Super soil question

[Shadytrees88]

mixed a full batch of sub cools super soil. Been cooking in the basement in a kids pool for almost a month , temps around 73 , humidity low , got a tarp over the pool .

That's my first question should I leave it covered , at the begening u could feel the heat comin off the soil and the moisture under the tarp was quite a bit , bad or good

Second question when the top of the soil drys out is it best to turn the soil , I added bout a gallon and a half of water since mixing the. Batch ..

And , what is the best method of testing the soil ph to know the soil is cooked , I've used soil testers before and they seem. No so accurate , what is the best way for this ..

And I clone , to solo cups , then to 2 gal containers then to 3 or sometimes skip 3 and go to 5 . Veg for 6 to 8 weeks , so question is when I transplant them to 3 gallon containers can I add a 1/4 layer of super soil in the bottom then the final transplant do 1/2 to 3/4 in the 5 gallon container .. 8 week flowering strain chemdawg 4 and money maker and delicious candy ....


Sure all this info is on this forum somewhere so dnt hound me to bad . Oh and my veg set up is a 600w mh 4x4 and flowering tent is 4x8 2x 1000w hps , temps r 70 to 75 lights on and 65 to 69 lights off ..


Thanks shady trees

 

[Rasta Roy]

You'll catch a lot of shade around here just for using subs recipe and methods lol. I won't begrudge you tho friend! I will recommend checking out my guide and maybe trying out a method based on building your soil where you don't have to waste your time composting (commonly called cooking) your soil or your money on a bunch of amendments that either wash away too quick or turn into ammonia before you even plant your girls in it. It can utilize a lot of what you already have on hand as well.

https://www.rollitup.org/t/organic-growing-an-introductory-guide.921380/

Enough about all that, let's help you out.

You wanna keep your soil covered while it's composting, and you want to turn it every few days. The heat is a good thing, that means its composting. It's moisture consistency should be like a wrung out sponge. Wet...but not dripping when you squeeze it.

I wouldn't bother to check pH to know when it's done, it's done when the heat is gone...granted if you don't take care of your pile like listed above it can cool off early...but itll get hot again once you create proper conditions. But once it's no longer heating up its ready to use.

 

[Rasta Roy]

Layering soil...don't do it. This is why we all throw shade at sub. There is no science behind doing it. Science only has reasons for you to not do it.

 

[Rasta Roy]

Your plants in 3 gallon containers should be strong enough to transplant directly into the compost you have made. But for your younger plants you should mix in the "supersoil" you've made with a potting mix of peat moss amd perlite like promix or one you make your self. Evenly mix it all together tho. No layering.

 

[Richard Drysift]

For soil that is cooking I keep a lid on it but loosely so that air and moisture can exchage/escape slowly. If the top layer gets dry you can hydrate with a hand mister to keep it moist without soaking too much though your hands will probly get all kinds of cramped up from spraying a bigass kiddie pool lol. You can mix it gently but just keep in mind every time you chop up the soil very tiny fungal structures that are always developing can be emaciated this way albeit temporarily. Letting it set until potting time is best IMO.
Not to start a debate but I disagree with the layering of soil. When I build my final size bloom containers I usually add a layer of extra fertilized soil (recycled soil plus guano and composted manure) in the bottom topped with a sprinkling of oyster flour to help offset the ph. The roots grow into the bottom layer eventually and keeps plants green and happy through entire flowering cycle; that is the super simple science behind layering. My plants used to sort of fall off & begin to yelllow around week 7 but since doing this they stay nice & green right up to harvesting. If I did not layer & added all those high N ferts directly it can cause clawing which is why I started doing this in the first place. I got the idea from the rev at skunk magazine and in his books on TLO growing; I don't follow subs methods or use his recipes not that I've got anything against subcool.
That being said layering a pot for vegging doesn't make much sense either especially if you plan to transplant again later on. I would just cut a portion of your finished SS mix down with perlite and coco or use a starter mix for your clones or seedlings. Just be sure to add myco directly to the roots when you transplant. When your super soil is spent after next harvest set some aside and don't amend it; just add worm castings and use that for young clones & seedlings. Amend & recycle the rest; it gets better every time.
I do agree though if you cooked it for a month there's no need to check ph but if you wanted to be sure you need a good horticulture grade soil probe. I use a rittenhouse ph probe which is an accurate yet no frills probe; was around $80 from Amazon. Once it reads higher than 6.5 I know my soil is done cooking & it always takes about 3 weeks+ so waiting a month is likely just as accurate. Most of the soil probes you find on the cheap are useless junk so shop carefully if at all. If it does more than check ph it's probably a POS.

 

[Rasta Roy]

For soil that is cooking I keep a lid on it but loosely so that air and moisture can exchage/escape slowly. If the top layer gets dry you can hydrate with a hand mister to keep it moist without soaking too much though your hands will probly get all kinds of cramped up from spraying a bigass kiddie pool lol. You can mix it gently but just keep in mind every time you chop up the soil very tiny fungal structures that are always developing can be emaciated this way albeit temporarily. Letting it set until potting time is best IMO.
Not to start a debate but I disagree with the layering of soil. When I build my final size bloom containers I usually add a layer of extra fertilized soil (recycled soil plus guano and composted manure) in the bottom topped with a sprinkling of oyster flour to help offset the ph. The roots grow into the bottom layer eventually and keeps plants green and happy through entire flowering cycle; that is the super simple science behind layering. My plants used to sort of fall off & begin to yelllow around week 7 but since doing this they stay nice & green right up to harvesting. If I did not layer & added all those high N ferts directly it can cause clawing which is why I started doing this in the first place. I got the idea from the rev at skunk magazine and in his books on TLO growing; I don't follow subs methods or use his recipes not that I've got anything against subcool.
That being said layering a pot for vegging doesn't make much sense either especially if you plan to transplant again later on. I would just cut a portion of your finished SS mix down with perlite and coco or use a starter mix for your clones or seedlings. Just be sure to add myco directly to the roots when you transplant. When your super soil is spent after next harvest set some aside and don't amend it; just add worm castings and use that for young clones & seedlings. Amend & recycle the rest; it gets better every time.
I do agree though if you cooked it for a month there's no need to check ph but if you wanted to be sure you need a good horticulture grade soil probe. I use a rittenhouse ph probe which is an accurate yet no frills probe; was around $80 from Amazon. Once it reads higher than 6.5 I know my soil is done cooking & it always takes about 3 weeks+ so waiting a month is likely just as accurate. Most of the soil probes you find on the cheap are useless junk so shop carefully if at all. If it does more than check ph it's probably a POS.

Your roots grow into the soil at the bottom of your pot within a few days or quicker though... @greasemonkeymann is pretty good at explaining the flaws in layering.

 

[dannyboy602]

only way you'll k now what ur exact ph is is to have it tested in a lab. my guess if you put lime in ur mix at the right rate you'll fare somewhere around 6.8.
as far as subs mix I found it was too hot unless cooked and I was in a hurry so I mixed up a beautiful mix with composted manure from the depot. peat/lite base and the minerals. ezpz. oh and worm poop...lots and lots

 

[Richard Drysift]

Your roots grow into the soil at the bottom of your pot within a few days or quicker though... @greasemonkeymann is pretty good at explaining the flaws in layering.

Flaws or not it works for me no need for further analysis; I know grease disapprove but I think most everyone would agree that the roots find whatever you put in your container eventually. Most amendments are added to your mix globally of course but a high N layer that is several inches below the root ball will take some time before the roots get into it and then take what they need as needed. Yes that can take as little as a matter of days if a thin layer of regular soil is used but even if it does it still works the same way. I use jobes organic spikes too & they work much the same.
Hoping grease will jump in & give us his take on this

 

[Shadytrees88]

I'm on a experimental thing I usually just run ffof and happy frog , got into roots , really happy with just the happy and ffof , I put decent yields I reckon , I run a few autos this year and was pulling down 3.5 zips a plant under just 2 400w system , my flowering tent is 2000k for my Phenos , as far as the layering goes I wasn't gonna do that I was more goin to just do 50/50 some 70/30 mixes with my base soil and roll with it see what happens , 3 kids and 15 hours of work just tryin do some different things , I know a lot of people do hate on subs theory's but I had to try ,., we will see what happens , I got some chemdawg clones and train wreck clones comin up , few sensitive autos goin into the super soil so we will see , def check out ur link and see what that's about ... I turn the soil every few days and keep it covered , it went hot and cooled off in probly 2 to 2.5 weeks ...I'm pulling some good yeolds off of my 2k system and my frog and ffof and general hydroponics and teas , 6 to 8 zips a girl so if I can't do better then that then I'll have to drop the mix and find better ...

 

[Rasta Roy]

Good luck bro, it's hard to go wrong with a chemdawg variety!

 

[Shadytrees88]

Just wish it was a orig, idk if it just me but there a pain to clone my train wrecks and candys week tops Chems were almost if not as bad as my Silver hazes idk why but lord it took forever , I had roots exploding out my rapid rooters with train wrecks and candys ... I tried 3 different cubes with all the same results so gotta be the strain I guess cause I used rock wool , oasis and rapid rooters side by side , I busted out the oasis cubes cause back in the day they was great didn't work any better lol