Minimum Pot Size To Maintain & Recycle Living Soil?

Perception

Perception

Well-Known Member
I was speaking with the owner of a local grow shop, and his opinion was that you need a minimum of a 15gallon pot in order to start building a living soil that can be recycled for consecutive grows (I know there is lots more to deal with in keeping it healthy and alive, but I need to start with pot size). He uses 100gallon fabric pots indoors (has worms, etc), and keeps it alive and reuses the soil.

I'm just getting my feet wet on building and maintaining living soil. Wondering where I should start with pot size? My grow tent footprint is 36"x36". 15 gallon is ok, but if I could go smaller I would.

15gal Smart Pots: 18" in diameter - I could fit 4. https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Pots-15-Gallon-Soft-Sided-Container/dp/B004O3LPOE
 
testiclees

testiclees

Well-Known Member
Perception said:
I was speaking with the owner of a local grow shop, and his opinion was that you need a minimum of a 15gallon pot in order to start building a living soil that can be recycled for consecutive grows (I know there is lots more to deal with in keeping it healthy and alive, but I need to start with pot size). He uses 100gallon fabric pots indoors (has worms, etc), and keeps it alive and reuses the soil.

I'm just getting my feet wet on building and maintaining living soil. Wondering where I should start with pot size? My grow tent footprint is 36"x36". 15 gallon is ok, but if I could go smaller I would.

15gal Smart Pots: 18" in diameter - I could fit 4. https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Pots-15-Gallon-Soft-Sided-Container/dp/B004O3LPOE
Click to expand...
15 gal def gives good results with the right setup. I know the folks over on 420 high brix forum talk a good recycle/living soil/vibrant micro herd game. They say 7gal is minimum.

I once used 3 and 5s Now i go no smaller than 7 and have developed a fetish for the 15s. I recycle my soil by busting it up a little bit, mixing it up with other recycled soil, add in vermicompost and peat then send it out for a soil test. I grabbed 8+ z from my last 15 gal
 
Perception

Perception

Well-Known Member
Awesome! Thanks for the details. I want to do some experimentation of different soil recipes, and was hoping that I wouldn't need to isolate myself to one, extra large pot. Four 15gal pots would work nicely.

@testiclees Impressive. Was the 8+z from 1 plant? Do you ever run 2 plants in a 15gal? Also, do you soil test EVERY time before a grow?
 
testiclees

testiclees

Well-Known Member
Perception said:
Awesome! Thanks for the details. I want to do some experimentation of different soil recipes, and was hoping that I wouldn't need to isolate myself to one, extra large pot. Four 15gal pots would work nicely.

@testiclees Impressive. Was the 8+z from 1 plant? Do you ever run 2 plants in a 15gal? Also, do you soil test EVERY time before a grow?
Click to expand...
Yes one plant.
Not every grow but every batch. I test once or twice a year. You might be astonished by the effects of constantly adding products to "correct deficiencies". A soil test is a useful reality check imo.

I have put more than a single plant per pot. It can work out OK but not a best practice.
 
Last edited:
testiclees

testiclees

Well-Known Member
Perception said:
Well, I'm hoping that feeding my future microbes will add all the "products" I need :)
Click to expand...
It's a good strategy but they cant create what isn't available. Thats why a test is a good idea. Also along with vibrant biology you'll want certain mineral ratios. The soil test folks will give recommendations according to their soil nutrition theory to correct any imbalances.

Kali Mist was grown in recycled soil 7 gal fabric. It grew so fast that it was root bound after 3 weeks flowering. As it's a 10+ week strain I slit the 7 gal open and plopped it into a 15 gal fabric. I only filled in the sides because I cant give up the height. Im pretty sure this will be an exceptional plant. about 7 weeks veg. 7-12.jpg 7-12 1.jpg
 

Attachments

Last edited:
Chronikool

Chronikool

Well-Known Member
Perception said:
I was speaking with the owner of a local grow shop, and his opinion was that you need a minimum of a 15gallon pot in order to start building a living soil that can be recycled for consecutive grows (I know there is lots more to deal with in keeping it healthy and alive, but I need to start with pot size). He uses 100gallon fabric pots indoors (has worms, etc), and keeps it alive and reuses the soil.

I'm just getting my feet wet on building and maintaining living soil. Wondering where I should start with pot size? My grow tent footprint is 36"x36". 15 gallon is ok, but if I could go smaller I would.

15gal Smart Pots: 18" in diameter - I could fit 4. https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Pots-15-Gallon-Soft-Sided-Container/dp/B004O3LPOE
Click to expand...
Hey mate. I use 2 gallon and 5 gallon. I rip the root stock out after harvest, dry reamend and cover with worm castings. (Then sow cover crop) Let sit for 2 weeks.

Diastatic ground malt barley is used as a enzyme to help break down roots.

However... the bigger the pot for your space the better.

There is a misconception that there is a minimum pot size for worms to live. This is wrong. Its the environment you provide which is the factor of them vacanting or not. I used to grow in just party cups till harvest and find worms present.
 
testiclees

testiclees

Well-Known Member
Perception said:
@testiclees Looking good! Do your soil tests provide microbial level assays? Fungal/bacterial ratios?
Click to expand...

I havent tested for those values. im not sure that intl ag lab performs all of those measurements. I would be interested in that info. Im optimistic about my biology, i have a productive worm bin that i rely on to refresh my mix but an analysis would be useful. Lol you talked me into it.

On the ic thread the posters are doing analysis constantly. It seems like labs have specializations so the most worthwhile info comes from compare and contrast values by using more than one laboratory.
 
Perception

Perception

Well-Known Member
In the book Teaming with Microbes, they make the argument that the microbial populations are more valuable than the nutrient levels. And that you can basically deduce what's going on with your nutrient levels, and how to adjust them, based on the microbial balances. Cool stuff! But I'm guessing it is expen$ive.

Chronikook - thanks so much! That's the kind of feedback I was looking for. So sounds like bigger is better, but that you can start small if needed.
 
Chronikool

Chronikool

Well-Known Member
Perception said:
In the book Teaming with Microbes, they make the argument that the microbial populations are more valuable than the nutrient levels. And that you can basically deduce what's going on with your nutrient levels, and how to adjust them, based on the microbial balances. Cool stuff! But I'm guessing it is expen$ive.

Chronikook - thanks so much! That's the kind of feedback I was looking for. So sounds like bigger is better, but that you can start small if needed.
Click to expand...
Not a problem. I find a lot of growing is finding what workz for you. I have an unusual shape grow space with little head room so canopy management is a constant.

As for microbes being expensive ( is that what you meant?) They are the cheapest thing ever..as in free! :)
 
GreenSanta

GreenSanta

Well-Known Member
if you re-use the soil and you pile it aside and re-amend and compost it, and then re-use you can get great great results with 7gallons, I do both 7s and 10s. If you want to pull and plant you can get away with 2 cycles in a 10 gallons with a good top dress but if you want to do no-till you want to go 20+gallons pots, Id go with much more than 20 and save lots of room for mulch.
 
Yodaweed

Yodaweed

Well-Known Member
I'm using 25-30 gal fabric pots with some good training and veg time I can get 14-18 oz per plant. I grow a cover crop and trim it and let the trimmings mulch my plant.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top