sativa strains I’m running Ace’s Malawi and Golden Tiger right now, they are looking like good sativa traits in both. In the past I’ve liked SLH and SSH, as well as Durban Poison, all had good energetic highs. My favorite sativa I’ve grown might be Laughing Buddha, another old classic.
I've got a pack of Ace Malawi. I am interested in how it does. I wanted Golden Tiger for awhile but I satisfied my Thai exploration. Trimming buds forever!
 

skink#1

Well-Known Member
For the plants I am doing now I amended my soil. And gave them a little Gaia green once. So it's just water and simple. It all sounds intimidating but what I do is very simple and easy.
 

skink#1

Well-Known Member
I am using r/o water so I anticipated calcium issues. I used as much oyster shell flour in my soil mix as I felt I could without interfering with phosphorus uptake. My largest clone has grown so big so fast I am seeing signs of calcium depletion in older shade leaves. I don't like using cal/mag so I top dressed with 1 oz. oyster shell to each plant plus I am going to add a little Gaia green but not much to hopefully counter any nutrient uptake issues that could arise in the next few weeks.
 

skink#1

Well-Known Member
IMG_20240916_022537.jpgIMG_20240916_022636.jpg
I am using r/o water so I anticipated calcium issues. I used as much oyster shell flour in my soil mix as I felt I could without interfering with phosphorus uptake. My largest clone has grown so big so fast I am seeing signs of calcium depletion in older shade leaves. I don't like using cal/mag so I top dressed with 1 oz. oyster shell to each plant plus I am going to add a little Gaia green but not much to hopefully counter any nutrient uptake issues that could arise in the next few weeks.
IMG_20240916_022537.jpgIMG_20240916_022636.jpg
 

skink#1

Well-Known Member
For the record I am in a 4x4 tent and have a T5 for clones and seedlings. I'm using 7 gal. pots. The led is a HLG 600. It's a new spot and very compact but I think after this round I will be tuned in pretty good to grow good pot.
 

skink#1

Well-Known Member
Someone asked if I reuse soil. Outdoors I had a no till raised bed. I will reuse the soil I am using now. It's good soil.
 

skink#1

Well-Known Member
I use mainstem bract health as a guide. They should never be sere and shriveled from too much fertilizer salt.IMG_20240930_000132.jpg
 

skink#1

Well-Known Member
I am happy with my soil mix and amendments. I did have to top dress with oyster shell for calcium so I know now add more to begin with and gypsum to balance it out. Plants are good now. It takes awhile for them to adjust but they look really good now. I added a heaping teaspoon of Gaia Green twice during the grow. I was worried that would be too much for this sativa but no burn and the plants are starting to look soft again. When the skunk I am growing is done right the flowers will have a consistency that reminds me of cotton candy food. Soft and super sticky.IMG_20240930_000235.jpg
Day 36
 

skink#1

Well-Known Member
The next mix I made I put in more of oyster shell and I am happy there has been no problem with nutrient intake,green and healthy. I am using less heavy stuff from my first TLO mixes as in composts and amendments. I am going back to my roots kinda in my fert regimin now. I once said I thought I could do a whole grow with 2-3-1 Neptune's Harvest. Perhaps but I'd add some 0-0-1 maxicrop during flowering ,castings in veg and I use phosphoric acid for pH down so my 2-3-1 becomes 2-4-1 and 2-5-1 plus extra kelp.
 

Woedae

Active Member
D

Definitely reusing soil now. I find it gets better and more nutrient rich, and I use less nutrient.
Hell yeah brother, I've been using the same soil for over a decade now. People say coco is for hydro and if your going to run any organics it should be peat. Hahaha haha, that's flat wrong because I've been running coco dominant No-Till/water only and haven't had a single issue. To each their own but from my side of the fence coco is probably the most versatile and ideal material I've ever used.

Beautiful plants BTW!!! You certainly have your shit dialed in!!
 

Woedae

Active Member
I am happy with my soil mix and amendments. I did have to top dress with oyster shell for calcium so I know now add more to begin with and gypsum to balance it out. Plants are good now. It takes awhile for them to adjust but they look really good now. I added a heaping teaspoon of Gaia Green twice during the grow. I was worried that would be too much for this sativa but no burn and the plants are starting to look soft again. When the skunk I am growing is done right the flowers will have a consistency that reminds me of cotton candy food. Soft and super sticky.View attachment 5429792
Day 36
I'd your ever in a bind and need remedial calcium I've had great success using liquid calcium made from egg shell dissolved in brown rice vinegar. It's immediately available and can be foliar sprayed or soil drenched.

If your concerned with the calcium bonding with phosphorus, fulvic acid is your saving grace.
 

hillbill

Well-Known Member
Been reusing mix for over 10 years and it does get more forgiving over time. ROLS is a lot of fun. Mostly re-amend at about half what I would in a new mix. Compost/Castings and Peat Moss are in need of replacement, much more so than drainage components like NAPA 8822, Vermiculite or Perlite.
 
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