Does anyone use organic growing?

I have a question I’m using Mother Earth groundswell soil which has a lot of different organic good stuff. Now do I need to introduce bacteria or microbes of some sort to break it down or will that happen anyway. Also have some fish emulsion 5-1-1 and miore bloom 0-10-10 along with kelp extract I was wanting to use. Will I need the same bacteria/microbes to break down the emulsions also? I’m new to organic but wanna give it a try. Thanks in advance

I'm not huge into organics, so take this with a grain of salt, but could you just add some compost straight from the pile? Should have a the widest range of microbes that can survive in your area, and all the types of microbe you need to break anything down.

Sounds like a good idea. I’m wondering if I need them for the soil and nutes to do there thing

It shouldn't need it, but it won't hurt. I usually mix a few handfuls in with my soil as I've found straight compost to be a bit dense. It needs perlite or rice hulls to lighten it up a bit.

Unless you sterilize your soil before you use it it'll already have microbes in it, they're everywhere and will colonize anywhere suitable, and a bag of soil definitely qualifies. Adding in some compost just gives you a bit more. Compost teas should also help. There are recipes for those over in the organic growing section, and they should be able to tell you more about your soil, they may also have some suggestions of what you can use for nutrients. I think they're big on top dressing with organic dry nutrients these days, but I could be wrong.

I posted over there last night but no reply’s. But thank you for the advice. I see a lot of people too dressing also. Although I’d personally like to just soil drench

I use Westland New Horizon, which is Coir mixed with composted leaf and wood fibre, then I add 5ml of this at the base of the root when I pot up.


Job done.

I'm sure it works well, I just wish the companies that made these products would learn a bit about what they're putting in there. Ectomycorrhizae are mostly useless to plants like cannabis. I could be wrong, but as I understand it they're pretty specific to trees and woody shrubs. They should really split that into two products. One with the ecto, and one with the endomycorrhizae.

I'm not saying that's useless though. Mycorrhizae are definitely a big benefit to cannabis. The soils I use already have a high level of spores added. And the microbe boost would be good too.

Jimbo the Gael said:

I'm sure it works well, I just wish the companies that made these products would learn a bit about what they're putting in there. Ectomycorrhizae are mostly useless to plants like cannabis. I could be wrong, but as I understand it they're pretty specific to trees and woody shrubs. They should really split that into two products. One with the ecto, and one with the endomycorrhizae.

I'm not saying that's useless though. Mycorrhizae are definitely a big benefit to cannabis. The soils I use already have a high level of spores added. And the microbe boost would be good too.

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TBH I couldn't tell you. It wasn't sold specifically for growing Cannabis. It is the stuff you get for general gardening from the garden centre. However, you can tell the difference between a plant that has been treated with it and one that hasn't. The root balls on the treated plants were supreme.

I tried using soil without the mycos and it wasn't as good. You're right, it really does make a difference. I just don't like the feeling that I'm paying for stuff I don't need. Too much Scots in me I guess, lol.

Jimbo the Gael said:

I tried using soil without the mycos and it wasn't as good. You're right, it really does make a difference. I just don't like the feeling that I'm paying for stuff I don't need. Too much Scots in me I guess, lol.

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I know exactly what you mean, I strive to keep my costs to a minimum.

I take it you are in the UK? I am.

I seldom recommend a product, but that Dragonfli Root Boost is good. Works really well, 1KG so far has treated 40 plants and I still have loads left. On price it is a very cheap when compared to the stuff that is aimed at the Cannabis growing market. For example...


That is more or less exactly the same product at 35 times the price. Total rip off.

Nah, I'm in Canada. I saw a lot of guys using that Great White stuff, and I checked it out. Couldn't believe the price.
I started growing in Promix Organic vegetable & herb mix since it did so well with my hot peppers, and at CAD$9 for a 28 litre bag, mycos already added in, it really saved me a few bucks. I tried a few other soils people recommended, but kept going back to the promix.
I've been thinking of trying out a supersoil recipe. I like the idea of water-only, start to finish, but with limited storage space I'll be sticking with bagged soil till I move.

Jimbo the Gael said:

Nah, I'm in Canada. I saw a lot of guys using that Great White stuff, and I checked it out. Couldn't believe the price.
I started growing in Promix Organic vegetable & herb mix since it did so well with my hot peppers, and at CAD$9 for a 28 litre bag, mycos already added in, it really saved me a few bucks. I tried a few other soils people recommended, but kept going back to the promix.
I've been thinking of trying out a supersoil recipe. I like the idea of water-only, start to finish, but with limited storage space I'll be sticking with bagged soil till I move.

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Canada, you live in the best country in the world. When the kids are grown up the wife and I plan to tour Canada in a camper van. I wanna go all the way from Nova Scotia to the Yukon. TBH now I have been to visit the "Shatner Stealing Mexico Touchers" I have a yearning to do the whole of North America.

I use a soil mix called New Horizon £6 for 60 litres, a fraction of the price of the "cannabis" brands. It's Organic, a mix of Coir and composted wood/leaf fibre. It is seems pretty decent for the money. I used to mix up my own stuff from peat, coir, chicken manure and lime, but I just don't have the time. So I use Plant Magic Old Timers range, because it is well priced and has a good reputation.

There has to be a cheaper alternative to Great White in Canada.

speedwell68 said:

Canada, you live in the best country in the world. When the kids are grown up the wife and I plan to tour Canada in a camper van. I wanna go all the way from Nova Scotia to the Yukon. TBH now I have been to visit the "Shatner Stealing Mexico Touchers" I have a yearning to do the whole of North America.

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You don't really get a sense for how big the world is until you travel across a portion of it. Like taking a train from Ontario to British Columbia.
A German guy came over for business, and as my dad was showing him around he said he had scheduled a week off work at the end of the trip to backpack across Canada. My dad had to tell him he probably wouldn't make it the whole way driving, let alone backpacking.
"Shatner Stealing Mexico Touchers" Lol, I love it!

speedwell68 said:

I use a soil mix called New Horizon £6 for 60 litres, a fraction of the price of the "cannabis" brands. It's Organic, a mix of Coir and composted wood/leaf fibre. It is seems pretty decent for the money. I used to mix up my own stuff from peat, coir, chicken manure and lime, but I just don't have the time. So I use Plant Magic Old Timers range, because it is well priced and has a good reputation.

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That's a great price.
It's one of those cases where the money-men try to scam you into paying a premium for rebranded Miracle Gro by pasting a pot leaf onto the bag.

speedwell68 said:

There has to be a cheaper alternative to Great White in Canada.

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I'm sure there is, but when the mycos are already there, and I get the microbes from my compost, I don't really feel too motivated to find it.

Sorry @DaZeD*oNE , we really highjacked this thread. Hope you're finding the info helpful.

speedwell68 said:

TBH I couldn't tell you. It wasn't sold specifically for growing Cannabis. It is the stuff you get for general gardening from the garden centre. However, you can tell the difference between a plant that has been treated with it and one that hasn't. The root balls on the treated plants were supreme.

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What brand are you using if you don’t mind me asking? All the brands I’ve seen seem to be over priced tho I’d love to try it

I just seen your guys comments. Mother Earth groundswell seems to be a good soil. I’ve used it before just not in the organic sense. Had peat moss.perlite.worm castings.bat guano.shell fish,Forest products.etc... I just been thinking I haven’t been using it To it’s full potential. It’s not advertised as being ph balanced but w.e I’ve checked run off its been 6.8 no matter the ph I water with

DaZeD*oNE said:

What brand are you using if you don’t mind me asking? All the brands I’ve seen seem to be over priced tho I’d love to try it

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Dragonfli Roots Boost, I posted a link up there somewhere.

I see you are using a Peat based product. I have just stopped using Peat based products. I discovered how horrifically bad for the environment it is. Peat Bogs take thousands of years to develop and they are being dug up at an alarming rate, totally unsustainable. Peat Bogs also absorb carbon from the atmosphere, they are as important as Rain Forests.

My local supplier is phasing out Peat based products. I was using Westland Jack's Magic and I am swapping to Westland New Horizon, which is Coir with added composted wood and leaf fibre. My flowering plants are still in the Peat and I have just enough left, for top dressing, to see out the grow.

speedwell68 said:

Dragonfli Roots Boost, I posted a link up there somewhere.

I see you are using a Peat based product. I have just stopped using Peat based products. I discovered how horrifically bad for the environment it is. Peat Bogs take thousands of years to develop and they are being dug up at an alarming rate, totally unsustainable. Peat Bogs also absorb carbon from the atmosphere, they are as important as Rain Forests.

My local supplier is phasing out Peat based products. I was using Westland Jack's Magic and I am swapping to Westland New Horizon, which is Coir with added composted wood and leaf fibre. My flowering plants are still in the Peat and I have just enough left, for top dressing, to see out the grow.

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Ok so I bought some Mykos. But I thought it was the water soluble kind but it’s not. Fml I’m not willing to pull the plant up so will the fish emulsion and kelp I bought do any good without the Mykos? I’m guessing there should be some Microbes in my soil but not sure how much. I assume by the time I would get the water soluble kind it would be to late as the plant is 2 weeks from sprout yoday

I'm sure the Fish Emulsion and Kelp will be fine without it.

I have grown plenty of weed without Mycorrhiza. I'd just leave it until next time.

All I do is grow auto flowers in organic living soil. My soil is currently on its second cycle of growing. In my opinion if you're doing traditional organics your soil composition and health is more important than your plants if that makes sense. Obviously we are trying to grow good flower but without the proper microbial balance in the soil your plants will not reach their full potential. here is a simple way to make your own living soil that I have had great success with through three grows. One bag Fox farms ocean Forest.... One bag mushroom compost... 10 lb organic worm casting. Upon mixing this I add the proper amounts of Earth dust organic nutrients and also some Fox farms bat guano. This mixture needs to cook for several weeks at least to get the microbes going.once that's done and planted you will amend the soil every three to four weeks with your dry amendments. I like to use a product called recharge. Just look it up on Amazon. It's the only additional supplement I use besides a very small amount of organic cal mag and it made a tremendous difference in the health of my plants. I also will water my plants several times throughout their life with water from my fish tank. Personally I always make sure my pH is at 6.8. if you always pH the water properly you will never have to worry about the pH issue even though people say you don't have to worry about it i always do. Hope this helps a little. I'm attaching a picture of my current Blue dream from Humboldt seed organization. She is 35 days from seed and has just started to flower. She has been LST trained and defoliated. I also use a black dog phytomax 200 led. Hope this helps in some way.Cheers and happy holidays