Living Soil Wicking Beds

[JimmyJackCorn]

I'm working a wicking bed, but am fascinated with all SIP styles and all plants grown in them.

This is my fourth cannabis grow.

Once I had the design in my head and materials gathered, it took roughly four hours to assemble.

 

[JimmyJackCorn]

I will let this soil cook for a month while the seedlings get going. This is a totally new strain for me, and my first time growing seeds from a breeder.

 

[farangar]

Nice! Make sure to keep us updated on how the grow goes.

My SIP system is simply a plastic tray filled with perlite, I add water to the tray and the perlite sucks up the water, and then the fabric pots sit on top of the perlite and it keeps the soil moist all the time via capillary action.

 

[JimmyJackCorn]

Nice! Make sure to keep us updated on how the grow goes.

My SIP system is simply a plastic tray filled with perlite, I add water to the tray and the perlite sucks up the water, and then the fabric pots sit on top of the perlite and it keeps the soil moist all the time via capillary action.

That's pretty sweet. I have seen folks here grow awesome plants like that!

My pilot project was similar to that, as it's a pot with gravel in the bottom that sits in a tray. Works great and waters perfectly, but still requires daily watering. I'd like to be able to step away for a few days, though!

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

Looking good! Great choice on seeds also. Useful gear is amazing! Take some clones also because it's hard to get now sadly. Also if you are interested there is a sip thread on here also a lot of us have been swearing by them for years. I have made my own but am now and earthbox fan boi lol. Can't wait to see your results!

 

[JimmyJackCorn]

Looking good! Great choice on seeds also. Useful gear is amazing! Take some clones also because it's hard to get now sadly. Also if you are interested there is a sip thread on here also a lot of us have been swearing by them for years. I have made my own but am now and earthbox fan boi lol. Can't wait to see your results!

Thanks! I feel lucky to have these seeds. I poked around JBC and a few other banks for months and what I wanted was usually sold!

I am new to SIPs, but the plant in my first little hybrid setup was transplanted into that SIP at switch to flower, and what that did to the plant was shocking. I'm 100% sold!

I like that SIP thread. I lurk over there a ton.

 

[myke]

I'm working a wicking bed, but am fascinated with all SIP styles and all plants grown in them.

This is my fourth cannabis grow.

Once I had the design in my head and materials gathered, it took roughly four hours to assemble.

Nice work,so many ways to do it but the end result is it works very well.Hydro growth with organic taste, what could be better.

 

[myke]

A tip,after hydration cover with 1" of play sand.This will suffocate out any gnats that may have found there way in.

 

[JimmyJackCorn]

A tip,after hydration cover with 1" of play sand.This will suffocate out any gnats that may have found there way in.

They're probably in there. I used Mosquito Bits to knock gnats down once and that took them back down to a manageable level. But I will remember that! The more tools for IPM the better!

I hope I can keep a balance with all bugs. Right now it's full of pill bugs and centipedes and a few kinds of tiny bugs. My secret formula for bugs is EWC, though. I have found it indispensable!

 

[DankTankerous]

They're probably in there. I used Mosquito Bits to knock gnats down once and that took them back down to a manageable level. But I will remember that! The more tools for IPM the better!

I hope I can keep a balance with all bugs. Right now it's full of pill bugs and centipedes and a few kinds of tiny bugs. My secret formula for bugs is EWC, though. I have found it indispensable!

if you have some bomb EWC I wouldn’t worry about putting play sand on top. I never had a problem with gnats when I had my SIP going, and I didn’t have a cover. My plant started to out grow the SIP container so I took my cover off and added more soil on top. I put hay on top as a mulch and yeah never had any gnats. If you put sand on top, that’s going to be a bitch to remove, just to top dress

 

[JimmyJackCorn]

if you have some bomb EWC I wouldn’t worry about putting play sand on top. I never had a problem with gnats when I had my SIP going, and I didn’t have a cover. My plant started to out grow the SIP container so I took my cover off and added more soil on top. I put hay on top as a mulch and yeah never had any gnats. If you put sand on top, that’s going to be a bitch to remove, just to top dress

I wasn't sure if I wanted to start the grow with the tote lids on or off, but your post helped me decide to leave them off! I could use the humidity anyway (an evaporative humidifier is my next big purchase).

If I were to use sand to fight gnats, I would use a shop vac to remove it. DE might be another story!

The EWC is from my backyard. The soil is also from my yard. They go together really nicely!

 

[myke]

I wasn't sure if I wanted to start the grow with the tote lids on or off, but your post helped me decide to leave them off! I could use the humidity anyway (an evaporative humidifier is my next big purchase).

If I were to use sand to fight gnats, I would use a shop vac to remove it. DE might be another story!

The EWC is from my backyard. The soil is also from my yard. They go together really nicely!

Yup shop vac works well,top dress and dump sand back on top.
Risky using stuff from outside,mites,root aphids etc...

 

[Hollatchaboy]

I'm working a wicking bed, but am fascinated with all SIP styles and all plants grown in them.

This is my fourth cannabis grow.

Once I had the design in my head and materials gathered, it took roughly four hours to assemble.

It's funny, I just mentioned a couple weeks ago, that it would be nice to implement a res to a bed, and you had the idea already. Lol.... good shit man! I'm totally interested in this!

 

[JimmyJackCorn]

Yup shop vac works well,top dress and dump sand back on top.
Risky using stuff from outside,mites,root aphids etc...

It's risky, yes. I don't know enough about what's in all my inputs to be in control. I'm hoping for a natural balance!

My current grow has gnats, thrips, and spider mites for sure--that I know about! I have done my best to manage them, and I hope it doesn't affect the end product too much. But I have also seen hypoapsis miles and cucumeris, and I don't want those guys to go hungry! lol Hell, I even dropped a few ladybugs in there that I've seen cruising around!

For other IPM I keep BTi, neem, and citric acid. I try to avoid using neem because of the smell, but it does a number on thrips! I need to look into that potassium salt or whatever it is for PM, but my climate is so dry that PM hasn't been a problem I can't handle with more ventilation.

My biggest bug problems arise when moving plants from outside to inside. Trying to reestablish a balance without all the wasps, ladybugs, etc. is a real exercise in vigilance!

edit: Oh yeah, a BIG shout-out to @xtsho and @kratos015 for their knowledge and encouragement! And one for @bk78 for holding down the fort!

 

[DankTankerous]

I wasn't sure if I wanted to start the grow with the tote lids on or off, but your post helped me decide to leave them off! I could use the humidity anyway (an evaporative humidifier is my next big purchase).

If I were to use sand to fight gnats, I would use a shop vac to remove it. DE might be another story!

The EWC is from my backyard. The soil is also from my yard. They go together really nicely!

be careful with using soil from your backyard. Put it a black garbage bag and in the sun, so it kills the bad bugs. Also make sure it’s well aerated… but I’m sure you know that. Do you have a worm bin outside?

 

[JimmyJackCorn]

be careful with using soil from your backyard. Put it a black garbage bag and in the sun, so it kills the bad bugs. Also make sure it’s well aerated… but I’m sure you know that. Do you have a worm bin outside?

The soil is a vermicompost heap with various inputs in various stages of decomposition, mostly anaerobic (I think). It's basically a heap of dirt, leaves, grass, biochar, and non-animal kitchen waste that I stirred before taking what I need! It is chock full of many different bugs. It hasn't ever steamed or gotten temperature-hot, that I know of. The totes for my wicking beds are not heating up, and I guess I don't expect them to. I did add vermiculite and perlite, so between those and the big organic chunks from the vermicompost, I think it should be okay for aeration.

No worm bin! At least not yet. I keep toying with the idea! When I need to replenish my EWC supply, I dig a hole in a flower or garden bed and retrieve loam that's honeycombed with worm tunnels. I only use EWC for IPM, so any N-P-K it adds is incidental.

 

[DankTankerous]

The soil is a vermicompost heap with various inputs in various stages of decomposition, mostly anaerobic (I think). It's basically a heap of dirt, leaves, grass, biochar, and non-animal kitchen waste that I stirred before taking what I need! It is chock full of many different bugs. It hasn't ever steamed or gotten temperature-hot, that I know of. The totes for my wicking beds are not heating up, and I guess I don't expect them to. I did add vermiculite and perlite, so between those and the big organic chunks from the vermicompost, I think it should be okay for aeration.

No worm bin! At least not yet. I keep toying with the idea! When I need to replenish my EWC supply, I dig a hole in a flower or garden bed and retrieve loam that's honeycombed with worm tunnels. I only use EWC for IPM, so any N-P-K it adds is incidental.

Did you mean aerobic? Anaerobic is not what you want, although LaB is anaerobic but amazing for your soil. I’m sure it’s giving it the nutrients it needs, if not it’s breaking down into humus and will be amazing for your soil. I don’t know where you live, but chances are they are deep burrowing worms. I highly suggest you get a worm bin, but keep your compost going. It’s very easy to keep a worm bin, just make sure balance the carbon/nitrogen. They love newspapers, straw, cardboard, leaves, etc. buy at Least a ten gal bin (apparently they don’t reproduce in smaller than that, at least that’s what the person told me whom I buy my red wrigglers from. Check out kashi composting as well, it’d be a great addition to your compost pile. Sorry to hear about the bugs. I work on a farm (not the green kind) and I gotta shower and change clothes before I look at my plants… it doesn’t always happen.

but good on ya, looks like you got a great set up. I love SIP’s, they changed the game for me. I’ll be building one here pretty soon. I’ll start a journal and make sure to tag you in it.

Happy Growing,

Tom Bean

 

[JimmyJackCorn]

Did you mean aerobic? Anaerobic is not what you want, although LaB is anaerobic but amazing for your soil. I’m sure it’s giving it the nutrients it needs, if not it’s breaking down into humus and will be amazing for your soil. I don’t know where you live, but chances are they are deep burrowing worms. I highly suggest you get a worm bin, but keep your compost going. It’s very easy to keep a worm bin, just make sure balance the carbon/nitrogen. They love newspapers, straw, cardboard, leaves, etc. buy at Least a ten gal bin (apparently they don’t reproduce in smaller than that, at least that’s what the person told me whom I buy my red wrigglers from. Check out kashi composting as well, it’d be a great addition to your compost pile. Sorry to hear about the bugs. I work on a farm (not the green kind) and I gotta shower and change clothes before I look at my plants… it doesn’t always happen.

but good on ya, looks like you got a great set up. I love SIP’s, they changed the game for me. I’ll be building one here pretty soon. I’ll start a journal and make sure to tag you in it.

Happy Growing,

Tom Bean

Thanks for the good words!

I'm not sure how the pile is breaking down, but I don't stir it much. I'm guessing it's anaerobic for that reason. Sometimes the grass clippings or fallen leaves get slimy and gross, but it's pretty loose and foresty overall. I treat it like a bank of hot soil that I use to garden in general (green and otherwise).

I'd like to get into bokashi, or, if nothing else, keep some barley on hand to sprinkle on top of these newly filled planters. I poked around in my kitchen, but we are out. I should look into what different folks are using in kashi!

They are not red wrigglers, they are the big fat fishing worms down there. HUGE MFs!

I have one of those big Costco spinning compost barrels, but I have not fired it up (it's a hand-me-down). I'd like to, but it hasn't happened yet. I'm worried I would let it go and it would be Wriggler genocide!

 

[DankTankerous]

Thanks for the good words!

I'm not sure how the pile is breaking down, but I don't stir it much. I'm guessing it's anaerobic for that reason. Sometimes the grass clippings or fallen leaves get slimy and gross, but it's pretty loose and foresty overall. I treat it like a bank of hot soil that I use to garden in general (green and otherwise).

I'd like to get into bokashi, or, if nothing else, keep some barley on hand to sprinkle on top of these newly filled planters. I poked around in my kitchen, but we are out. I should look into what different folks are using in kashi!

They are not red wrigglers, they are the big fat fishing worms down there. HUGE MFs!

I have one of those big Costco spinning compost barrels, but I have not fired it up (it's a hand-me-down). I'd like to, but it hasn't happened yet. I'm worried I would let it go and it would be Wriggler genocide!

well as far as it being outside, make sure it temperature of the bin doesn’t go over 85. Ants are also a problem. I recommend keeping it inside. My bin doesn’t smell and it shouldn’t. Everything stays in the bin, I have had pill bugs escape, but that’s about it. It’s easy to maintain and the benefits are better than anything you can buy on the shelf. Doesn’t require that much attention, hell you can forget about them for a few weeks and they’re fine.

 

[TugthePup]

Im along for the ride. I have some rain gutter. Havnt been able to find drain tile.